By contrast, students with low self-efficacy have reduced aspirations for success and reduced commitments to goals, they attribute their poor performance to poor ability, and they persevere less frequently when facing challenging tasks.
As teachers, we must let our students know that "they can do it." Our students need to know that someone believes in their abilities so that they may develop the confidence and willpower to "walk around with their head held high" in life.
Attitudes, which can enhance or inhibit reading from the start
If students already possess a negative attitude towards reading, how could we shift that attitude to a more positive one? We could introduce different authors, genres, and writing styles, but how long would it take as well?
That a teacher can be a positive influence on a student's motivations to read is a powerful form of accountability. A reluctant reader who approaches acts of reading with a history of failure and then learns to build and maintain motivation has accomplished much.
Some students may learn to love reading, but that's not the case for other students. I believe outside figures, such as teachers or family members, are essential to encourage students to go beyond the classroom and read on their own. Motivation leads to a more fulfilled role, and doing so with reading helps students' academics and how they view themselves.
Many teachers find it helpful to find out what students think about a content area or a specific topic in the beginning of the year or semester. Knowing that several students like science fiction will help an English teacher plan the reading selections for the whole class or decide to include science fiction as a topic for small-group book talks.
By getting to know our students right at the beginning of the year, we are able to learn about their interests, live, and create those positive and trusting relationships. Students need to know that teachers are invested in them.
Standards and tests alone cannot influence what happens in the classroom unless teachers are given sufficient professional development opportunities to implement meaningful changes and sufficient time to assess students' progress.
I think this is a very great point. I think teachers should have more opportunities for professional development and how to create more engaging lessons for students. By simply just giving a test, it does not truly show students' progress, or even potential.
Good assessment involves students in self-assessment. In the long run, the judgments thatstudents make about themselves are just as important as-if not more importantthan-the judgments teachers make about students. Self-evaluation is an essentialcomponent oflearning how to learn.
This is a skill that is essential. As teachers, we self-assess ourselves all the time, and teaching this to our students is crucial in order for them to see progression, growth, and ways to improve.