Motivating change in adult learners

Chip and Dan Heath, authors of “Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard,” believe that change wears people out. In order for change to happen, new behaviors must be put in place of habitual behaviors. This takes self-control and close monitoring of behavior which is tiring.

Some changes we accept more willingly than others such as new technology and fashion. Other changes we even embrace joyfully such as marriage and having children. Yet when we try to make changes to our diet the brain is of two minds about it.

The rational, conscious brain and the emotional, unconscious mind are often at odds and play tug of war with our intentions. Logically we know we should eat healthier, but we impulsively reach for ice cream after a difficult day.

We can’t seem to decide if it’s worth the effort it takes to change. This isn’t actually a fair fight because the emotional system is like a huge five ton elephant while the rational mind is like the small human rider sitting on top holding the reins. When deciding whether to change or not, the emotional part certainly has a size advantage. In order to build a culture conducive to change, it’s important to direct the rider, motivate the elephant and shape the path of change. Directing the rider means finding the bright spots and building on the successes. Motivating the elephant involves shrinking the change to one slight modification that makes the learning more accessible.

Behavior change is easier for the rider (rational mind) and the elephant (unconscious mind) when the path has been shaped. More are likely to accept the invitation to start on this new journey of change if the final destination is clear and if some of the obstacles have been cleared.

Shelley Burgess and Beth Houf, authors of “Lead Like a Pirate,” believe that educational leaders who wish to enhance the learning experiences for students need to inspire and support teachers to make schoolwide changes. Change is hard. Systemic organizational change is even harder.

Recent brain research findings support several critical classroom changes that enhance students’ retention abilities such as increased engagement and collaboration, more challenging problems, smaller chunks of input and more frequent processing time utilizing academical conversations and written analysis.

Recognizing the difference between students who are being compliant versus those who are truly engaged can be deceiving until one knows what to look for. Presenting a lesson in a manner that invites inquiry and can spark curiosity means pausing to invite puzzlement.

Intriguing students helps them generate questions which lead to high level thinking and collaborative problem solving. Getting students to engage meaningfully in deep academic conversations and write willingly are hallmarks of these shifts in action.

The upsides to these pedagogical changes are obvious, but systemic changes like these can seem overwhelming to the teachers being asked to implement them. Educational leaders need to encourage change without overwhelming their instructional teams. This involves conveying compassion, yet encouraging incremental progress toward the new goals. It’s important to balance the offer of support with the assertion that this change can happen.

Dave Burgess, author of “Teach like a Pirate,” believes that successful conversations with educators feeling burdened by the effort required to execute these new instructional shifts include several key components.

First, acknowledge that change can be hard and be understanding about its demands. Next, remind teachers of the critical need that the school community has for the changes and the hoped-for outcomes that will result as implementation gears up. These reasons help motivate a genuine desire to contribute to the plan even though it won’t be easy.

Then principals and instructional coaches should share their confidence in teachers’ ability to persevere in spite of the demands of the new changes. Knowing that someone believes in their ability to succeed and deliver outcomes as an essential team member helps inspire continued effort.

Offering support is another critical component to a successful conversation about change. Ask if anything can be taken off their plate that might help them persevere. Commit to follow through with the support they ask for.

Finally, Dave advised the expression of genuine gratitude for their commitment, perseverance, and willingness to push through the challenges to make school a more potent learning space for students.

Being reminded of our value is motivating. Change is hard, but brain research is shedding light on new effective strategies. Teachers are committed to offering students potent learning spaces, but their expertise and effort need to be valued and appreciated.