We have a greater reserve of memories to look back on and remember a time when we have been successful to remind us that we can be successful again. We can also reflect on times when things haven’t gone to plan and realise that we have bounced back before and we can do I again. This belief in future success and trust that we can cope in stressful situations allows us to be confident. How can we use our experiences to help young people have the same trust in themselves?
The way we praise children and young people can impact how they feel about both their successes and their failures. For young people to feel confident that they can be successful again it’s important that we are specific with the praise that we give so that they know how to replicate that success. Equally when they experience failure or setbacks, we can still look for the strengths in their performance to recognise what they have done well to build on and improve for the future. It’s also important to recognise when students have put in effort which will enable them to feel more confident about future challenges. Carol Dweck: The Effect of Praise on Mindsets - YouTube is one of my favourite clips about how the praise that we use can impact how children will approach future tasks.
Alexandra Hands
Deputy Head Pastoral