5 Powerful Ways to Boost Student Self-Esteem and Enhance Educational Performance

5 Simple Yet Powerful Ways to Make Your Students Feel Special: Boosting Self-Esteem and Improving Educational Performance

1/22/2023

Teacher giving one-on-one support to a young girl during class, promoting student connection and boosting self-esteem for better learning outcomes.

I believe that making students feel special is an important aspect of teaching that can help boost their self-esteem, confidence and educational performance. There are so many ways to make students feel special, but in this post, we'll explore five ways I think can make a big impact.

1. A Unique Gift

Giving a gift is a simple but powerful way to make a student feel special. The key is to make the gift-giving experience extra special. I suggest wrapping the gift in beautiful, eye-catching gift wrap with a bow. Make sure all of the students see the gift, but don't let the student open it until they go home. I recommend giving the gift on a Friday. This will leave the other students thinking about the special gift all weekend. Seeing their classmates being rewarded for good behavior should encourage them to strive for similar recognition. Ideally, they'll come back on Monday ready to have a great start to the week with the hopes that they'll be the next student to receive a special gift.

2. A Prize Box

A prize box /choice box / treasure box is a fun and creative way to reward students for exceptional behavior. Make the box large and decorative. Fill it with random toys, special writing tools, treats, books, art supplies, etc. When children are caught doing something notable, make a big deal about it and let them select one item of their choice from the box. This moment will make that student feel recognized and special.

Another tip: only let students see inside the box when it's their turn to choose their prize. The mystery around the contents of the box will leave kids curious and striving to see inside for themselves.

3. Lunch with You

Diverse group of young students enjoying a healthy lunch with their teacher, fostering community and positive relationships in the classroom.

Eating lunch with a teacher is usually a special experience for students. Allow small groups or pairs of students to have lunch with you one day instead of in the cafeteria with the rest of the students. You can have them bring their lunch from home for that day, bring it from the cafeteria or if you want to make it extra special, order delivery. Just make sure you check with the parents regarding dietary restrictions and allergies first.

Keep in mind that students want talk to you about more than just their school work and classroom rules. They want to tell you about their favorite shows and hobbies and everything else that's on their mind. They want your attention and to be heard. Good food and fun conversation is a great way to bond with your students and make them feel important.

4. A Special Letter to Their Parents

Writing a thoughtful letter to a student's parents is a great way to acknowledge their child's great qualities and enormous potential. Take your time and write a meaningful letter detailing all of the child's positive character traits and how much of an asset they are to your class. Go the extra mile and write it on a decorative card and package it in a colored envelope. Request that the parents read the letter with their child. It will be a great confidence boost for your student and a proud moment for the parents. When students feel that their parents are aware of their potential, they are more likely to strive to reach higher goals. Hopefully, this letter will help students feel more confident and motivated to do their best in school.

Teacher engaging in a warm conversation with an elementary student in a school library, promoting connection and student-teacher trust through one-on-one support.

5. Give Them Praise

Giving students public and private praise is an effective way to make them feel special and recognized. Public praise can be done in a variety of ways such as calling out students for a job well done in front of their classmates, displaying students' work in a prominent location, or giving awards and prizes. These are great ways to build a culture of recognition and positivity in the classroom and school.

Additionally, private praise can be done by commending them for their efforts during one on one conversations or writing notes with affirmations, positive feedback and encouraging words letting them know they're on a path to success. With private praise, students will feel acknowledged and appreciated in a more personal way.

Whether it's public or private praise, I strongly suggest making a BIG DEAL out of student accomplishments to emphasis how proud you are of them and how proud of themselves they should be as well.

By making students feel special, we can help boost their self-esteem and confidence, which in turn can positively impact their educational performance. These small gestures I've mentioned above can make a big difference in a child's life and can help them feel recognized and valued.

Overall, these five tips can be powerful tools used to help make students feel special and acknowledged. These actions have the potential to positively impact student self-esteem and educational performance. When students feel valued and appreciated, they are more likely to be engaged in their learning and have a positive attitude towards school.

What do you do to make your students feel special?

Have you tried any of the strategies mentioned in this post? If so, what were the results?

Do you have any ideas on how to make public and private praise more fun and engaging for students?

How do you think parents can be included in the process of recognizing and praising students?

Have you ever received special recognition or praise that you still remember from childhood? If so, how did it make you feel?

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