This lesson is designed to help students understand how successfully solving a problem or meeting a challenge can increase their self confidence.

Lesson learning outcomes

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

• Identify challenges and describe their feelings when overcoming them
• Use helpful strategies for overcoming fears and challenges both about the past and present
• Apply positive thinking to real life situations, including in the workplace

Looking for ways to help students build their self-esteem? Find out how activities in this lesson support boosting confidence below.

How will this lesson help build students’ confidence tackling challenges?

Students will explore the emotions they feel when faced with challenges in their lives and how these feelings change once a solution is found, in order to recognise the positive impact this can have on building confidence. They will also discuss how the mindset they approach problems with can affect how successful their responses are. The activity explores facing challenges in a work setting and encourages students to share ideas for overcoming their fears.

How can positive thinking increase self-esteem?

By discussing how a ‘hero’ of theirs approaches situations, students will reflect on what they can do to respond to a challenge with a positive mindset, and in turn how this can build self-esteem. In small groups, they will consider past events in their lives and how experiences come with a mixture of positive and negative feelings, before sharing tips for approaching problems more confidently in the future.

How to boost self confidence with LifeSkills

Self confidence is something to reflect on and build on over time. If you want to find other opportunities to teach students methods for boosting self confidence, try the Building confidence and assertiveness lesson. Being resilient is an important part of maintaining self confidence, and our core transferable skill lesson on Staying Positive (resilience) features tips on overcoming setbacks. Refer to our Content guide to find out how LifeSkills resources can be used in PSHE, English lessons and much more.

Why not complement this lesson with our interactive worksheet activities and online lesson films, which are perfect for remote delivery, around the topic of wellbeing by clicking here?