Week 2 of my course with FutureLearn and Girls’ Day School Trust covered confidence and challenge in the education environment. If these are run in parallel and combined with a secure learning environment, students are more empowered and learn more effectively.

This week the course covered:

• Establishing confidence and challenge
• The value of challenge
• Building confidence
• Engaging learners using challenge
• Modelling risk taking

Within the section of ‘The Value of Challenge’ they looked at Carol Dweck’s ‘Growth Mindset’ and how it can influence student responses and their motivation to learn. I read her book a couple of years ago, ‘Mindset: Changing the way you think to fulfil your potential’. This was an interesting read regarding the differences between a growth and fixed mindset and the effect on our approach to the way we motivate ourselves to learn.

The other interesting factor from this week was about encouraging students to ‘have a go’ and to move away from a perfectionism culture. Creating an environment for safe failure, encouraging reflection and seeing mistakes as opportunities to learn is so important if young people are to engage in the classroom through challenge.

The course also covered the use of ‘fertile and open questions’ and the characteristics they need to have. As a coach, I use both of the above to effectively question my students and move them forward in whatever they want to do. Having more of a coaching environment in the classroom is something that I am very passionate about and would like to see more of it across our education system.

Another great week and I look forward to seeing what week 3 has to offer.

If you know of anyone that is struggling with motivation or is stuck in a rut and would benefit from life coaching then please contact me.