Technology

Tools that work and why we abandoned them

A few years ago I tried my hand at selling insurance. I had to learn the hard way that I’m not very good at selling, although I really liked the guys I worked with, especially the boss, who was a prince of a man. He used to tell me regularly that he would find a tool that was really effective and that he would work it to the fullest for several months. Later, she would discover that his sales were falling and wonder why. On closer inspection, he would discover that, for some strange reason, he had stopped using the tool that had been so effective. It is a strange quirk of human nature that we do this; we find something that works and use it effectively, then feel like we no longer need it and stop using it, to our detriment.

Strange as it may sound, I have found the same to be true for teaching. Several months ago I discovered the effectiveness of crouching down to talk to a disruptive student and whispering in their ear (this is a stage whisper that can usually be heard by curious students three halls away), “You’re a bright student and I like having you.” in my class. However, I cannot tolerate these continuous interruptions. The next time you do that, I’ll have to ask you to leave.”

This strategy works for several reasons; 1) most students are terribly self-absorbed and a bit insecure, so a supplement serves them well, 2) is completely devoid of drama and rarely elicits a haughty response, 3) puts the burden of responsibility directly where it belongs: on the student. There is no mystery about what is going to happen; The next time you’re interrupted, act calm. Period.

One of the things I like best about this strategy is that I remain friends with the student who is being disciplined. There is no anger or drama so I can see the student later in the day or the next day and talk to him as if this incident never happened. You couldn’t do that if you scolded the student, told him how bad he was, and then made a show of removing him from class like I saw someone else do today. I hate that…or at least, I did.

Yesterday, someone told me that they thought it was bad. “What happened?” they said, “You used to be so nice!” I dismissed the statement at first as the one that said I had just been disciplined, but upon further consideration, I realized that I had slipped away from quietly instructing misbehaving students before pulling the trigger on the discipline.

I know, some behaviors don’t justify this approach. Yesterday I heard a girl scream and turned around just in time to see her hit her neighbor. I immediately felt her walk out of the room without warning. Students need to know that hitting another student is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. But other things, like talking out of character, deserve a little more finesse. That’s where the calm description of what’s going to happen works particularly well.

Today I promised myself that I would go back to what I knew would work, and sure enough, it worked, just as it had in the past. Why do we walk away from things that we know are effective? I don’t know. Some strange quirk of human nature, I suppose. But we can overcome that tendency if we try.

Take careful note of what works for you, and review those notes religiously. Look for things that you have moved away from that might be serving you well now. Most of us know what we have to do, we just get away from it after a while. Go back to basics and get things working for you again.

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