Five ways to discuss resilience with students
Effective teachers can foster academic tenacity in their students in many ways. You can:
- Reinforce the message that your students belong in school: When students believe that they have the potential to grow and excel, and that their teachers care, they are more likely to be tenacious in the classroom
- Challenge your students with high performance standards: Studies show that students work harder for teachers who expect more of them
- Provide high-quality feedback: Substantive feedback shows students that you are committed to learning and believe in their capacity for growth
- Help your students with goal-setting strategies: Encourage them to write specific, concrete goals in a planning book, or by breaking down long-term goals into concrete, short-term goals
- Create small groups or “communities of learners”: Working in small groups promotes social learning, helps students see that others may be having similar difficulties with coursework, and creates communal goals and fosters a social identity around coursework
Learn more
Pick up some tips and techniques for fostering academic tenacity in your students in this online book, entitled Academic Tenacity: Mindsets and Skills that Promote Long-term Learning (Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation ERIC).