1.18.2011

Confidence, Efficacy, and Self-Reliance

Confidence is a sense of knowing you can prevail over a challenge or a struggle. One develops this sense of knowing (one's confidence) by having positive experiences of overcoming challenge, difficulty, and struggle. One becomes confident as one connects effort to mastery. Confidence is a mindset.

How does a child develop confidence at various ages?

What is a parent's role in challenge and confidence?

What is a teacher's role in challenge and confidence?

Are our assessments effective in creating confidence, efficacy, and learning motivation?

How can school best be structured and design to offer a variety of challenge learning?


Pitfalls to avoid:

Criticism, which is different from guidance

Cynicism

Overprotection and rescuing

Lack of feedback and reflection

Confidence builders:

an awareness of strengths, personality, and other self-knowledge

ability to analyze a situation and develop a sense of where to start

knowing how to learn and develop, deliberative practice

honest support of a community

praise of effort and process

willingness and ability to see mistakes as necessary part of learning process

Some related reading:

Psychological Resilience
Positive Psychology 
Maslow and Esteem
Self-Efficacy

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