Teacher Skill 05: Understanding students and building Mental Toughness

1. Teacher Skill 05: Understanding students and building Mental Toughness

2. Teacher Skill 05: Understanding students and building Mental Toughness OBJECTIVES Consideration of: • What Mental Toughness is • Why it is important in schools • The way that Mental Toughness is measured • How it can be used • The opportunity for you to try the Mental Toughness measure

3. 1. What is Mental Toughness? - A Definition • “Mental Toughness is the quality which determines in large part how people deal with …… • challenge, • stress and • pressure • ……..irrespective of prevailing circumstances” • Mental Toughness (MT) helps us to understand why one person succeeds & another struggles when the pressure is on. Measuring a person’s MT allows us to develop approaches to support them to perform better.

4. 2. Why is Mental Toughness (MT) Important? For students, MT impacts on: Performance it explains up to 25% of the variation in individual performance Behaviour. Students with high MT: are more engaged, are more positive and have a more “can do” attitude Wellbeing. Students with high MT: are more content, have better stress management , experience less bullying

5. Summary for the student A Improved Performance High MT results in ….. High MT Improved Behaviour Improved Wellbeing B C

6. As a result of A, B and C Resultant outcomes for students are…. Improved aspirations Students are more ambitious and prepared to manage themselves better Increased retention Students are more likely to stay with courses and there is reduced drop-out Better employability Students are more likely to get a job and to get the job they want

7. For you as a teacher You will find that: More motivated and engaged students: Makes your job a lot easier Reduces student conflict Improves relationships with students Enables you to teach more Improves your job satisfaction

8. 3. The way that Mental Toughness is measured The 4 Cs model of Mental Toughness devised by Dr Peter Clough from the University of Hull in the UK following extensive research. Challenge Confidence Commitment Control

9. Commitment Commitment

10. Control This has two components Control Control of Emotions Control of Life

11. Control of Life Control of Life Control

12. Control of Emotions Control of Emotions Control

13. Challenge Challenge

14. Confidence This has two components Confidence Interpersonal Confidence Control in Abilities

15. Confidence in Abilities Confidence in Abilities Confidence

16. Interpersonal Confidence Interpersonal Confidence Confidence

17. A word on resilience Resilience is often defined as a function of Commitment and Control. Resilience represents the ability to deal with an adverse situation and still complete some or all of what you had set out to do. Mental Toughness broadens this concept by adding two more components – Challenge and Confidence.

18. 4. How do you measure Mental Toughness Using the MTQ48 Questionnaire Characteristics of the MTQ48 • It is normative, valid and a reliable measure • It has an-line format (there is a hard copy version as well) • It is extremely easy to administer • It only takes about 7–8 minutes to complete • The results and reports are immediately available • An on-line facility also helps to manage data • There is short licensed user training available (1 day and 2 day options)

19. For the Individual: A Development Report - clear feedback and interpretation plus suggestions for development A Distance Travelled Report – compare before and after interventions For the Manager/Mentor/Coach An Assessment Report - gives clear feedback and at least 6 questions to help probe each area A Coaching Report - gives clear feedback plus suggested coaching & development actions designed to compliment the development report For the School: An OD Report – generates histograms of results of selected groups and individuals (with their permission) The MTQ48 reports you receive

20. MTQ48 – language availability MTQ48 is available in 10 languages at the moment.

21. Mental Toughness Development Mental toughness capability can be developed in many individuals (but maybe not all) A good process includes: Diagnosis (MTQ48) Intervention Re-diagnosis(MTQ48)

22. Mental Toughness Development Interventions fall into 6 broad areas Coaching Goal setting Positive thinking Visualisation Anxiety Control The test itself + feedback These all help to develop the capability to deal with challenges, stress, pressure and change.

23. Mental Toughness Development Tools The tools and techniques described are known to many coaches & tutors (Coaching, CBT, NLP, Psychology) The MTQ48 report is emerging as an intervention in its own right. The feedback discussion is also an effective intervention. Careful feedback also produces very good results. Response can be very quick. It needs sustaining to be embedded.

24. If you want to try the MTQ48 for yourself just tick the box on the form and insert your details. And you can also try the ILM 72 Leadership Measure if you wish as well.Both of these are available to you FREE from AQR. 5. The opportunity for you to try the Mental Toughness measure

25. Book published in Feb 2003 Kogan Page Written by Dr Peter Clough and Doug Strycharczyk

26. Plenary What action will you now take based on what you have learnt from Teacher Skill 5?