“Self Confidence comes from being challenged and rising to meet that challenge..”
Self confidence in our children doesn’t come from praise: it comes from being challenged and rising to meet that challenge, from high but developmentally appropriate expectations, and from support that nurtures all along the way. At Ashbrook, this is the environment we create so students are encouraged to take risks, try new things, and persevere, even when it’s hard. This is how confidence is built.
Because of small class sizes, every student at Ashbrook is known personally and challenged and nurtured in unique ways. This mission based culture invites students to speak up in class, audition for that play, run for a student council position, and present their original ideas with pride. In these ways, success results from a student experience defined by opportunities to grow, and resources that support, all in an environment in which failure (which will happen from time to time) is not something to be ashamed of, but something to learn from, adjust to, and try again, what we call “failing forward.”
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As our primary resource to support students, Ashbrook’s teachers are experts at providing feedback that is specific and growth-oriented. Along the way, students learn the importance of a growth mindset and “grit,” and they learn to iterate, to self-advocate, to articulate their needs, to revise their work, and to always try again. In short, they are taught that intelligence is not fixed, that growth does not look the same for everyone, and that being comfortable making mistakes is essential to mastery.
For close to 30 years, this approach has paid off for Ashbrook’s students, as they develop a quiet confidence that comes from real accomplishment, not mere affirmation. They believe in their own ability to figure things out because they were given the myriad opportunities to appreciate the power of self agency and to experience what it feels like to rise to the occasion and contribute meaningfully to their community. This intrinsic motivation results in incredible joy, and Ashbrook students will tell you that this is the reason that it is sometimes hard to leave campus at the end of the day!
Ultimately, confidence, at Ashbrook, is the natural result of putting students in a position to know themselves as learners and to experience the sense of accomplishment that comes from powering through the rough patches.