How to Help Your Students Make the Most of Their Education

Students who embrace school as an opportunity to grow and learn are best equipped for long-term success. How can you help your students make the most of their education and be the best they can be? Here are several tips:

• Teach self-empowerment. Students who believe that their education is their own are more engaged and motivated. Encourage students to advocate for themselves and follow their interests.
• Encourage students to tackle hard things. You’re never going to convince every student to love every single thing about school. But you can encourage them to work hard toward skill mastery and competence and feel proud when they grasp new concepts and ideas.
• Adopt a growth mindset and tell your students to do the same. Nobody’s intelligence is fixed. Remind your students that they are always capable of learning and growing. Every new day is a chance to build knowledge, expand the mind and try something different.
• Tell students that mistakes are opportunities. Students who think of mistakes as a normal part of the learning process are unafraid to take risks and try new things. In school and in life, this optimistic outlook is a true asset.
• Make it easy to build rapport with you. Students should get to know their teachers and establish positive working relationships. Why not make your classroom a place where they feel comfortable asking questions, visiting you outside of class when they need help and sharing ideas?
• Repeat this: learning is fun. Your energy is contagious. So, show students you’re excited about teaching. Be enthusiastic about your subject. Get them involved by asking for their ideas. The more you have fun in the classroom, the more they will too. That sets the stage for lifelong learning.

Do more than help your students learn. Help them become engaged in their own learning. When you do this, you set them up for success in any classroom or setting.