How you can be an example of courage and help students face their fears and achieve their best
As adults, it’s not often that we get butterflies at the thought of doing something new or nerve wracking like we did when we were in school or uni. We’re generally pretty good at either facing challenges head on, or avoiding them and carrying on, dealing with the repercussions later.
Back when we were younger, we always had someone holding us accountable, or as I used to see it, forcing me to do the things I was scared to do, like go to the dentist or get a blood test.
On a smaller, day-to-day scale, we were constantly pushed at school to face our fears. For example, if you hated public speaking, it was too bad. If your English assessment was an oral presentation, you would have to stand in front of the class and present your ideas or you would fail. Simple as that. No negotiations, no compromising. Just plain, old courage.
Now, of course, assessments are tailored to each student, and educators allow students to participate in different ways. If students aren’t willing to present to a class, that’s okay, they can record themselves and submit the recording. After all, assessments are created to, you guessed it, assess what each student has learned, though it does raise some concerns with educators who believe the ability to present is an important life skill.
Personally, I was never scared of public speaking. In fact, I loved it. Articulating my ideas, debating my beliefs and even performing for a crowd would fuel me with a positively nervous energy that I would feed off, giving me an adrenaline rush and sense of achievement like no other. It didn’t come naturally, and I still find myself shaking before I get up in front of a crowd, but I was lucky to have teachers who consistently demonstrated courage in the classroom. They didn’t worry if they were being ‘cringe’. They told us not to worry about it, either. Most importantly they taught us how to be a good audience. No matter what our classmates were doing, we were taught to cheer them on, give them a pat on the back, and if needed, give kind, considered, and constructive criticism that would help them to grow and improve.
I always thought of myself as the kind of person who thrived when faced with a challenge. As someone who was and still is naturally shy, I was taught by example to take nervous energy and turned it into a tool. I still do, most of the time. So, when I got into the pool for my first swimming lesson at 28 years old last week, the anxiety I didn’t know I had reared its ugly head.
Realistically, we know that our fears aren’t always rational. Of course, some of our fears are natural responses to real, potential danger. For example, a fear of heights may serve to protect you from falling. On the other hand, an irrational fear is triggered by non-threatening stimuli, like public speaking, performing, or meeting new people.
In my case, the fear that crept over me felt both rational and irrational at the same time. I knew that nothing bad would happen. I had an instructor and there were three lifeguards close by. I wasn’t being forced to jump into the deep end without the knowledge of how to get back up to the surface. But, if something went wrong, the worst-case scenario felt dangerous. This fear stopped me from learning to float, and thus, I left my first swimming lesson feeling defeated and intimidated for the next.
That got me thinking about a few things. Firstly, how come children can do this and I can’t? Secondly, and most importantly, it made me realise how easy it us to let our fears stop us from achieving our goals. Now, while on that train of thought, I thought about all the things that I found challenging as a student in school, and how I excelled when my teachers gave me courage through their words and their actions.
When you are on the other side of the classroom, that is, teaching rather than learning, it’s easy to forget that the things we might do daily, like stand in front of the class and deliver a lesson, can be uncomfortable for students who don’t do it as often.
No one is born courageous. It is a skill born from nurture and practice, learned through consistently taking action despite fear. Courageous educators will raise courageous students. They will teach them that growth is more important than perfection. That resilience and courage are intrinsically linked, and that you will only get better by facing your fears and learning from the setbacks.
Yes, there are 20+ of them and one of you, but sometimes, even your most confident students need the support to try something new, though they might not say it.
Perhaps next time there are opportunities for students to sign up for leadership roles, theatre productions, concerts, sports/athletics carnivals, choir, spelling bees, or even class helper roles, it might be worth mentioning that you are happy to chat to anyone who is interested. Just the concept of an open door might help students who are feeling doubtful to come forward and seek affirmation.
After all, it’s worth reminding yourself and your students to decide between ‘A moment of courage or a lifetime of regret’.
Keen to learn more? Here’s an article about Cultivating Courage in the Classroom.