2.7 An inclusive teacher contributes to the emotional well-being of all children

Contributing to the child’s emotional well-being goes well beyond the school environment.

 Activity 8: Nothing impossible

This activity will give teachers ideas on how to restore pupils’ self-confidence.

  • Download the resource Seeking Help from the section Equal opportunities [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)]   in the Audio resources area on the TESSA website.
  • Listen to this short play and note how the teacher, Florence, helps Mimi overcome her lack of self-confidence caused by the negative attitude of her father at home. What precisely does Florence do to restore confidence in the young girl?
  • Imagine the consequences of this ‘reinforcement’. Write the conclusion of the story.

You will have noticed that the teacher stopped the children’s teasing by sending them on break and that she kept Mimi behind to talk to her quietly. She interviewed her kindly to find something that she knows and likes to do and which would enable her to succeed in front of her peers. She provided support by giving Mimi time to rehearse her song. She also provided support by protecting Mimi when the rest of the class became restless when they heard Mimi was going to perform. What were the end results? Mimi found something she could do well, allowing her to win the respect of her classmates. The rest of the class discovered that Mimi could take on a challenge, succeed and shine in certain activities

Activity 9: The role of social environment on the pupils

This activity will enable teachers to reflect on the role of the children’s families and the social environment on their self-esteem and confidence.

  • Think about your own experience. Can you remember how your parents’ attitude caused you to lose or strengthen your self-confidence?
  • Can you detect children in your classes who have lost their self-confidence? Think about different means to rebuild that confidence.
  • How could you open a dialog with parents to talk about their children’s difficulties and how they could support their children to help them at school?
  • Can the TESSA resources you have used help you in this task?

2.6 An inclusive teacher acknowledges the contribution of each child

2.8 Reflection on the inclusive teacher