Have you ever had a day where you left school feeling like all you did was answer questions? Do you have students that have seemingly stopped trying? Do you notice that your students feel increasingly anxious when presented with a test or exam? So much so that they shut down? Your students may have developed learned helplessness. 

Have you ever had a day where you left school feeling like all you did was answer questions? Do you have students who have seemingly stopped trying? Do you notice that your students feel increasingly anxious when presented with a test or exam? So much so that they shut down? Your students may have developed learned helplessness.&nbsp;Learned helplessness is defined as, “a psychological condition associated with feelings of lost control, and it creates students who disengage from effort, even if the effort is within reach and will clearly lead to success.” This disengagement from effort can look like a lot of things: refusal to do simple tasks, constant questioning without thought, and diminished self-esteem. Students with learned helplessness can also be known as “failure-accepting students”. A negative mindset has been developed where the student doesn’t believe they can be successful of their own merit.&nbsp; The way to combat learned helplessness is to help students build resilience. Here are some tips and tricks to help your students!<h3>Praise and encourage effort, not ability</h3>A lot of students feel they have failed so many times that they are incapable of success. Success should be a result of effort, not the intellectual ability of the student. This includes rewarding failure! Students that are trying and failing are learning. For example, instead of saying, “You finished, great job!” change it to “You worked so hard, great job!” Now the student knows you appreciate their hard work, rather than the task being completed.&nbsp;<h3>Celebrate small and big milestones</h3>For some students with learned helplessness, the size of tasks and assignments can be intimidating. The current school system places a lot of stakes on a student's success on tests. We should be celebrating students' little successes! Create smaller milestones by chunking big assignments into small sections, and then celebrate when parts of the task are completed. This will build our students’ confidence and help them to believe they can complete tasks!<h3>Fight questions with questions</h3>If a student is asking a question that you have answered or is laid out in the instructions, ask them if they’ve read the instructions. Ask them if they’ve asked their neighbor. Think to yourself - “Is this a question that they can figure out themselves?” Encourage them to use their resources and take ownership of their learning. Show them they are capable of all the things they need to do to be successful.&nbsp;<h3>Learning optimism</h3>With learned helplessness comes a lot of negativity. The students no longer believe that they can be successful in school. Learning how to be optimistic about your academic outcomes doesn’t come easily. This skill will be something we have to teach! Model optimistic thinking by praising the small successes and by making light of your own failures.&nbsp; Sometimes, combating these internal student issues can feel daunting. It is not easy to be the one that has to maintain positivity in the classroom. With repetition and celebration of small wins, your positivity will spread to the students! As you create a positive and safe classroom, the students will feel comfortable pushing themselves to succeed. Ready to make an even greater impact? <a href="https://www.crosscountry.com/education/talent-professions?utm_source=Website&amp;utm_campaign=Blog" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Explore our educator opportunities </a>today and help shape the next generation of learners! <h4>References:</h4>Guiang-Myers, Ginna. “How to Counter Learned Helplessness.” Edutopia, George Lucas Educational Foundation, 17 Nov. 2021, www.edutopia.org/article/how-counter-learned-helplessness/.Janio, Jarek. “Learned Helplessness, Why Students Give up on School.” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/how-we-learn/202506/learned-helplessness-why-students-give-up-on-school. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.“Learned Helplessness: Examples, Symptoms, and Treatment.” Medical News Today, MediLexicon International, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325355#history. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.Ray, Matt. “Learned Helplessness in Students.” Starr Commonwealth, 20 June 2023, starr.org/2023/learned-helplessness-in-students/?srsltid=AfmBOopzOqlp86OKtheh3FH35QxUfoAQ4JKRLZNFUQUL6V495WeLgycP.Womack, Justin. “Learned Helplessness: How to Make Students Responsible?” University of Mary Washington Eagle Scholar, scholar.umw.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1018&amp;context=education_589. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.

Combatting Learned Helplessness in Students

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