| Three Golden Rules for motivating disaffected | | | | commitment to enhance the lives of those you |
| learners | | | | teach. Why is this so important? It is the single most |
| These are the three Golden Rules for motivating | | | | effective tool any teacher can employ. Think about |
| students – the foundations for getting through to | | | | your own life – if you call a company and they |
| disaffected learners. If your answer to any of these | | | | just want to make money from you, you can tell |
| questions is ‘no’ – don’t worry | | | | instantly can’t you? But if you call a company |
| – you’re not alone. But experience tells us | | | | and they’re willing to do whatever it takes to |
| that if you are willing to apply these principles to your | | | | make your life easier, solve your problems, meet |
| teaching, you will see your students’ motivation | | | | your needs and answer your questions – |
| increase significantly. | | | | don’t you just love it? |
| 1. Do you Test and Measure every aspect of your | | | | When we stop obsessing about how difficult teaching |
| lessons? | | | | our subject or students or whatever is, and start |
| Being outstanding at teaching disaffected learners is | | | | obsessing about adding enormous value to the lives |
| actually fairly straightforward – but so few | | | | of our students – our success rates soar - and |
| teachers do it. You just need to continually test and | | | | as an added bonus, teaching becomes much more |
| adapt new teaching strategies on a small scale. It | | | | pleasurable. |
| may be a new lesson starter, using a new resource, | | | | 3. During your lessons do you explain the direct |
| instigating collaborative working techniques, | | | | BENEFITS of your subject? |
| student-led projects, negotiation techniques. You test | | | | One of the biggest mistakes that teachers make is |
| small, then you measure the results. How did it go? | | | | focusing on the specific details of their product or |
| What response did it generate? Did all the class | | | | service, rather than explaining the direct benefits it |
| engage and work? If it was not successful, | | | | offers students. |
| you’ve learnt an important lesson and move on. | | | | Hard-to-reach students will only be truly motivated |
| If it was successful, you roll it out and make it an | | | | by you when they, either consciously or sub |
| integral part of your teaching armoury. | | | | consciously understand how they are going to benefit |
| If you tested five new things every month and just | | | | from what you are teaching them. What is in it for |
| one out of the five was successful (if you use our | | | | them? |
| monthly teaching strategies it’s more likely to be | | | | Every conversation you have and every paragraph |
| four out of five) then at the end of a year you | | | | of your worksheets and teaching materials should |
| would have twelve new proven teaching strategies | | | | convey the benefits of what you are teaching. Of |
| to add to your mix. So testing and measuring all of | | | | course, for this to happen YOU have to be clear on |
| your teaching is the first golden rule for motivating | | | | what these benefits are. Sometimes, we’re so |
| learners. | | | | close to our subject that’s not such an easy |
| Of course, before you test new teaching | | | | question to answer. Ask some of your colleagues |
| approaches, you need to be testing and measuring | | | | what they think the top three benefits of your |
| what you are already doing. For example, the number | | | | subject is. If they hesitate – you’ve |
| of teachers who stand up and teach every day and | | | | identified the first area where you can make a |
| have never accurately measured the response and | | | | significant difference to your students. |
| therefore don't know if they are getting through - is | | | | About Axis Education |
| scary. | | | | Axis Education is the UK’s leading independent |
| If you're going to be great at motivating learners, | | | | provider of innovative publications for adult learners |
| you must, must test and measure everything. | | | | and disaffected secondary school students. Our |
| 2. Are you clear what the purpose of your teaching | | | | publications are successful because they really do |
| activities are? | | | | work in the classroom and they have arisen from |
| Outstanding teachers share a similar way of thinking | | | | proven grass-roots need. This is what we believe in, |
| about their work. The highest purpose of their work | | | | and it's what you have told us is important. From the |
| is not to just earn money (clearly!) or get results. The | | | | outset, Axis Education materials have been produced |
| highest purpose of their teaching is to add real value | | | | to the highest standards. During all aspects of |
| to the lives of their students. | | | | development – from content and teaching |
| We’re not talking about some vague concept of | | | | strategies to graphic design and illustration, the |
| adding value. We’re talking about a deep | | | | particular needs of students are carefully considered. |