How to get your pupils to listen

In a previous edition of the 12 Steps newsletter, The Right Rewards for Student Motivation, I shared a classroom activity that: (i) improves the classroom working atmosphere, (ii) strengthens teacher-pupil relationships, (iii) increases collaboration and (iv) reduces time-wasting.

Here is a reminder of that activity:

Activity: Unique reward phrases for students

• Make a list of reward phrases to say to each pupil, based on the first letter of their first name.
• When you wish to reward a pupil, choose their unique reward phrase.

What I believe

I believe that teachers are coaches too. When teachers learn to use coaching strategies they quickly realise the benefits for themselves and their students.

Teacher Interview

For the sake of maintaining confidentiality, I have created Nikita, a composite character based on the many conversations I have had with teachers, to carry the story below.

This is Nikita Gomez, who works at a Primary School with pupils who are 10 and 11 years old.

Nikita read about the unique reward phrases activity and adapted it to her needs.

Here is Nikita's story in the form of a dialogue between her and a colleague. The dialogue comes in three parts. The Preparation and Action Steps were done on the same day. The Follow Up was done later. The questions are written in bold and Nikita's replies are in italics.

Preparation

What’s your current situation?

This year I started at a new school and I have lots of students with unusual names, for me that is, and it’s challenging to remember them all and to say them properly. I don't want to appear foolish if I can't say the right name.

How do you feel about it?

It feels awkward when I forget. It’s embarrassing. Forgetting their names is not a good way for me to build relationships with them, nor does it show them how I want them to learn and remember important things that I teach them.

What would you rather see?

I want to call each child by their right name.

How would you feel about that?

I would feel more in control. Knowing someone's name shows that I respect them, and it would help me to gain me their respect too.

Action Steps

What is one thing to develop during the next two-four weeks?

I like to meet each child at the classroom door when they arrive in the morning. I want to use the activity to give me different ways of saying good morning to them, with their names. Simply put, I want to have a greeting based on each child’s name.

What makes this important?

Getting their names right starts the day off well. When I show them that I think that they are important, they feel good about themselves and that makes them more likely to want to join in with the lesson, and be better able to take in new information, and remember it.

What's your strategy?

Learn their names of course. I have all weekend! I have a list of names and photos from the Admin. I have a copy in my purse, and I have pinned another one on the wall by the door. Some of their names don't sound the way they are spelled, so I have written their name in phonetics where needed.

What's your Action Plan?

I will use this list at the start of the day, when I greet the students before starting the lesson. And I will use it when I need to call on a student by name during the lesson. I can always have a look at the photo to make sure I get the name right.

Follow Up

What are some of the results?

I get their names right all the time! Even if I had to look at the list from time to time, To begin with they saw me looking at the list and I tried to hide it. But then I changed my mind. It's OK in my class for students to use translating dictionaries to look up new words. I think when they saw me looking at the list they could see I was making an effort to get their names right.

Who have been your Supporters?

The parents and their children notice when I greet their child by name. If I don't pronounce the name quite correctly they smile. They have been teaching me the correct way to say them, and even given me their child's nickname; the one they use at home. The respect between us is growing.

What are some of your observations?

The children have been less mischievous now they know I will call on them by name. They jump a bit when I call them by the name their mother uses. It's fun to have such power. I need to use it sparingly though.

What feedback have you had?

Apart from the parents giving me their support with names and such, I can say there’s a calmer atmosphere in the classroom and that's given us more time for learning activities. There's a deep level of trust. They know that I know something personal about them.

What are some of your reflections?

This was a simple, worthwhile activity. Of course I knew I had to learn their names, but this activity helped give me a structure.

What conclusions have you come to?

I will do? this for all my classes in future. Of course.

The connection to coaching

We believe teachers are coaches too. The purpose of this series of newsletters is to illuminate that fact, and to sharpen teachers' coaching skills.

In order to benefit from coaching, the teacher must show that they are open to change. The above example shows how the teacher, Nikita, was ready to receive coaching.

Coaching readiness

Nikita saw the challenge (of remembering names) as an opportunity to learn something new. There were clear indications that she cares about her pupils. Nikita took feeling awkward as a cue to being proactive - taking steps to learn from it, not reactive - taking steps to hide from it.

There were clues about Nikita's coaching readiness in her desire for greater professionalism, her desire for accuracy and connection, how she included other people in the process, the parents for example.

Nikita's willingness to reflect on the actual results gave her even more learning that she had planned for.

Another indication that Nikita was ready for more coaching was her sensitivity about using the pupil's nicknames.

If you are looking for even more coaching ideas and activities to bring the benefits of coaching to your classroom, they are available online here and in paperback here.

INTERESTED: Speak with Martin about the 12 Steps, or other coaching questions, book your personal meeting here.

EDUCATORS: Become certified as an Empowerment Coach in the classroom or school, check out the nonprofit i.b.mee.

COACHES: Provide pro-bono coaching to educators as a part of a coaching in the classroom certification, join a Rountable here.

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