Our Academic Coach, Hailey, remarks on the importance of helping students develop self-efficacy through HIT tutoring.
One of the most overlooked aspects of teaching is helping students believe in themselves. More than just a motivational phrase and empowering mantra, belief in oneself is a crucial factor in student achievement and growth. Amid declining literacy rates, rising chronic absenteeism, and controversial grading policies, teachers are grappling with significant shifts in education while trying to maintain effective teaching practices. Unfortunately, one practice that has suffered is designing classrooms and assignments that foster students’ self-efficacy, which is essential for their success and development.
How High Impact Tutors Help Build Confidence
During my time as a High Impact Tutoring (HIT) Coach at Thurgood Marshall Academy, I aimed to address the crisis in confidence many students face in their academic work. One 10th-grade student’s experience highlights the profound impact that cultivating confidence can have on academic success. For anonymity’s sake, I will refer to her as Sandra. Sandra had struggled in her first semester, failing to pass, but she was determined to change the outcome in her second semester.
Reflecting on Progress
After a month of semiweekly tutoring sessions, Sandra and I sat down to reflect on our progress and discuss any ways to enhance her learning experience. I was pleasantly surprised by her overwhelmingly positive feedback. She shared that, in the past, she would often shut down her computer or put away her homework—not because the workload was too much, but because she didn’t believe she was capable of solving the math problems.
Now, even when Sandra is uncertain of her final answers, she has developed the ability to problem-solve, break down questions into smaller steps, and attempt more challenging problems. She explained what makes our work together different from previous tutoring experiences: “I like that you give me the resources to find the answer. Tutors would give me the answer right away, but I had no way to verify it myself. Now I can complete my own work and help my classmates too.”
Sandra’s grades have improved, not only due to her acquisition of new math skills, but because she has gained more confidence in each tutoring session. This newfound confidence has empowered her to become a more independent learner outside of our sessions.