How Science Can Build Confidence In Students by River X. Suh

Many students are looking for reasons to believe they belong. While inclusive representation can open the door to that journey, many students truly grow confidence when they recognize they can ask good questions, solve problems, help others, and contribute meaningfully to a community.

Science is full of examples where progress comes from finding common patterns across very different situations. Students may initially look for people who resemble them, but over time many discover that the most important lessons come from recognizing shared experiences, values, and strengths in people who are quite different from themselves.

True, when students feel seen in their journey, they become more willing to engage with unfamiliar perspectives and revise their thinking in response to new evidence. These scientific habits of mind, recognizing shared patterns in diverse observations, are essential for the critical thinking students need to practice in order to build self confidence.

When we stop at visual inclusion and representation, but never give students opportunities to practice thinking critically about their growth in society, we render our diverse strengths invisible. The strengths we gain from diversity and inclusion have become so familiar that they have become foreign.

Help students understand why they can be confident. Help each other gather evidence, recognize strengths, and deveolop the openness to learn from anyone.

“I believe the children are the future. Teach them well and let them lead the way.” - Whitney Houston