Normalise 'Trying Hard'

 

Introduction - A Change of Direction

I started blog writing last summer as we stepped out of lockdown and back in to face to face teaching. Initially the purpose was to create a place where I could be reflective and document changes I felt I needed to make to my practice. 
In turn my blog posts took the form of opinion pieces, recording issues or themes I had encountered, and how my new plunge in to the world of educational literature and (amateur) cognitive science had helped me put a strategy in to action!

It provided a catalyst, and gave me direction. I really enjoy sharing my ramblings!

A lot has changed even in this short time. Being recently appointed as Advanced Practitioner for a Sixth Form Vocational College, I have decided to align my writing with this new role. 

So, I will be using this space to share real experiences of collaboration, mentoring and support; and to discuss topical themes and musings that impact on the development of myself and colleagues as we come across them. 

This is where I will be starting, as this blog post ponders the motives and attitudes of students in FE. 

Normalise 'Trying Hard'

Over the Christmas break it was important for me to switch off for a spell and enjoy festivities with friends and family. However I was still dipping my toe in to discussions about teaching and learning as part of Twitter communities, and one such conversation really got me thinking.

If like me you teach PE and you are on Twitter, you will know @WannaTeachPE as a staple for great advice and a wealth of practical ideas! Whilst scrolling my newsfeed I was struck by a question posed by @WannaTeachPe about barriers to participation for students from lower socio-economic areas. Straight away I knew I could comment from a place of experience; working in Salford means like many other teachers I am familiar with the real struggles experienced by students and their families.

It didn't take long for me to come up with my reply:

'Self-belief and fear of the perception of others'... I experience this all too often; students hiding their will to attain in favour of saving face amongst their peers. 

My thinking developed further... and I realised this was a broader issue, not just exclusive to or a common by-product of a student's postcode. It is a symptom of being a teenager studying in an environment where social media, peer comparisons and keeping up appearances shape a perception of judgement and measurement against skewed 'norms'. 

How do we challenge this? How do we normalise 'trying hard' and putting in effort towards developing a wider skill set and enhanced employability?

I was asked this later in the Twitter conversation... 'what do you do to help them try and overcome this?'. I could not put my finger on a specific strategy or piece of magic; my answer was merely about trying to foster an environment where students cannot hide. 

I don't have any data to back this up, but I'd say it is safe to assume there must be a direct correlation between those who try hard in class in front of their peers with no fear or consideration of perception, and aspirational attainment. So how do we tackle this limiting lack of self-belief and fear of perception in those who demonstrate it?

The Conversation

Bringing it back to the renewed purpose of my blog writing; this is a conversation that teachers and I are having as part of catch-ups and mentoring sessions. Directed by their line managers and their own drive to continually develop, they are asking the same question; how do we challenge and change this issue?

I have considered three key parts to this conversation:

1. Set your standards early*, and stick to them!
Set your bar; expect the students to move up to your level rather than making the mistake of taking yourself down to the level they are evidencing. Reinforce your expectations, clearly not covertly, lesson by lesson. Do this in your communication and in your planning.
*If this conversation is taking place midway through the year, then set these standards as you renew focus at the start of a new Unit, Module or Learning Aim. 

2. Accept no opting out!
Make it explicitly clear that nobody can hide, don't be seen to be accepting of the shoulder shrugs, the 'I don't know' and the 'yeah I was going to say what they said' responses. There are some great easy to apply strategies here from two faithful sources; Doug Lemov's Teach Like a Champion and (of course) Tom Sherrington and Oliver Caviglioli's Teaching Walkthrus.

Language is important here. Many books and experts will talk about positive framing; an extension of this is needed here. Acknowledge and reinforce examples where there has been movement towards your set level. Talk about the positive contributions you would welcome seeing and hearing, not the negative and limited contribution you might be seeing and hearing. 

3. Apply practical empathy.
I wasn't sure if I've labelled this accurately; the message I want to put across is that it is important to consider the context. In some cases, with some topics, theories and concepts, the general 'teaching' of the bits and pieces for the sake of teaching it and ticking it off the roadmap won't change their motivation or attitude. 

Find a way to put it in their terms, so that it appeals to them in their world. What does it mean to them, what role does it play in their path?
Getting this third bit right is the difficult bit; it takes time, relationships and trust!

The Action

There are often conversations in offices and CPD chat rooms, and no less on Twitter about teaching being over-complicated, and that it should be kept simple. 
To a certain degree for those who have developed a fluency, and a structure they can rely on, it can be at times. 

But if you want to be consistent in the impact you have on the motives and the attitudes of your students, then some finer points and some complexities need to be considered along the way. 

But that's for another conversation...


(Noteworthy thanks must go to @WannaTeachPE for providing the spark for this blog post, and for giving me the OK to use a picture of the Tweet that started it all)