Ways to help students develop risk taking skills

1. Create an environment where risk taking is supported, accepted and -even better-encouraged

2. Model risk taking lessons such as the "fishing down the hall" where a teacher takes risks with a lesson

3. Find/know student "comfort zones" in learning styles/Myers Briggs etc and design activities for students that are not in their preferred style

3.1. Asking students who prefer individual learning activities to work in groups

3.2. Asking students to present information to the entire class

4. Provide interest survey for students to share outside interests

5. Provide support when students take risks

6. Topics for discussions and journals

6.1. What is risk taking?

6.2. Why is risk taking so critical in our lives?

6.3. What does risk taking "look" like?

7. Read/view selections on risk takers

7.1. Founders of the Declaration of Independence: could have been hanged for treason by the British

7.2. John F. Kennedy: Thirteen Days: about the Cuban missile crisis

7.2.1. INS to insert (Windows)

7.2.2. TAB to insert (Mac OS)

7.2.3. ENTER to add siblings

7.2.4. DEL to delete

7.3. Susan B. Anthony: fought for women and minority voting rights

7.4. Jackie Robinson: 1st African American major league baseball player

7.5. Rigoberta Menchú: Nobel-prize winning author who brought to light the suffering of indigenous peoples in Guatemala

7.6. César Chávez: fought for the rights of migrant workers

8. Provide thinking/reflecting time after projects outside of student comfort zones

9. Design learning activities where students must ask the questions (not just answer them)

10. Recognize students' mastery of certain topics (especially those outside the classroom)

10.1. Invite students to present to the class on topics of mastery