Strategies for Motivating and Managing Students

1. Strategies for Motivating and Managing Students February 9, 2011 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. Presented by: Jen Winterfeldt Youth Development Coordinator, Northfield Public Schools

2. Who are you? • Who is in the room? • Where do you work? • How long have you been a tutor? • What type of settings do you work with students in?

3. Who is Jen? • Are you thinking to yourself? • Why am I here? • What does Jen know about tutoring students? • Will I learn anything?

4. Middle School Youth Center • What is the MSYC? • Free, drop-in after-school program that serves students who are at risk of academic failure

5. Where to begin?

6. Building Relationships • Can you answer the following questions? • Who is your student? • What are they about? • Why are you working with him/her? • Remember your role • Tutor vs. teacher • Mentor vs. friend

7. Building relationships: The foundation • Critical to building relationships: • capture the student’s attention • let them know you care • Asking questions • Why are you here? What are we working on? • What would you like to be doing instead of being here? • Personal questions

8. Building upon the foundation:The two minute questions • Gradually you can earn ask more questions to build upon your foundation • This could be within one session or over several weeks/months • Ask questions! • Follow-up questions • new questions • questions about school, family, free time, friendships, or anything the student gloms onto • Find something that connects you

9. Building Relationships:Helpful reminders • Smile • Call students by name • Positive attitude • Respect = mutual respect • Acknowledge that the student might not want to be with you • Check yourself and other experiences at the door

10. Break it down: Building Relationships • The actors: one tutor and one shy 4th grade student who responds to questions only with one word • The scene: First meeting between the tutor and this student

11. Motivation Why is it often difficult to motivate students? • Distractions in your location • Easy material, bored by school • Challenging material, don’t feel encouraged at school • Life circumstances • Values about education • Other ideas?

12. Motivation:How do you get students excited?

13. Motivation:Strategies for success • Little compliments along the way • Reinforce accomplishments • Make it a game • “How many can you get done in 5 minutes? • Play the game with child • Role reversal • Focus on end result • What is the student’s goal? • Address motivation directly

14. Motivation:Helpful hints • Give a choice whenever possible • Use the foundation of your relationship • Be creative • Insist on responsibility • Warn them of the consequences of their behavior

15. Break it down: Motivation • The actors: one tutor and one middle school student who insists that he/she “just doesn’t care.” • The scene: the student is pulled out of their math class at 2:00 p.m. to work independently with a tutor

16. Behavior Management • You don’t have to be scared about behavior management • Neither you or the student should act/feel/look like this during your tutoring session

17. Behavior Management:The Basics • Always remember you are the adult • Behavior management is all the time • Reinforce good behaviors • Be consistent • With yourself, with school policies, with other staff or teachers • Remind student of the consequences

18. Behavior Management:School Rules and School Lingo • What are the most common rules that get broken while you are tutoring? • Ask the teacher’s policies and boundaries • “Above the line, ******************* below the line, bottom line” • “Safety and Respect”

19. Behavior Management: Helpful hints • Don’t engage in a power struggle • Don’t disengage or lose yourself • Make sure you are heard and listened to • Be confident and check your insecurities as much as possible • Ask for help and guidance • Don’t be afraid to say “no” or send a student back to the classroom

20. Break it down: Behavior Management • The actors: one tutor and one 3rd grade student who can escalate quickly and who has a problem using appropriate language • The scene: the elementary school media center, working on reading skills

21. Small Group Management One student is challenging enough so how am I supposed to work with more than one?

22. Small Group Management: Helpful strategies • Group by assignment or subject area • Clear expectations and directions to group • Give each student a task or goal • Create a safe, respectful space • Don’t let a students say “this is easy” • Peer-to-peer tutoring or small group within a group

23. Small Group Management: Helpful hints • Take control of the group and try to connect with all of the players • All behavior management rules and tricks are still in play • Gauge student comfort and peer dynamics: • Students don’t have to participate if they aren’t comfortable with a specific activity • Don’t be afraid to separate students or send them back to class

24. Break it down: Small Group Management • The actors: one tutor and five 6th grade ESL students. One student is defiant and one student is not comfortable reading aloud. • The scene: the group is being pulled out of study hall to work on reading strategies.

25. Helpful Tips and Reminders • Teachers and staff are busy but accessible • Send emails • Ask questions before starting • Give feedback on students and situation • Set up a meeting • Take initiative with students • Trust yourself because we do. • Be patient, engaging, dedicated and communicative.

26. Questions and Group Therapy • What questions or reactions do you have? • Do you have scenarios or situations that you’d like to address or that you’d like help dealing with? • What suggestions do you have for your fellow tutors?

27. Break it down: Putting it all together • Actors: One tutor and one, 8th grade student • Scene: You are meeting this student for the first time. The student is being pulled out of study hall to work with a tutor. The student starts by saying “I don’t have anything to do.”

28. Break it down: Putting it all together • Actors: One tutor and one student you’ve been meeting with for several weeks • Scene: The student is usually ready to work and is motivated but today the student is unmotivated and is acting out by yelling at you and refusing to work.

29. Break it down: Putting it all together • Actors: One tutor and three 7th grade students • Scene: You are working during an after-school program with the students on a group project for an upcoming history day project. One student is high energy and is distracting the other students.

30. Break it down: Putting it all together • Actors: One tutor, three 2nd grade students and one teacher • Scene: You’ve been leading a small group of students for three weeks to work on general math skills. Two students are more progressing more quickly than the other student which is leading him/her to retreat and disengage. The teacher is present but doesn’t seem to see the group dynamic.

31. Wrap up and Closing • Thank you for all you do for Northfield schools and students. • Contact me with further questions, concerns or ideas: • Jen Winterfeldt • 507-664-3654 • Jennifer.Winterfeldt@nfld.k12.mn.us