A common question is “What do you do with students who just don’t care or won’t do anything?” Well, the simple answer is “if we knew, there wouldn’t be students who challenge us.” It is usually not a single issue, but layers  built over the years and through experiences and events  we may never know or understand. The magic wand of solutions can’t always be waved to fix it immediately, however, Hanging In is important.

I just finished a great read and currently working on reading an educational journal about Motivation. Hanging In: Strategies for Teaching Students Who Challenge Us the Most by Jeffrey Benson is one of the best book s I have read lately in the education realm. The book has keen insight and provides tools and common sense ideas and considerations when working with challenging students. I will highlight the book and my take away’s in future posts.

Back to the “WHY” word. For all the articles and books I have read on motivating students, planning engaging lessons, and reaching the hard to reach students, this word keeps popping up. If you have every been around 3-6 year olds, this is a commonly heard (and sometimes exhausting) word. However, it demonstrates a very pure and innate desire for understanding and the captivating essence of curiosity. Then, much like the bug crawling doing his bug job in life, it gets squished. Having to give reasons and justify why the sky is blue , why the wind blows and why we can’t see God becomes exhausting, and dare I suggest annoying?

If students know the “why” behind what they are learning in lessons each day, the opportunity for motivation is greater.  “You will need to know this someday” is not a reason. When is “someday” this week? This word is illusive to students. If I don’t want carpet in my house, a pool or to build a fence, do I need to know geometry? Sometimes the “why” might be because knowledge is power.  Power can be having a conversation and speaking with knowledge and confidence that lands you respect, a job, a great impression that leads to opportunities. Knowing perimeter and area can also help you fit your books in your locker, find the right size phone or tablet case, and measure enough ribbon for the Pinterest project. The more you know, the better you understand the world around you….and put carpet in your house.

Each lesson and activity you do with your students should have a clear WHY for the students….even calendar time in Kindergarten. Create purpose for learning by helping your students to engage in learning, not just comply. Embrace and motivate with the simple three letters of WHY.

Mentors-Look through the day or week’s lesson plan with your mentee. Find out if your mentee has a strong grasp of the “why” for the lessons. This may be their first experience with this curriculum. How can you help them to see how it fits in the bigger picture for the unit or year?

Guiding questions:

  • What about the lesson is most clear and most confusing for you?
  • How might this lesson be important for your students 1 week, 1 month and 1 year from now?
  • What is most important for your students to know, understand or be able to do as a result of this lesson?
  • If someone walked in the room and asked your student “What are you learning today and why?” what might they say?