– 17 December, 2020
– 17 December, 2020
Know why confidence is essential for your child
– 17 December, 2020
Student success is based more on confidence in exams than how well they can memorize their syllabus. Confidence is one of the basic skills for student success, read on to know why.
‘You can or you can’t,
Either way you are right’- Henry Ford
Confidence is a trait that develops self-esteem in students. If both work in a balance, student success is a given. Not just while writing exams, but when answering questions or asking relevant doubts too. A self-confident student is eager to set educational goals for himself and strive to achieve them. Only because he is least dependent on external sources of validation. Today, with the vast syllabus, several classes and extracurricular activities, students need to be self-driven to know exactly what they like. And confidence to pursue those interests. With the recent announcement of change in the education and grading system, knowing which vocation or optional subject to pursue will require a clear understanding of a student’s potential. And, more than courage that requires clarity. How else would they convince their parents or guardians that their choice of profession makes sense?!
There are some students who study way before others, finish revising their syllabus twice but when it comes to writing the exam- they forget everything they have studied. Is this a condition? NO. It is only the lack of self-confidence that makes them nervous. On the contrary, students who are less stressed, know their study threshold and plan an easy-to-achieve time-table perform better than them. Only because they are confident they will do well if they focus and plan. These students rarely compare themselves to others, because they know what they are doing is good enough for them. So, lesser the nervousness, the sharper the memory. As parents, it is important to know that they are surrounded by the right peers. That they are not pushed beyond their capacity. And definitely not an object of comparison. Only when parents and teachers will show confidence in them, will they be able to build their self-esteem.
Students who are confident are always outgoing, because they aren’t afraid of failure. Rather they find it amusing to test their threshold. They won’t worry only about examinations, but will participate in extracurricular activities as they know the importance of re-creation. You will often find them nominated for inter-school contests, like debates or elocution, or even a drawing contest. They believe in their skills, and are willing to take it to another level. They are surrounded by peers that inspire them to do better. If they are introverts, they will take on a hobby like reading or learning an instrument. It’s important to remember that examinations are only for grades, but being involved in recreational activities develops other skills, and for some, these become a great way to choose a vocation in future. Beyond grade 10th they will be by themselves, and that life demands a good personality to succeed.
Confidence helps students form their own opinions, because they are willing to interact with peers and are open to others opinions too. Since, they know that they have to deduce their understanding, based on their individual personality, they are open to different perspectives on the same subject. Self-confidence also helps have healthy debates. Usually, students with low confidence will feel unworthy of achieving or pursuing their dreams, especially when they confront any criticism. Confident students always keep asking questions, they aren’t afraid of clearing a doubt twice with their teachers if they are confused. Hence, they have more clarity. If as a parent you are searching for how to increase confidence in students, the first step is to be involved in your child’s student life. Know if they are being bullied, or have any negative feelings towards their teachers, or is there a problem they haven’t spoken to you about.
The more confident the students are, the more creative they will be with their ideas. And confidence isn’t always vocal, it can also be an expression through music, or art or on paper! Since, they are willing to absorb information that encourages their thought, they are likely to be more intellectual. And this is not just for students who top the class, but also average students who know how to balance both- studies and extracurricular activities. If you are wondering how you can boost self-confidence in your child, enrol them into an activity they like, be it sports or dance or origami. It’s what we learn in school that becomes our founding knowledge, but to use that knowledge properly & practically requires creativity! So, the more malleable their minds are the more likely they are going to be confident in life. A classic theory of positive thinking in students’ success was based on giving a bunch of students the same chapter to learn in a short span of time. The results were clear, that confident students understand it better but lesser confident students tend to memorize it better. So, what would you pick- conceptual clarity or by-hearting!
With school going digital, students have access to multiple tools. Their minds are also open to a lot of information. Self-confident students have control of their own studies, hence they know exactly how much time they will need to learn or take a test. It is only because they can self-evaluate themselves. This is an essential skill for the future, because it helps in strategic planning. Instead of just knowing study concepts, student success is based on how well they can explain it to someone, or better yet apply it in day-to-day life! If successful strategies are on your mind, then introduce them to some credible learning apps- like MSVgo for instance. MSVgo hosts over 6000+ Math & Science videos for grades 6th to 12th and can boost confidence in students by giving them crystal clear understanding of their syllabus. With easy to relate examples, learning complex theories can become easier for students to learn, and to write or even explain.
Gone are the days when parents planned a study schedule for their children. Now, it’s children who need to understand its underlying importance. In such a time, confidence becomes a crucial aspect in learning, forming opinions, filtering peers and developing a good personality. The earlier you direct their minds to the right information, with e-learning tools or intellectual content, the more confident they can get with their social conversations. Most importantly, they need confidence to reach out for support when they need it. As parents as early as we can, we need to tell them often that we believe in them and always have their back. This will make them confident about their personal standing in the social and business environment. Make sure you notice if your child is lacking the motivation to study or shows extreme disinterest in school activities- it might be time for you to intervene and have a friendly chat about what might be wrong.