tips and strategies for engaging youth

Tips and Tools for Engaging Youth

Presented by Michele Martin The Bamboo Project, Inc.

Michele Martin

• Career Development Facilitator Instructor

• 15+ years in career and workforce development

• Work with PYN, PA Regional Career Education Partnerships, Job Corps.

Agenda

• DRIVE: What motivates people?• The Body/Mind/Heart Connection• Structures that Engage• Events & Activities that Engage

When we ask. . .

“How do I engage my students?”

Often, we’re REALLY asking. . .

“How can I get students to do what I want them to do when and how I want them to do it?”

So we start thinking. . .

DRIVE—Dan Pink

20th Century Motivation

Rewards/Punishments lead to. . .

• Diminished intrinsic motivation

• Lower performance

• Less creativity

• “Crowding out” of good behavior

• Narrowed focus

• Restricted possibilities

• Unethical behavior

• Addictions

• Short-term thinking

21st Century Motivation

• AutonomyUrge to direct our own lives

• MasteryDesire to get better at something that matters

• PurposeYearning to do what we do in the service of something larger than ourselves

Autonomy

• Time—when they do something• Technique—how they do something• Team—who they work with• Task—what they do

For more autonomy. . .

• “These are the goals I have for us today—what goals do you want to include?”

• “These are some things that are fixed in our schedule today, but we also have flexibility for other things—how do we want to organize our time?

• “These are the ideas I have for how to accomplish this goal—what ideas do you have? Maybe we should experiment with some different ways to do it?”

Mastery

• Find “Goldilocks Tasks”—not too simple and not too difficult

• Create the right environment– Autonomy– Clear goals– Immediate feedback—

• This is working—let’s keep going• This isn’t working—how do we need to change it up?

Purpose

• Help people discover and connect to a larger purpose for their activities.

• How can they use their talents/gifts to connect to something bigger than themselves?

For more purpose. . .

• How can youth connect to giving to others in a way that feels important and relevant?

• How can we help them discover and consistently use and develop their gifts through the classroom experience?

Other Ideas

• Include students in creating rules, norms, routines and consequences– Social contracts—What are the things you need to

feel comfortable, creative, safe and happy?– How can we give each other feedback to work

effectively?– What environment helps me do my best work?

• Project plans• What do I want to master in our time together?

EngagingBody/Mind/Heart

Body

• Visual• Verbal• Auditory• Touch• Smell

• How do we use physical space to engage?

• How do we tap into the 5 senses for expression, reflection, learning?

• How do we work WITH physical energy?

Mind

• Neural Plasticity— “What we focus on grows”

• Mindfulness

• How do we create more positive pathways?

• How do we calm our minds to focus?

• How do we stimulate our minds to create?

Heart

• Identity and Values• Emotions as the fuel

• How do we help young people recognize and express their emotions?

• How do we soothe, validate and inspire?

• How do we make it safe to express emotions?

Structures that Engage

Rituals

What Rituals Do You Use?

• Great Beginnings• Impactful Endings• Reflection • Daily, weekly

Some Ideas

• 1-Sentence Journals• 2-Minute Meditation• 3-Minute Free Write• 15-Minute Weekly Assessment:

– What is working well that I want to build on next week?– What changes could we make, no matter how small, to make this

experience more effective, enjoyable?– What did I handle particularly well this week? What made it successful

and how can I apply going forward?

Experiments

The Experimental Approach

• Start with a compelling idea/question• Take action to test the idea/question.• Observe what happens.• Reflect on what happens• Refine• Start again

Some Experiments

• Tracking emotions• Trying out a new habit• Values implementation• 106 Tips for Master Connectors

Conversations

Compelling Conversations

• Authentic, important questions• “Knee to Knee” and Circles• Listen to understand• Speak from the heart• Connect to multiple perspectives

Design Thinking

How can you incorporate?

• Into individual interactions?• Into classroom?• Into program?• Into organization?

Technology/Social Media

• Work WITH tech, not against it!• Use it to:– Have conversations– Collect feedback– Tell stories– Share/model

Hangouts/Hangouts on Air

• Virtual interviewing and panel discussions• Virtual tours• Broadcast events/activities

NearPod

ClassPager

Events & Activities that Engage

FailFaire

Running a FailFaire

• 7-minute explanation• First names only • No recording• No blame• Single question for audience response• Audience participation

IGNITE

Running an IGNITE Session

• Compelling question/idea/story:– What are you passionate about? – What great story do you have to tell?

• Be visual!• Slides auto-advance• Rehearse• Have fun!

Walls

Making a Wall

• Work with students to identify themes.• Use sticky notes, colored markers.• Encourage quotes, drawings, etc. related to

the theme.• Take pictures and post on social media.• Change weekly or bi-weekly.

Hidden Fortunes

Unconferencing

Unconference Agenda

• Collaboratively developed agenda at beginning.

• 3-4 rounds of sessions• Closing—what was learned? What next steps

will we take?

Unconference Session Formats

• “How to do X. . .”• My Big (or Little)

Question• Let’s talk about. . . • “Un-panels” (Fishbowl)

• Speed Demos• World Café• Appreciative Inquiry—

what’s working?• Open Awards

What’s Next?

Resources

• Website: http://engagepyn.blogspot.com/• Try it Tuesdays– Try with your students– Provide feedback– Share your own adaptations, resources, etc.