Watching students grow from little kids to young adults, moving up from one grade to the next; it’s a non-stop cycle of adapting and transitioning. This natural, yet routine path, can be stressful for them, and they may face a range of issues including:
We know that these factors affect a student’s performance, attitude, and how they are able to respond to change, and ultimately their transition to real life. Fortunately, educators stand ready to guide them through these struggles by helping them build these basic yet crucial skills:
#1 Patience and Persistence
Chasing high grades is often considered the primary focus of many students, and certainly a desirable goal for most parents. Struggling students can easily get demotivated and the constant pressure over their results can be debilitating. This is where teachers could highlight the importance of patience and persistence. Simply recognizing the value of their efforts and ideas, motivates them to keep going, and teaches them persistence and patience with both themselves and with others.
#2 Communication
Aim for a classroom environment that promotes open communication and understanding. Encourage conversation by asking open-ended questions. A healthy exchange of ideas will make students more comfortable to speak up, ask questions, and debate any topic. This gives them the confidence to do the same outside of class, and helps them deal with conflict, at home, or in school.
#3 Reflection Time
Reflection keeps priorities and behavior in check. It helps students understand where they are now, what goals they want to reach, and what action they need to take to get there. As a teacher, you might try dedicating 30 minutes a week outside of class to connect with students who need advice or help in processing their own self-reflection. This self-reflection skill teaches them to focus and keep track of their personal progress, grades, and how they are managing their time.
Change can be a lot to handle for anyone, especially students. As educators, developing these simple skills in your students can help them adapt to new environments with confidence. Exhibiting this kind of poise and sense of accomplishment will motivate students toward making a difference in their own lives.
Motivating your students can easily be done through your Aimee Page! While their accomplishments are great, it's not all that counts. You can use your page to create and issue:
Issuing and validating these accomplishments is only a click away. It can be very helpful when your students take time to reflect and prepare their application for university.
Still have a few minutes? Here's a fun video guide on body language and non-verbal communication skills.
