Think About Your Lessons: "Start With Why"

Think about your lessons. Think about one that the students were engaged and excited about learning. These are the lessons that remind you why you chose education as your profession. Educators are always trying to find a way to help their students connect to lessons.

We often look at the learning styles, engagement strategies, and classroom modifications to help. We try the latest new curriculum or find a new inspiring idea from another teacher. We sometimes find that despite out efforts students can be distracted or just going through the motions. How can educators solve this problem?

The answer may be to think about Simon Sinek's principals of the Golden Circle. Although the Golden Circle refers to the marketing world, it can also be applied to education. Mr. Sinek explains that the inside of the circle is the WHY portion. This portion is the process of our Limbic brain that control emotion and feeling (why we do things). The next circle is the HOW. This section is made up of the decisions that control our ability to get things done. The outside circle is the WHAT section. In this section what we do is controlled by the Neocortex and involves rational thought. This information helps educators think about what motivates students' decision making. If we can tap into the part of the brain that makes decisions, we can get our students to find a need to be a part of what is happening in the classroom. Teachers need to give students a reason to participate. Many times as educators we go about teaching starting with the outside of the circle and work inward, rather than starting with the inner part of the circle, the WHY.

In order for teachers to create this in your classrooms, we need to stay focused on WHY the lesson or content is so important. Evaluate the purpose of your lesson. How does the lesson bring them to WHY they are learning. Students will begin to take charge of their own learning, because they understand WHY it is important, HOW it needs to be completed, and WHAT the results should look like.