bravery students essay

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A Way to Teach Courage in the Classroom

Courage emerges when we are vulnerable to be and be seen for who we are. It is often considered a keystone virtue because it enables us to act on other character strengths or values. Courage guides us to be the people we want to be and can manifest in many different ways.

Seminal examples of moral courage come easily to mind: Gandhi’s Salt March to spearhead the Indian independence movement, Rosa Parks’s refusal to give up her seat on a segregated bus, which helped to invigorate the civil rights movement, and the unidentified “Tank Man” of Tiananmen Square who resisted a column of tanks and became a symbol of resistance.

But, while those illustrations of courage are all justly famous, in daily life the rubber most often meets the courageous road in smaller and less spectacular forms: facing fears, admitting mistakes, and taking responsibility.

As a high school teacher, I believe acts and biographies of courage should be studied and discussed to inspire students (and all of us) to live more courageously. Courage is a necessary gateway to authenticity, purpose, and doing the right thing. In times of conflict and crisis, beacons of courage can illuminate the perspective of hope and the possibility of change.

With these intentions in mind, I recently guided my 10th grade classes through an activity where we reflected on the practice of civil disobedience exemplified by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his wing of the civil rights movement. We watched King in the Wilderness , a documentary about the last years of his life, from the passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965 to his assassination in 1968. After, I had my students evaluate the power and effectiveness of King’s commitment to nonviolence.

This process of reflection was facilitated through an activity called Compass Points . On the center of the whiteboard, I wrote “The Power of Nonviolence,” which was then encompassed by the cardinal directions: N, S, E, W.

The W cardinal point represents what students find worrisome or what they think may be the downside of nonviolent resistance. The E represents what excites them or what they perceive as the upside of this practice. The N stands for what further needs they have or what additional information may be helpful to make a more thorough and thoughtful evaluation. Finally, the S corresponds to their current stance or opinion on the power of nonviolent resistance.

Students were given four post-it notes each, corresponding to each of the compass points, and captured their thinking about each of the cardinal direction prompts. After articulating their thinking, they aggregated their perspectives by posting them around the compass points. They then shared their responses in small groups. Finally, we transitioned to a whole group discussion about each of the prompts.

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Two key takeaways emerged from our exploration of nonviolence resistance: the astonishing courage and unwavering commitment of King’s moral leadership, and the nuanced moral intuitions my students unpacked through the activity.

There was universal admiration for King’s immutable devotion to nonviolence. While most students didn’t think that nonviolence was an absolute principle in their lives, they nonetheless were deeply inspired by the heroic effort of King and his colleagues. The actions of the civil rights leaders seemed superhuman, and therefore unfathomable from a certain perspective.

We then shifted the conversation to what an increased commitment to nonviolence might look like in our lives. Nonviolent communication came to mind. How might we deescalate conflict? How might we increase effective communication, especially with people we don’t see eye-to-eye with?

We talked about how civil discourse appears to have faded from media coverage, yet high standards and models for having difficult conversations and resolving conflicts with wisdom and compassion are of paramount importance. Otherwise, we seemed to agree, it’s easy to fall prey to cynicism and pessimism.

Research reveals that teens show greater moral courage when adults provide opportunities for them to voice their opinions regarding important decisions, which ultimately leads them to speak up in the face of injustice. According to this work, having role models of moral courage is vital because they help lead and inspire others in their pursuit of cultivating moral courage. This approach to the good life is called virtue ethics and has roots in ancient Greece. Rather than just thinking about what’s right or wrong in a situation, virtue ethics emphasizes building good character traits that guide how you act and treat others in your daily life.

After facilitating this reflection on moral courage with sophomores, I was eager to hear senior perspectives on this topic. During an advisory session, I had my senior advisees contemplate what kinds of courage have been most essential for them throughout their high school experience.

We reviewed that courage features three things: a risk, an intention, and a goal that may benefit others.

I then outlined four types of courage: general, brave actions perceived by others; personal, actions that are courageous in the minds of the actors themselves; academic, perseverance in the face of academic difficulty or fear; and moral, prosocial behavior with high social costs and no (or rare) direct rewards for the actor.

Next, they responded to the following prompt: Reflecting on your time in high school, what type of courage has been most important for you to practice? Personal courage was unanimously the most important. As one student wrote:

I struggled with self-advocacy and confidence and my experiences in high school put me in situations where I learned how to truly value myself. I learned how to put myself out there and reassure my abilities when others did not. Coming toward the end of high school, my inner courage has become stronger than my freshman self could ever imagine.

Another wrote about the value of continually putting themselves in uncomfortable situations so that they would be challenged to learn and grow. This habit of diving into situations where they are uncomfortable or nervous has enabled them to build confidence and courage, which has increased their sense of success and happiness both academically and personally.

A different student conveyed the importance of having the personal courage to stand up for what they believe in. The beginning of high school was very intimidating because they were constantly worried about what others were thinking about them. Over time, they realized everyone was too worried about themselves to care that deeply about what others said or did. They have come to understand that people will like you for who you are and not who you are trying to be. Looking back, they wished they had the personal courage to put themselves out there and explore all that high school has to offer.

Finally, I had the seniors envision what kind of courage they would likely need to foster after high school. Again, personal courage was the supreme choice. Their sentiments were best captured by one student’s reflection: “Personal courage is essential when envisioning my future. To be an independent thinker and develop the life I want to live—no matter what others think—will require that I am courageous about my ambitions and overcoming adversity.”

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Adversity no doubt is a feature of life. Within this landscape, courage is an essential method of wayfinding. As Hellen Keller reminds us, “Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.”

As an educator for over 20 years, I have often asked myself: How can I encourage and inspire students to boldly go in the direction of their dreams? While I haven’t discovered a standardized answer, I’ve found that an environment riddled with carrots and sticks is kryptonite for living courageously. An overreliance on extrinsic rewards and punishments saps us of meaning and purpose.

Meaning and purpose are kindled in an environment of psychological safety. Discovering one’s values and strengths, and confronting one’s own limitations and fears, requires conditions where we can be vulnerable and authentic. I have witnessed, with the catalyst of courage, students and teachers alike embark on their daring adventure with a sense of meaning, purpose, and joy.

About the Author

Aran Levasseur

Aran Levasseur has been a teacher for over 20 years. He is the innovation lead and teaches humanities classes at San Domenico School.

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Essay About Courage: Top 5 Examples and 6 Prompts 

Courage covers a range of topics and meanings. Here are examples and prompts to help you write your essay about courage.

Many believe bravery and courage mean the same thing and even use them interchangeably. However, though both describe heroic acts, they are not the same. Where bravery is the lack of fear, courage is taking action despite it. 

Some argue that courage takes more strength because it means sharing your story even though you may be ridiculed, rejected, and misunderstood. It takes courage to admit when you’re hurt or feel lost, vulnerable, and need help. 

If you’re having problems channeling and describing what courage is, here are examples that will assist you in connecting with this subject:

1. My Opinion About Courage by Gary Collins

2. moral courage by fernando wood, 3. courage by benjamin patrick, 4. the importance of courage by saloni, 5. essay on courage by manasi shewale, 1. what does courage mean to you, 2. your most courageous act, 3. a courageous hero, 4. things you are most afraid of, 5. what creates doubt, 6. a time when you failed to show courage and regretted it.

“And even then, she had no grudge against the world. She doesn’t think the world owes her. She never takes money or even grains that she hasn’t earned.”

In this essay, Collins shares his experience with courage through someone named Sunita. Sunita told Collins about her life and what made her who she is. Such as at a very young age, she fought to support herself because no one would have done that for her, and many other tales. 

Her stories made Collins realize how lucky he is and how he should be grateful for the many opportunities that come his way without the need to suffer as she did. He also includes that Sunita lives on to inspire others with her courage.

Check out these essays about beliefs .

“Moral courage is standing up for values such as honesty, fairness, compassion, respect, and responsibility but just having these values are not enough we have to try to put them into practice, and we have to commit to moral principles as well…”

Moral courage is doing what’s right and following what your conscience dictates. Wood has three significant elements of moral courage: principle, endurance, and danger.

He explains moral courage through Geoge Norris, Nelson Mandela, and Malala Youssafzai. These people took risks even if their lives were in danger to follow their conscience and do the right things. Wood instills that moral courage is essential in making a critical move, especially when choosing the greater good.

“Courage is the only thing that gets us through the hard times, and the tempting opportunities. Courage is vital to the evolution of the human population. It is also an essential quality to becoming a successful person.”

Patrick discusses how courage helps a person succeed in life. He mentions that we all have courage, but some use it differently than others.

He gives an example of a girl who plays hockey, where the other members are all boys. They looked down on her because of her gender. But instead of giving up, she took it as a challenge and courageously showed them she could play at their level. She became friends with most of the team, but there was one boy who kept on bullying her. The boy misused his courage, but the girl used her courage to fight him off.

“Courage is mental and moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty. It is the firmness of mind and will in the face of danger or extreme difficulty.”

Saloni’s essay shows two kinds of courage: physical and moral. People who depend on physical strength show physical courage. They can protect and help others. If a person is weak, they are not physically courageous. 

On the other hand, one’s honesty connects to their moral courage. They are the ones with convictions and don’t support evil works. Even if you are a weak person, you can still be morally courageous. Unfortunately, this courage is rare nowadays because people are afraid of being attacked mentally and emotionally. To be morally courageous means to be a fighter to go against wrong-doings.

“It is very difficult to keep up your morals and therefore, gather up the necessary courage to fight against the wrong situations. Therefore, in today’s date, it is even rarer to find a person with the proper morals required to live a satisfactory life.”

Shewale shares little acts of courage in our everyday lives – such as a girl who loves to dance but is afraid of the stage or a person who’s readying themselves for a job interview. Courage is not only shown in grand scenes but in small acts that help us survive our daily lives.

The author further discusses events where courage helps in more controversial fields, such as injustices to farmers and students’ bullying. 

If you want to upgrade your writing style, check out these top essay writing tips to level up your essay.

6 Prompts on Essay About Courage

After reading relevant examples in essays about courage, it’s now your turn to try your hand at creating one. Below are prompts that can guide you in your essay writing:

There is no one definition of courage. It differs from each individual, and its meaning is affected by our experiences and knowledge. In this prompt, share the word “courage” and discuss what courage means to you. When do you feel courageous, and why? Then, describe personal experiences of being courageous or stories of courageous people who inspire you.

Think about a time when you were courageous. Create an essay based on this event and describe in detail what happened. Convey your thoughts and feelings, and show why you were courageous. 

Write an essay about a hero in your life. This could be a celebrity you admire, a relative or friend, or a teacher in school. Describe why this person is courageous, why you look up to them, and how they inspire you. Make sure to include fine details of their personality and how they act. This will make for an exciting and compelling essay.

The first step to being courageous is acknowledging you are afraid. Then, to get your fears out of the way, you need to identify what and why they exist. This prompt lets you connect with your readers who have the same worries. 

For example, you can share that you’re afraid of rejection, being alone, etc. Then, discuss why and what you plan to do to overcome them. You can also write about how you plan to be courageous while still afraid.

Our greatest challenge to succeeding in something is doubting ourselves. When we doubt ourselves, we start to think of all the things that can go wrong. So we show our courage by being afraid of these negative consequences but still trying and hoping for a good result. 

Share an experience when you still tried, even when you’re unsure. It doesn’t need to have the best ending. You only have to prove that it’s better to try and fail than fail without trying at all. 

There will always be times when we desperately want to be more courageous but fail to do so due to various factors. Write about that experience, share your feelings, and what you’ll do if you have the chance to repeat that situation. 

Do you want to write about another topic aside from courage? Check out this list of best writing topics for students !

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Best topics on Bravery

1. Unbreakable Spirit: Challenges and Achievements of Malala Yousafzai

2. Teen Activists: Great Examples of Youth Bravery

3. A Story of Pearl Mary Gibbs: Fighting for Equality and Justice

4. An Essential Part to Contribute the Development of Bravery

5. The Traits That Make Up A Hero: What It Means To Be A Hero

6. The Truth Behind What It Means To Be A Hero

7. Why Taking A Stand Or Winning Is Not Everything

8. The Bravery Of Julius Caesar

9. Phoenix Jackson’s Persistent Journey in Eudora Welty’s Novel A Worn Path

10. Overview of Characterization in An Irish Airman Foresees His Death

11. Character Qualities of the Real Superheroes

12. The Heroism of Achilles in the Iliad

13. The Importance of Bravery for the Survival in The Maze Runner

14. The Exemplary Heroes in Thanks Ma’am and The Drummer Boy of Shiloh

15. Strong Presence of Bravery in To Kill a Mockingbird

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Definition Essay: Bravery

Some things are easy to understand and describe. A rose is a rose and a nose is a nose after all. However, other concepts are more difficult to interpret. Trust is one of these concepts. Understanding is another. Then again, bravery might be the most difficult word to comprehend. What makes one person brave and another not? How can the word bravery be defined?

Many people hold a common misconception about bravery. They believe that bravery is the same as being without fear. But being brave and being fearless are two different things. Many people skydive, do public speaking, ask questions, or enter relationships not because they are unafraid but because they are willing to overcome this fear. Or perhaps they are willing to go ahead despite the butterflies in their stomachs. To some, this is a foreign concept that prevents them from trying new things. However, others understand that “bravery is being terrified and doing it anyway,” as Laurell K Hamilton said. Being brave is ignoring fear for a moment and carrying on.

Bravery is also closely tied to selflessness. The book Divergent by Veronica Roth describes bravery as being the ultimate selfless action. The lead character states that “selflessness and bravery aren’t all that different.” Bravery is when you put yourself in danger to help or protect another. Mothers are brave when they give up sleep in order to comfort their child. Teachers are brave when they give up their own time to improve their teaching. Firemen are brave when they rush into a building to save someone trapped inside. Bravery is taking a risk to give something of yourself in order to make life easier for another.

Above all, bravery is instinctual. It is something that cannot really be thought through. Oftentimes, bravery is a spur-of-the-moment emotion that leaves little time to think your actions and consequences through. Brave people don’t hesitate. They can leap forward when others are still working their way through a problem. In order to be brave, one should not overthink situations. It’s an instinctive action that just happens. If you talk to someone that has just performed a brave act and ask them why they leapt into danger, their response is often “… I don’t know. I just did it.”

If there weren’t any brave people, the world would be a much different place. Perhaps it would be a sadder one, lacking in policemen and nurses. Bravery is essential for humans to work together and for the world to continue to change and grow.

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Not just the us – british students are also drowning in debt, most common misconceptions about language learning: what do redditors think, how to write a literary analysis essay, are gender studies and philosophy majors misunderstood reddit weighs in, students caught their professor evaluating assignments with chatgpt. what does reddit think, courage vs bravery.

The following review example can serve as a guide for students trying to find inspiration when writing an assignment on “Bravery vs Courage”.

At first glance, courage and bravery might seem like synonyms, two words used interchangeably to describe the quality of being fearless in the face of danger. However, a closer look reveals subtle but significant differences between these two traits that are central to the human experience. It’s like comparing the calm, steady flame of a candle to the bright, bold firework – both are sources of light, yet they illuminate in distinct ways. But what precisely is the difference between courage and bravery?

Defining Courage

Courage is not merely the absence of fear but the ability to act in spite of it. It is a composite of mental and moral fortitude. Courage lies in the center of enabling individuals to face daunting circumstances with resilience. This extends beyond the realm of physical dangers and covers the psychological and moral spheres. For instance, courage is manifest in a person who speaks up against injustice despite potential social repercussions. It’s also seen in individuals battling chronic illnesses, persisting through pain and uncertainty. This aspect of courage highlights its depth, transcending momentary acts to become a sustained state of being.

In “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, Atticus Finch, the protagonist, exhibits profound moral courage. He defends a Black man, Tom Robinson, accused of a crime he didn’t commit, in a racially prejudiced town. This act of standing up for justice, despite societal backlash and personal risk, showcases Atticus’s deep-rooted courage. His courage lies not in a lack of fear, but in his commitment to what is right, even when it is unpopular and dangerous.

Or if you are more of an Orwell fan, in his book “1984”, Winston Smith, the main character, displays psychological courage and strength in his quiet rebellion against the oppressive regime of Big Brother. His act of keeping a diary, falling in love, or even thinking against the Party’s doctrine, demonstrates a kind of internal courage. It’s a rebellion not just against the state but against the pervasive fear it instills, making Winston’s acts emblematic of courage in the face of psychological and ideological control.

Defining Bravery

Bravery, often perceived as a subset of courage, is characterized by bold action in the face of danger, particularly physical. It’s the instinctive response during emergent situations requiring immediate action. Bravery is the firefighter rushing into a burning building, the soldier defending their country, or the bystander intervening in a crisis. This concept is frequently associated with a lack of fear, but in reality, it often involves recognizing one’s fear and choosing to act regardless. Bravery is less about the absence of fear and more about the mastery over it.

If you ever heard of J.R.R. Tolkien, you might be familiar with his underrated series of books called “Lord of the Rings” (but we doubt it, you know such niche literature). Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit who prefers a quiet life, displays remarkable bravery when he faces the dragon Smaug. Despite his initial reluctance and fear, Bilbo confronts a literal giant in his path, a clear demonstration of bravery. This act is a bold, direct confrontation with a physical threat, embodying the essence of bravery.

Another fitting example of bravery can be seen in “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” by the one who-shall-not-be-named. Harry Potter’s decision to go after the Sorcerer’s Stone to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands illustrates bravery. The act of sneaking past teachers, facing magical challenges, and ultimately confronting Professor Quirrell and Voldemort, are actions taken in the face of immediate physical danger. Harry’s actions are not just about overcoming fear but actively confronting a dangerous and uncertain situation, typifying bravery.

These examples from literature vividly capture the essence of courage and bravery, highlighting how characters in different situations embody these virtues in their actions and decisions.

Pointing Out the Distinctions Between Courage and Bravery

While courage and bravery are distinct, they often intertwine. Bravery can be seen as an actionable expression of courage. It’s the moment courage steps into the light, transforming internal resolve into external action. In this sense, bravery is the visible manifestation of the deeper, enduring quality of courage.

Circumstances Matter

When we talk about courage vs bravery, the contexts in which they are applied significantly differ. Courage is more versatile; it can show up in a range of situations. For example, a person demonstrating moral courage might stand up against unfair practices at work, knowing well it could risk their job. It also appears in personal battles, like someone dealing with an illness over many years, showing emotional and psychological strength. On the other hand, bravery is often linked to physical acts in immediate, often dangerous situations. Like a passerby rushing to help in an accident, bravery shines in these urgent, often life-threatening moments, where you have to take the leadership.

Nature of the Risk

The risks involved in bravery vs courage are quite distinct. Courage encompasses a broad spectrum, dealing with risks that are not just physical but also moral, emotional, and psychological. For instance, a whistleblower exposing corruption shows courage by facing potential backlash, reflecting moral risk. In contrast, bravery usually relates to physical dangers that demand immediate action. Think of a firefighter entering a blazing building to save lives; this is bravery in its most typical form, confronting direct, physical peril and showing strength. While courage can be a quiet, internal struggle against fears, bravery is often a visible, external fight against tangible dangers.

Emotional Involvement

The emotional aspects of courage and bravery also differ. Courage often involves a deeper, more reflective process. It’s about understanding one’s fears, evaluating the risks and consequences, and then deciding to act despite them. This might be seen in someone who decides to speak publicly about a personal issue, knowing it could invite criticism but feeling it’s important to share their story. In contrast, bravery often requires a more immediate, instinctive reaction. It’s less about long deliberation and more about quick, decisive action in the face of danger like someone instinctively running into a risky situation to help others without pausing to weigh the consequences.

Closing Thoughts

In conclusion, courage and bravery, while overlapping, are distinct virtues. Courage is a broader term signifying the endurance of both physical and psychological challenges, often sustained over time. Bravery is more immediate, typically associated with physical risks and bold actions. Understanding their nuances not only enriches our vocabulary but also deepens our appreciation for the complexity of human resilience and the diversity of its expressions. Both, in their own right, contribute to the human experience.

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• Tom Voigt 4 &
• Angela Dew 5  

Courage ; Heroism

Bravery is most commonly described as a physical response which is often reactive, spur of the moment, intuitive and one-off in nature. Bravery frequently involves physical risk through actions aimed at saving the lives of others under dangerous circumstances. Bravery is often used interchangeably with the term courage, and both may be considered to be necessary factors or elements of heroism.

The terms bravery, courage, and heroism are frequently used interchangeably. In this entry, we explore what is known about bravery and its synonyms to seek common understanding about what the terms mean and how they relate to one another. Bravery is commonly defined as actions in response to danger, risk, vulnerability, and potential injury. Jayawickreme and Di Stefano ( 2012 ) suggest that bravery involves the need to overcome one’s fear and act without concern for the consequences. Physical bravery is considered the most common type of bravery...

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Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia

Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia

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Correspondence to Tom Voigt .

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Department of Psychology, University of Richmond, Richmond, VA, USA

Scott T. Allison

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Voigt, T., Dew, A. (2023). Bravery. In: Encyclopedia of Heroism Studies. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-17125-3_180-1

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-17125-3_180-1

Received : 29 November 2022

Accepted : 26 March 2023

Published : 23 April 2024

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Paragraph on Bravery

Students are often asked to write a paragraph on Bravery in their schools. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 200-word, and 250-word paragraphs on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

Paragraph on Bravery in 100 Words

Bravery is like being strong in your heart. It is when you face something scary but still choose to do it. It’s like standing up to a bully in your class, or telling the truth even when it’s hard. Bravery isn’t about not being scared, it’s about being scared but doing the right thing anyway. Like a firefighter saving people from a fire, or a doctor helping sick people. You don’t need a cape to be brave, you just need a strong heart. Remember, even if you feel small and scared, you can still be brave.

Paragraph on Bravery in 200 Words

Bravery is a very strong trait that is about being brave or courageous. It means to stand up for what is right, even if it is scary or difficult. A brave person is not afraid to face challenges. They do not run away when things get tough. Instead, they stay and fight. They help others without thinking about their own safety. Bravery is not about being fearless. It is about feeling fear but still choosing to act. For example, firefighters are brave because they run into burning buildings to save people. Soldiers are brave because they fight for their country. Even kids can be brave. Like when they stand up to a bully or try something new, even if they are scared. Remember, bravery is not about being strong or powerful. It is about showing courage in the face of fear. It is about doing the right thing, even when it is hard. So, let’s all try to be brave in our own little ways because every act of bravery counts.

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Paragraph on Bravery in 250 Words

Bravery is a quality that isn’t about physical strength or fighting, but about having courage and showing fearlessness in the face of challenges. It’s about standing up for what is right, even if you might be standing alone. It’s about daring to dream big and then working hard to make those dreams come true. Bravery is not about not having fear, but about feeling the fear and still choosing to move forward. It’s seen in everyday heroes – like a student who stands up against bullying, a firefighter who rushes into a burning building, or a doctor who works day and night to save lives. Bravery is also about admitting when you’re wrong and saying sorry. It’s about being honest, even when it’s easier to lie. It’s about trying again after a failure, and not giving up. Bravery comes in all shapes and sizes, and it’s not always loud and flashy. Sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is to keep going when things are tough. So, remember, you don’t have to be a superhero to be brave. Each one of us has the power to show bravery in our own unique ways. And every time we choose courage over fear, we become a little bit braver. In the end, bravery is about being the best person you can be, no matter what challenges life throws your way.

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The Simple Bravery of Doing Difficult Things

For many students, every day is an exercise in bravery. A student who finds it difficult to socialize with other students is brave when they approach a group in the cafeteria and ask if they can join. A student who is confused in class is brave when they raise their hand to ask a clarifying question. And a student who doubts their abilities is brave when they commit to putting forth their best effort, not knowing whether it will be good enough.

Giving something our best effort is one of the most vulnerable things we can do. When we don’t try our hardest, our excuses are baked in from the start. We can explain away these failures; they may reflect our efforts, but they don’t reflect our capabilities. And this is safer than trying, because when we try, when we really lay it all on the line, we run the risk of REAL failure; not ‘I could have tried harder’ failure, but ‘I did my best and it wasn’t good enough failure’. This type of failure is an essential part of developing the resilience and flexibility that supports students’ long-term success. 

I’m privileged to see students learning to be brave every week. 

Sometimes that bravery comes in the form of a student admitting that they don’t understand something. This seems mundane and unremarkable, but how often do we admit this ourselves? How often do we ask for help in making sense of things we’re told that we should know? Asking for help and seeking guidance is not only brave, it is wise. Too often we lose this wisdom as we get older and are made to believe that we should know the answers, even when we don’t understand the questions.

Other students are brave when they show up every week and try their hardest as they prepare for an admissions test like the SAT or ACT, or a high school entrance exam. They hear about their friends’ high scores, they see the percentiles and the average scores at the high schools or colleges to which they hope to apply, reminding them that they are still far from their goals. But they keep showing up and putting in their best effort, making progress one step at a time, like a determined hiker with their heart set on the summit. They are brave not just for working hard, but because they are facing the risk of trying their hardest and still coming up short.

So how do we nurture this bravery? How do we raise children to take risks so as to become their best selves? 

First, we praise the effort more than the outcome, and we attribute success to the work the student has put in rather than any natural attribute that has made them predisposed to ‘success.’ Talent should be celebrated, but as the saying goes, “hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.” Whether a student achieves their goal or not, the important question is: ‘Did you do your best?’ Did the student act bravely and risk true failure?

Second, we continue to raise our expectations. We are all prone to plateauing. At our jobs, in our exercise routines, even in our relationships, we reach a point when we know what it takes to get by; we understand what ‘good enough’ looks like and we become comfortable at that level. When a student is putting in their best effort and achieves a new tier of personal success, we should celebrate the effort that got them there, but we should also work with the student to determine what comes next. The beauty and tragedy of goals is that our reward for each goal achieved is the opportunity to set a new, more ambitious goal. But when we do this, bravery becomes a habit rather than an exception, a muscle that grows stronger as we use it.

Finally, we forgive ourselves and others when we fail. If we have experienced true, courageous failure in which we have given our best effort and still come up short, we don’t make excuses, nor do we blame ourselves. When we push ourselves on a regular basis, some failure is inevitable; and the braver we are, the more often we will fail. But failure becomes less frightening the more we experience it, and as our fear of failure is diminished, our capacity for bravery grows.

Raising kids to be brave also requires courageous teaching. You may see a failure coming a mile away, yet you resolutely believe in your student, encouraging them to give their best effort, to be brave, even when you know that their efforts will not be enough for them to succeed, at least not yet. But when students learn to give it their all, to fail again and again only to get up stronger and more determined, they develop the routine bravery that they will need to be the architects of their own long-term success.

Travis Minor founded Open Door Education in 2011 with the goal of building the best and most impactful tutoring organization in Massachusetts. Travis, who earned his B.S. in Secondary Education at the University of Vermont and his M.Ed. at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education, began his teaching career in West Philadelphia, where he became acutely aware of the profound impact of enthusiastic, rigorous tutoring and test preparation. Travis understands the pressures and challenges facing students attending competitive high schools, and he also knows the life-long benefits of learning to rise to overcome these obstacles through patience, grit, and a willingness to ask for help (something he is still working on). When he’s not at Open Door, Travis serves as the chair of The Scholarship Fund of Concord and Carlisle, the Vice President of Ethics for the National Test Prep Association, and as the Education Entrepreneurship Teaching Fellow at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

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Courage Essay Examples

Cultivating courage and perseverance: the power of resilience.

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Brecht, Epic and Courage

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The Characteristics of Courage

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Audacious Courageous Acts Throughout to Kill a Mockingbird

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Courage – the Most Powerful Yet Extremely Underrated Virtue

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Courage & Perseverance

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Harry S. Truman and Red Scare

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About Courage

Courage (also called bravery or valor) is the ability to do something that frightens one.

Physical courage – Feeling fear yet choosing to act. Emotional courage – Following our heart. Intellectual courage – Expanding our horizons, letting go of the familiar. Social courage – To be ourself in the face of adversity. Moral courage – Standing up for what is right.

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