Yvette Jackson believes that labeling students and schools is a detriment to education. Having worked in schools labeled "underperforming" and with students labeled "underachieving," Jackson says that such negative constructs yield disastrous results for both teachers and students.
Jackson, who is the coauthor of Aim High, Achieve More: How to Transform Urban Schools Through Fearless Achievement, explained during her packed session at the 2013 ASCD Annual Conference in Chicago, Ill., how teachers can unlock a student's confidence.
According to Jackson, understanding the science behind a student's confidence or insecurity is essential in overcoming "the crime of squandered potential." She said that students who feel defeated and confused are capable of having a mental breakthrough if teachers know what signs to look for and what strategies to use.
"The brain is like plastic that can be molded by experiences," Jackson said. "And any destruction can be undone."
The Science Behind Thinking
Studying the science and biology behind student thinking, or pedagogy, is the key to understanding why students' confidence biologically stimulates their thinking.
When students feel confident, the brain releases endorphins that trigger faster neurological connections. The increased cognition speed helps students think clearly and logically, which leads to improved problem-solving abilities.
"Nobody would want to start with something they don't believe they are good with," Jackson said. She said teachers can create platforms to positive memories and experiences to give students more confidence and increase cognition through meaningful conversation and reflection.
On the other hand, when students feel stress, their brains undergo neurological inhibition, placing mental blocks. This slows down their thought processes and is the root of anxiety and frustration. When this inhibition occurs, students are unable to think clearly and will generally give up on a specific task.
The Labels and Myths Teachers Must Overcome
According to Jackson, students and teachers face a confidence deficit. She said that schools institute a complex system of myths and labels that surround gifted and underachieving students, schools, and teachers and put up a cultural barrier.
Some common practices that teachers and students face is the myth of a fixed intelligence, a focus on student weakness, the importance of standardized tests, and the idea that gifted education only benefits students who have been labeled gifted.