Guiding Students to Overcome Learned Helplessness

New teachers can create an environment where students feel supported and understand that mistakes are part of the learning process.

By Michelle Singh

Edutopia

August 5, 2025

Summary for Educators: “Guiding Students to Overcome Learned Helplessness” by Michelle Singh Published August 5, 2025 | Source: https://www.edutopia.org/article/guiding-students-overcome-learned-...

In her thoughtful article, veteran educator Michelle Singh speaks directly to new teachers, encouraging them to recognize and address a common but often misunderstood student behavior: learned helplessness. Drawing on over 20 years of experience, Singh outlines how educators can create environments where students build confidence, embrace mistakes, and reclaim agency in their learning.

Understanding Learned Helplessness

Learned helplessness occurs when students internalize the belief that their efforts are futile—that no matter how hard they try, they will fail. This mindset often stems from past academic struggles or unconstructive feedback. Rather than being lazy or apathetic, these students engage in self-protective behaviors like avoidance, distraction, or withdrawal to shield themselves from further discouragement. The good news, Singh stresses, is that educators can help students reframe these patterns through trust-building and intentional strategies.

1. Normalize Mistakes and Model Recovery

Mistakes can either affirm self-doubt or open the door to growth, depending on how they're framed. Singh advises teachers to model their own mistakes openly and with humor. She uses phrases like “I need a redo—who’s ready for the remix?” to shift the energy in her classroom. By showing that errors are part of learning—not a sign of failure—teachers build a culture where students feel safe to take academic risks.

2. Break Tasks Into Manageable Steps

Complex tasks can intimidate students who struggle with self-belief. Singh learned that assigning large projects like essays often led to paralysis. Instead, she breaks assignments into small, specific steps (e.g., brainstorm, draft a hook, write one paragraph). This scaffolding doesn’t dilute rigor; it demystifies the process and allows students to experience success incrementally, which builds momentum and self-efficacy.

3. Use Feedback That Builds Confidence

Feedback plays a powerful role in shaping student identity. Singh cautions against perfection-based praise (e.g., “That’s perfect!”) and instead promotes process-oriented feedback. Comments like “I love how you tried a new strategy” or “Let’s explore this approach together” affirm student effort and curiosity. Singh draws inspiration from Rita Pierson’s TED Talk, recalling how reframing a failing grade as “+2” instead of “–18” changed a student’s perspective from defeat to possibility.

4. Teach Emotional Regulation Tools

Confidence is not just academic—it’s emotional. When students feel overwhelmed, their cognitive resources shift from learning to survival. To combat this, Singh embeds mindfulness practices like four-seven-eight breathing and reflection exercises into daily routines. Her GROW bell ringer invites students to identify a gratitude, goal, growth area, and a recent win. These simple rituals help students ground themselves emotionally, especially before high-stress activities like tests or presentations.

Singh even leverages music—such as the Pointer Sisters’ “I’m So Excited”—to reframe anxiety as excitement. These techniques help students manage their inner dialogue and remain open to learning even in moments of self-doubt.

Final Encouragement to New Teachers

Singh closes with an encouraging message: Both teachers and students are learning. Mistakes will happen, and progress may be slow, but persistence, emotional support, and intentional teaching can transform how students see themselves. For new teachers, the goal isn’t perfection—it’s consistency and connection. With time and care, classrooms can become places where effort is recognized, resilience is nurtured, and belief is restored.

Original Article

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Prepared with the assistance of AI software

OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT (4) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com