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Post-Easter and pre-Whit tends to be the most active part of the school year when it comes to motivational speakers and speeches, rousing assemblies, positive newsletter messages and general “upbeatness” in schools.  Teachers, leaders, pastoral support staff are all working at full pelt to support pupil learning with a gigantic dose of inspiration in readiness for the end of year assessment, tests and examinations that are imminent. 

This is absolutely appropriate, and absolutely important.  We all know that confidence plays an enormous role in performance and, as those end of year tests and exams loom large, the difference in outcomes between a confident entrant to an exam and a reticent one can be profound.  Generating confidence in children is a real skill, and doing so for sometimes very large groups of diverse children – as teachers and leaders have to do in schools – can appear as an act of wizardry. 

As with most skills, the better the practitioner, the easier they make it look.  However, there is definitive psychology around the factors required for the instilling of confidence which are applicable universally.  Whilst articulated in a number of ways, I find the most accessible format when looking at this to be the construct designed by Lent and Lopez (2002) which describes a “tripartite model of efficacy beliefs” that affect our levels of confidence.  This has been applied to coaching (especially in sport), therapy, and a range of other areas where an individual is required to complete a task or series of tasks. 

The three parts to the model are as follows:

• Self-efficacy: the extent of my own belief in my capability to complete a task. 

• Other efficacy: the belief that I have in my partner’s ability (this could be a playing partner in sport, but could be a therapist, a coach or a teacher) in relation to the task at hand.

• Relation-Inferred Self-efficacy (known as RISE): My belief of how my partner views my capability.

In summary, my confidence depends on how good I think I am, how good I think you are in helping me, and how good I believe you think I am!

The implications for all of us are seismic if we accept this model.  To be school-specific, if we are the pupil undertaking the test or examination, our confidence will be dependent upon a range of inputs – and only some of those are within our own control.  Our sense of self-confidence will be determined by our previous levels of success (performance generates greater confidence in subsequent performance), our preparation and practice, and our emotional and physiological readiness to undertake the task.

This is augmented by other efficacy.  Do I trust that my teacher has prepared me well for the test or task?  Do they have the specialist knowledge, the understanding of what the test requirements are, the ability to teach me in a way I understand?  My confidence depends in part in my trust in those preparing me.

Finally, there is RISE.  Do I feel that my teacher thinks I’ll do well?  Do they have confidence in me to be successful?  My confidence depends on me believing that they back me to succeed.

As teachers, pastoral staff, and leaders in school, we need to bear in mind that our words and actions materially impact on the confidence of the children and young people we work alongside.  When this, in turn, materially impacts on their outcomes, it’s very clear that all of this really matters.

In a practical sense, the extent of other efficacy can be directly influenced by teachers sharing with pupils their own credentials to teach the subject, the successes of pupils they’ve taught in the past, their passion for their subject and their expertise at being able to support students individually with their questions and knowledge gaps as well as delivering to the entire group.  This doesn’t mean being boastful or bragging, but quietly and regularly imbibing a sense of confidence to the pupils that I, as their teacher, (a) know what I’m talking about and (b) know what is needed from you the student. 

In relation to RISE, teachers, pastoral staff and school leaders show pupils and students how much they are backing in them in a range of different ways that may include deliberate and calculated acts (such as giving pupils responsibilities, formal recognition and celebration of past successes) to the informal moments of an affirming smile or a warm and supportive word of assurance. 

Finally, psychologists are quick to point out that confidence is far from stable, because the tripartite components of confidence are themselves dynamic.  For us in schools, this means that we can never affirm that “our work is done” after a powerful assembly, the awarding of a house point or the delivery of a heartfelt “well done!”  Particularly for those children and young people who may struggle for self-efficacy, the importance of other efficacy and RISE becomes even more profound, as it can compensate for doubt, anxiety and imposter syndrome that the pupil may be feeling. 

“Even if I don’t believe I can do it, I know that you think that I can” is a powerful line from many a successful person’s testimonial or autobiography.  Staff in schools, through their words and actions, inspire such lines every day.

Thanks, as always, for reading.

Mike.

In December 1985 bass player, singer, lyricist and founder member of Pink Floyd Roger Waters left the band.  Believing the band to be “creatively dead”, Waters then embarked on a bitter feud with his former band mates when they decided to continue without him.  Finally settling out of court, but admitting to having “lost”, one of the most acrimonious rifts in music history was solidified.

Embarking on a solo career, Roger Waters found himself in Cincinnati on a tour to promote his album.  In close proximity in both space and time – within the same city, and within the same week – Pink Floyd were also performing.  Waters played to an audience of only 2, 000 fans, whilst his former band performed at the Colts Stadium before a crowd of 70, 000.  In an interview many years later, he recounted this experience and how it made him feel.

Whilst with Pink Floyd, Waters had penned numerous classic rock songs and the band had sold millions of albums.  Even now, “Dark Side of The Moon”, “Wish You Were Here”, “Animals” and “The Wall” remain classics that many self-respecting music enthusiasts will own copies of.  These four albums alone sold over 110 million copies worldwide, and this is before streaming and downloading figures are included.  In short, Pink Floyd were massive – by any standards. 

Playing in a small theatre to 2, 000 was an experience that changed Roger Waters.  For a decade or more, almost everything he had touched turned to gold.  Having parodied the trappings of success in the song “Money” in which he wrote “new car, caviar, daydream – think I’ll buy me a football team”, he was in a position to know what absolute wealth looked and felt like.  In his interview, he stated that the taste of failure, whilst somewhat bitter, was important.  He quoted Jung, who wrote of a colleague that “I am greatly worried for him, as he has suffered a great success”. 

We often emphasise the importance of resilience and tenacity.  Indeed, they are incorporated into our Trust values for colleagues and pupils alike.  The ability to overcome difficulty is what, in so many instances, leads to growth and learning.  Intelligence itself is sometimes defined as “knowing what to do when we don’t know what to do”, and placing ourselves and others into situations where we are uncomfortable can be a valuable part of our development.  When I was a younger teacher, we were urged to make our classrooms places of “high challenge, low stress” – and that is something I continue to believe is a healthy learning environment.  Without challenge, there is no change. 

The very best teachers have always balanced the support and scaffolding required to enable all pupils to access and engage with learning with exposure to problems, challenges and conundrums that will test both the skills and the fortitude of the learner.  More and more examinations are centred on problem-solving, or are synoptic in their requirements – preventing rote learning and the revision of standard, “model” answers.  This really tests understanding.  Crucially, it replicates the real world that we have a responsibility to prepare our children and young people for.  Being “comfortable when uncomfortable” is a phrase used in sports coaching, but is equally applicable to all learning.  In an age where information Is more and more readily accessible and available, those who can use and manipulate what they know to resolve what they don’t will truly inherit the earth!

Thanks, as always, for reading.

Mike.