“At the end of the day, you will most likely regret the risks you didn't take and not the ones you did.”
Most people fear the unknown. My students especially fear the unknown because they not usually succeeded when the unknown happens. I can understand this because that really hurts them emotionally. When I get hurt, physically or emotionally, I tend to avoid tasks that may cause the same pain. So, when I ask my students to do similar activities that have already hurt them, many will do whatever it takes to get out of that activity. This might show up in aggressive behavior or passive behavior.
It helps that I am aware of these feelings and the cause of some behaviors. Since I understand this, it is easier for me to help students get through this fear.
Sometimes I have to face my fears. Sometimes it helps if there is someone holding my hand when I face my fears. I want to be that someone for my students.
I need to first let my students know that I will be there for them and that I understand how some of them feel. Many students will not acknowledge that they are afraid of anything.
I try to share with them some instances where I failed but kept trying until I succeeded. Some of these things surprise my students because they never imagined that I could fail at anything. The more comfortable they see that failure did not kill me and that if I wanted to succeed, I kept trying, the more encouragement they seem to get.
I also need to help them look at the consequences if they fail. Sometimes their worst fears is really not that bad once they verbalize these fears. Also, if they see that others seem to have the same fears, it makes it less threatening.
Another way to help my students is by possibly finding someone who knows about whatever is frightening my student. If the student learns more about it, the unknown becomes more known. The more knowledge we have, the less fearful we become.
How do you help students face their fears? Please share.
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