A positive attitude can change the way learners think and approach a subject or topic. It is meant to have a constructive effect on the students’ mental, physical, and emotional well-being. More importantly, it lays the foundation for a prosperous academic and life journey.
Therefore, it makes sense to encourage this behavior in students, but how should you address it? Does the responsibility fall on the teacher? Or do parents have a role as well? It will help if you look at it as a collective effort between the various stakeholders.
This article will help you clear such doubts and discuss the tips that will enable positive thinking and behavior among the students.
Let’s begin.
Creating a constructive learning environment
Creating a constructive learning environment will help learners approach the studies and other aspects of life differently. For instance, cleaning the room every day has proven to have overarching effects on people’s mindsets.
Moreover, you can add plants to the desk area and paste positive quotes to inculcate a sense of positivity. In schools, teachers can incorporate similar essentials to foster a constructive learning environment.
Surrounding the child with such an environment and using the learning approach they enjoy will help eliminate negativity.
Lead with example
Young students are inquisitive and imitate their elders. To instill a positive attitude in the learners, it will help if you lead by example. It means if you showcase a positive behavior towards a task or circumstances, the learners will follow suit. This practice is applicable to the teachers, parents, and all the guardians who can be regarded as role models.
A positive attitude is contagious, and it will help if people around the learners exhibit this trait. You can lead with an example by showcasing positive behavior, communicating these ideas to the learners, and sticking to your word.
It would be best if you did not sideline the principles you uphold as young learners can sense the adults deviating from their real behavior. Moreover, apart from showcasing positivity, take into account how a sudden behavior change can influence the students.
Enable the learners to look at the big picture
Enabling learners to visualize pointers like ‘what does it mean to be successful,’ ‘why should I study today’ or ‘why should I strive to do better’ will help look at the big picture.
Let’s say if the learner is stuck at a complex topic and struggling to complete/understand it. In such a scenario, get them to think about the positive outcome if they meet the task requirements and how it will help them in the long run.
The idea is to bring the attention of the learner to the results. More importantly, it will help the teacher and students have a similar perspective when they look at the academic year and set their objectives together.
Avoid negative remarks
It is safe to say that teachers are aware of the adverse consequences of using negative remarks in the classroom. Parents, too, should aim to look at how they phrase a sentence and think how a comment will be received by the students. Similarly, it will help if you tackle the instilled negativity of the learners.
For instance, if the learner says ‘I can’t do it’ or ‘it’s not worth it,’ then address this way of thinking.
Teach the learners to tackle such obstacles or difficulties with a positive outlook. Unfavorable results are a core component of success, and the learners should not be disheartened by them.
Positive reinforcement
Motivation plays a significant role in instilling a positive attitude in learners. Apart from hearing the right words from you, leaving positive notes on the assignments or projects will be immensely beneficial.
Marking pointers like “Great Job’ will boost the learner’s confidence and motivate them to do better. Therefore, optimism towards improving performance will help bolster positivity among the students and will make them look at situations differently.
Give a choice
Inculcating positivity should not be something you need to seek continuously. Students have a myriad of problems, and they react to them differently. Even though you need to encourage learners to be positive, you need to give them a choice.
Instead of insisting on adopting an attitude, encourage the learners to talk about their problems. If they feel uncomfortable talking about the issue with you, encourage them to speak to a professional consultant at Singapore international school.
The idea is to make sure that each student is on the same page and use an individualized approach to address the problem. That is why it is crucial to give the learners an option to accept or reject any concepts.
Promote inspiring movie screenings
Many schools have started the practice of teaching through movie screenings in between classes. It is a big hit with students as it has the ability to captivate their interest and teach them values that classroom learning may sometimes fail to achieve.
In addition to teaching values, schools can use this tactic to inspire positivity among students too.
There are many inspiring movies that motivate students. Movies like the ‘Dead Poets Society’ have not only proved to be a major blockbuster hit, but have also served as an inspiration to many. Screening movies like these every two weeks can create waves of positivity among students.
Firstly, they play a key role in taking away the redundancy of regular school classes that tends to get too repetitive for students.
Secondly, by screening movies, schools can teach through example and show that there is a world outside of conventional learning.
Conclusion
Adopting a positive attitude can be a daunting task, and regularly practicing it is even more challenging. You need to understand that and convey the same to the learners. We hope we covered all the dos and don’ts for encouraging learners to be positive. With collective efforts, you can incorporate these tips to change their perspective and enable the young to inculcate a positive attitude.
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