Creating Confidence in the Classroom

Rishara Merchant

When students enter my classroom, many donʼt see themselves as journalists, photographers, or designers. Some are talented artists, hesitant to share their work. Others are inquisitive writers, struggling to see the value of their words. Many are unsure of where they fit in our Mecca of Excellence (our school motto) or struggle with the anxiety of “doing it right,” which discourages them from doing anything at all. I connect with these students because of my own struggles with confidence.

My life has been surrounded by art. I attended Nashville School of the Arts and studied traditional visual art. I constantly questioned whether it mattered as much as the performing arts, which had larger turnouts for their events. I avoided criticism like the plague. I procrastinated, rarely finishing work because I struggled with initial concept development. This carried into undergrad at Howard University, where my advisor helped me realize my passion was problem solving.

Graphic design became a way for me to experiment with visual storytelling, combining images and text into layouts to solve visual communication issues. That discovery led me to opportunities I never imagined, including a publication internship in Prague, Czech Republic, and later work as a publication designer for USA Today. Along the way, I started and led my own grassroots arts publication, Kid Extraordinaire, where I learned firsthand how storytelling brings communities together.

These experiences shape how I teach because I know what itʼs like to develop your voice over time. I feel called to create a makerspace that allows students to build on their strengths and discover the impact of their contributions to something larger than themselves. Scholars should understand that they don’t have to be athletes to stand on the court. This is where I remind them that the skills they develop today, no matter how unrelated they seem, can lead to opportunities they may not know exist yet. Itʼs important for students to build a creative toolkit that extends beyond AI and to remain confident in their own ideas and abilities.

One strategy I’ve had success with is exposing students to a variety of entry points into storytelling. I like to show students during our JAGAZINE interest meeting how their interests can translate to journalism. A doodler may become our cover artist. A socialite may become an interviewer. The TikTokers may discover content creation or marketing. When students realize their strengths have value, confidence grows.

Advising is also essential to confidence. This is why JAGAZINE organizes a journalism panel and vision board party that bring together arts, English, and business teachers and JAGAZINE staff members to share their experiences and goals with newer students. These conversations help students see a pathway forward. They hear from peers who once felt nervous about interviewing strangers or publishing their work and realize their own potential.

It’s equally important to advise them in the field. Each year, new students attend J-Day at the University of Maryland, where they participate in workshops with industry professionals and connect with student journalists from across the state. They build technical skills and team relationships. I am able to engage with students who may be harder to reach in the classroom, and we return with a clearer vision of whatʼs possible.

Another important aspect is leading by example by contributing my own articles to JAGAZINE. Sometimes my pieces explore topics that challenge readers to think differently about issues affecting our school community. By publishing my own work, I show students that storytelling requires a willingness to engage in difficult conversations respectfully. Students need to see that professionals are still learning. When they see me wrestling with ideas, they learn confidence is not about being fearless, but about the willingness to tell a story despite uncertainty.

For educators looking to amplify student voices, my advice is simple: Create authentic opportunities for students to be seen and heard. Connect them with mentors. Give them meaningful responsibilities. Let them lead the conversation. Give them opportunities to talk so they can recognize their own voices. When students gain confidence, they ask better questions and tell more meaningful stories. They transform from consumers who simply complete assignments into productive leaders and storytellers.

Rishara Merchant is a graphic arts teacher at Charles Herbert Flowers High School in Springdale, Maryland. rishara.johnson@pgcps.org