Activity 1: (20 minutes) WHAT IS SELF-EFFICACY?

Ask students if they have ever looked at a big project, assignment, or goal and thought, “That’s way too hard. I can’t do that!”

Validate that we all feel like that sometimes. Luckily, there are things we can do to change our mindsets and build our confidence and self-efficacy. Read the definitions of the terms “confidence” and “self-efficacy” from the slides.

Emphasize that when we have self-efficacy, we believe in ourselves and our ability to to reach our learning goals.

Go through the four strategies for self-efficacy from the slides. As you read about each strategy, invite students to share examples of when they have used the strategy before.

Have a discussion:

• Which of the four strategies do you already use? 
• What can you do next time you face a difficult challenge at school? (EQ)

Activity 2: (20 minutes) SMALL STEPS RELAY

Hold up a few of your favorite books and ask students if they think it would be hard to write a whole book.

Ask students to imagine that, as a class, you have the goal to write a book. Have students raise their hand if they think the class could write a good book in 1 hour, 1 day, 1 week, 2 weeks, etc.

Let students know that some tasks are really big and can feel overwhelming if you try to do them all at once. However, if you break a big task or goal into smaller steps, the task does not seem so daunting.

Divide students into groups of 5 and give each group 5–6 sticky notes. Have all groups line up together at the back of the classroom to participate in the Small Steps Relay. Go over the directions: 

1. Think about our pretend class goal to write an entire book. 
2. As a group, discuss 5–6 small steps that would need to be taken in order to reach the goal of writing a class book (e.g., pick a topic, decide if the class book will have illustrations or just words, choose who will write and who will draw).
3. Write 1 step on each sticky note. 
4. Distribute the sticky notes evenly among group members. 
5. One group member takes their sticky note to the teacher to get the step approved.
6. If the teacher approves, the student returns to their team, and the entire team takes two large steps toward the whiteboard.
7. The next group member repeats the process.
8. Continue until your group reaches the whiteboard. 

Teacher Tip: Focus on celebrating collaboration and progress rather than any team “winning.”

Gather the class for a group discussion: 

• Why do big goals seem so daunting sometimes? 
• How did breaking the goal into steps make it easier to think about finishing?
• How could breaking tasks into smaller steps help you feel more confident accomplishing tasks at school? (EQ)

Activity 3: (15 minutes) HELP-O-METER

Ask students to name some times they have asked for help recently (e.g., reaching a high shelf, doing homework, doing their hair).

Explain that sometimes we need help, and that is okay. There are many people in our lives who are happy to help. However, it is not okay to give up and decide not to try just because something seems hard. Learning when and how to ask for help is an important skill.

Go through the scenarios from the slides. If the students believe that situation is a good time to ask for help, then they will give a thumbs up. If the students believe that situation is not a good time to ask for help, then they will give a thumbs down. Call on a few students to explain their thinking for each scenario.

Reiterate that it is okay to ask for help, but you should always try to do what you can first! This shows that you care about your learning and will help you develop important skills.

Have a discussion:

• Why should you try the task first, before asking for help? 
• How does asking for help help you to succeed? (EQ)
• Who can you ask for help if you are struggling?

Activity 4: (20 minutes) PRACTICE MAKES PROGRESS

Ask the students if they ever felt like giving up on something. Why did you feel like giving up? (Teacher Tip: While remaining professional, consider sharing an example of a time in your life when you felt like giving up because something felt hard.)

Explain that sometimes when you try something new, it feels really hard. You may feel frustrated or discouraged if you are not good at something right away. However, it is rare to do something perfectly the first time you try it. Usually, you need to practice before you get really good at anything. You can work on keeping a positive mindset while you practice. The most important thing is that you do not stop trying and that you continually practice whatever you want to accomplish.

Sort students into groups of 5–7. Give each group a cup and a bouncy ball or crumpled paper. Have groups place their cup on the floor and line up a few feet away. Students will take turns trying to shoot the object into the cup, focusing on one person at a time. If a student misses, they should say out loud, “I’ll try again!” and then try again. Group members should cheer for their teammates and celebrate their effort, even if they are not successful at getting the object into the cup.

Teacher Tip: Feel free to pick a different physical challenge if you would like. The point of this activity is to get students to realize they may not be able to do things the first time, but that they should have perseverance and not give up.

Gather the class for a group discussion: 

• What helped you keep trying, even if you felt discouraged? 
• Were you able to improve as you kept trying in this challenge? 
• Why should you keep trying, even if a task is hard? (EQ)
• How can practice help you get better and reach your goals? (EQ)

Activity 5: (20 minutes) CONFIDENCE IN ME

Prior to this activity, watch the video and see if it is the best fit for your students.

Review the definition of the term “confidence” from the slides. When we are confident in ourselves and our abilities, we can do our best.

Read the book A Little Spot of Confidence by Diane Alder or watch the read-aloud video. As students listen, invite them to pay attention to things they can do to feel more confident in themselves. Have a discussion:

• What can you do to feel more confident in yourself? (EQ)

On lined paper or in student journals, have students respond to the reflection prompt: What is one thing that is hard for you? What will you do to keep going?

Remind students that the goal of self-efficacy is to believe in yourself and do everything you can to succeed. Do not give up. Instead, take small steps, ask for help, and keep practicing so you can get better and accomplish your goals.