Fostering Engagement
1. Create Hope
- Create new ideas of opportunities and how they can succeed
- Focus on their strengths and how they can use those in the real world
- Remind them you are a caring adult who will be there for them
- Emphasize their: drive, work ethic and time spent
- Don’t focus on their “intellect” or “grade”
- Make sure they understand that effort and practice are what is more important than the outcome when you are learning.
- Make sure the child knows they are more important as a person than what they “do”
- Make sure the child knows they have some choice in their education
- Make sure they are bought into the reasoning behind education being important
- Ensure they know they can choose what they want to do with the education
- Use a reinforcement strategy and reward them frequently
- Make sure you are checking in on a “personal” level with the child
- Understand them as people and young adults.
- Ask how you can help make a more conducive environment to their learning style
- Remind them you care more about them than their “behavior” or their “outcomes
- These child need to have someone that understand them and their shortcomings and pushes and believes in them to make something out of themselves.
- Celebrate their triumphs (no matter how small)
- Reinforce their “attempts”
- Reinforce their positive behavioral attributes that they possess
- Make sure they know that you see their effort
- Remind them that courage and bravery are all a part of learning and you will also reinforce that concept.
- If you are comfortable, share some of your trials and shortcomings and explain how you overcame them