The document discusses ways for teachers to boost students' self-confidence. It defines self-esteem as a global judgment of self-worth while self-confidence refers to belief in one's ability to achieve specific goals. The school environment should foster confidence rather than try to teach it directly. Based on Carol Dweck's research, praise should focus on effort, strategies, and improvement which students can control, rather than innate qualities. Subjects like art and music allow self-expression and a sense of achievement, boosting self-efficacy. Teachers can enhance confidence through meaningful feedback and recognizing how enjoying activities leads to better performance and confidence.

1. What can teachers do
to bolster students’ confidence?
Susan Hanafy

2. Are self-confidence and
self-esteem the same thing?
The terms self-esteem and self-confidence are often used
interchangeably; however the literature defines self-
esteem as a global judgement of self-worth generally
based on nothing tangible, whereas self-confidence refers
to belief in one’s capacity to succeed in specific goals.

3. How can teachers enhance
students’ self-confidence?
The literature shows that the school environment should foster
confidence rather than try to teach or force feed confidence:

4. Mindset:
The New Psychology of Success: Carol Dweck
As a result of her research Carol Dweck makes the following
recommendations to enhance students’ self-confidence:
If you tell a student “You are clever”, this will cause him/her to focus on
intelligence, an innate quality, giving the message that improvement is
beyond his control.
Assigning labels to students, even positive ones, can be detrimental.
Instead we should praise effort, concentration, and the effectiveness of
strategies, all of which are in the students’ control.

5. What are the benefits of subjects
such as art, music and media studies?
One of the main advantages of creative endeavours such
as art, drama, photography or video work, is that they
provide people with a vehicle to express themselves that
would have lain dormant without this outlet. Music too
can provide this opportunity. Together with a sense of
achievement, this creative endeavour can provide
opportunities to build feelings of efficacy. (Craig, 2007)

6. What can we do to enhance
students’ self-confidence?
Replace empty praise with meaningful
feedback.
 Recognise that when students
participate in things they enjoy they get
better at everything because their
confidence is bolstered. (Ken Robinson)

8. Suggested reading
Craig, C. (2007). Creating Confidence. Glasgow: The Centre for Confidence and Well-being.
Katz, L. G. (1993, October). Distinctions between Self-Esteem and Narcissism: Implications for
Practice. Retrieved June 2011, from The Clearinghouse on Early Education and Parenting:
http://ceep.crc.uiuc.edu/eecearchive/books/selfe/distinct.htmlEducation
Mackenzie, R. (1991). A Search for Scotland. London: HarperCollins Publishers.
Montessori, M. (1995). The Absorbent Mind. New York: Henry Holt & Company.
Montessori, M. (1966). The Secret of Childhood. New York: Random House Publishing Group.
NACCCE. (1999). All our futures: Creativity, Culture and Education. National Advisory Committe
on Creative and Cultural Education.
Robinson, K. (2010, May). Bring on the Revolution. Retrieved September 2011, from TED Ideas
Worth Spreading:
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/sir_ken_robinson_bring_on_the_revolution.html
Robinson, K. (2006, June). Schools Kill Creativity. Retrieved September 15, 2011, from TED
Ideas Worth Spreading:
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html
Robinson, K. (2005). The Arts, A Lifetime of Learning. Retrieved October 2, 2011, from
Education Commission of the States:
http://ecs.org/html/projectsPartners/Chair2005/docs/Sir_Ken_Robinson_Speech.pdf
Seligman, M. E. (2007). The Optimistic Child. New York: Houghton Miffin.

9. Thank you for your attention