Risk-aversion is common among young people. A child can sit through five lessons, engage with the tasks at hand, behave well and then go home. This may sound like a perfect scenario, but this process does not produce well-rounded citizens, able to cope successfully with the challenges of life.
At my school we have developed a curriculum that offers a wide range of challenging activities through a programme called Future Me. It is open to all students and acknowledges home and school successes, but also failures. Children need to experience and cope with authentic risk in order to thrive.
Positive relationships between students and staff, open communication and the PASS (Pupil Attitudes to Self and School) attitudinal survey help us identify which students are risk-averse. Once we know who they are, there are things we can do as teachers to give them more confidence.
Here are some tips for helping risk-averse children to succeed:
Make your school a place where making mistakes and “having a go” are celebrated, rather than just attainment. For example, a child running a cake sale might not raise the money required, but by being able to take pride in what they have achieved and identify areas for improvement, the experience can inspire future success.
Deal sensitively with students who want to check your instructions, tasks or expectations. They are asking because they need to. Log their names and be pre-emptive when delivering challenging activities. Reluctant students are often the ones who might be embarrassed to ask for clarity, so making your instructions crystal clear can make them feel more confident.
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What’s the worst that could happen?
When emotions get the better of reason, explore this with parents as well as with the student. Catastrophising can be useful if you are exploring the worst that may happen along with strategies to cope with that eventuality. This can often help the student to realise that the worst-case scenario is not all that bad after all.
Give students an experience that is similar to one they fear, but in a less threatening context. Although a student might dread the idea of presenting to the whole class, they may feel able to present to a smaller group. Celebrate individual success and then step it up.
Encourage staff to model risk-taking behaviour. For example, students are often more likely to have a go at an activity which involves some element of performance if a teacher is willing to model it themselves. If you want your students to work outside of their comfort zone, you should probably be willing to step outside of yours.
Anne Eardley is vice principal of Crosshall Junior School in Cambridgeshire, England.
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