Teaching your students to take responsibility for their
learning and their actions is a great way to empower them and to motivate them.
Being responsible isn’t something that comes naturally to most students and
part of the reason for this is that those areas of the brain which deal with
responsibility (frontal cortex) continue to grow and develop well into their
early twenties. You can help them to take ownership of their actions and to
think things through before acting with these simple techniques.
Instilling confidence
The first step in taking responsibility is for your students
to believe that they are capable of making the right choices and of taking the
lead. Start with baby steps; ask them how they are going to deal with a
situation like an upcoming test or looking after a younger sibling.
Listen to their plan and discuss things that could go wrong
and how to deal with possible problems. It’s best here to allow your student to
come up with their own solutions; don’t be too prescriptive as to what they
should do. Allowing them to formulate their own plans inspires confidence and
giving them more responsibility shows that you have confidence in their
abilities.
Dealing with failure
As students take on more responsibility with their studies
and in other aspects of their lives, it’s inevitable that some glitches will
occur. When this happens, try to remain calm and reflect on their actions, and
the consequences of those actions.
When discussing failures, ask open ended-questions to allow
students to arrive at their own conclusions. Taking responsibility means taking
ownership of actions and consequences both good and bad. If you give your
students responsibility, but keep taking the issue back or interfering, it will
take them longer to assume responsibility.
Developing
responsibility at home
Pets, chores and independence should be gradually introduced
when your students are ready for them. As they learn to be responsible for all
aspects of their lives, they will naturally assume responsibility for their
academics too.
If you find yourself nagging them to do the things they know
that they are responsible for, allowing them to fail occasionally and to deal
with the consequences may inspire greater responsibility in the future.
Assuming academic
responsibility
When students are struggling with academics, it may be time
to set some goals that are realistic. Decide together on goals that for short
term improvement and long-term achievement. Then set out a plan to accomplish
those goals.
Get a tutor for
students who have fallen behind, set a study schedule and suggest ways in which
you can monitor their progress. Be involved, but don’t dictate; remember that
they must be responsible for their own academic progress if they are really
going to succeed.
Reward their successes with more freedom and
responsibility and be patient and supportive when they fail.
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