t-m-bIt can be a daunting assignment introducing a new program into a school.  We all know that teachers are busy and when you, as a facilitator are tasked with getting staff engaged, it can feel like a lonely place.  The success of introducing the study skills program depends greatly on rallying the troops and ensuring everyone is motivated and knows what they have to do.

Some tips below may assist to get staff motivated and keep them going on the right track:

  • Remind staff that the study skills program and student wall planner have been endorsed by your school leadership and that they are here to stay.
  • Urge staff to be a part of the solution explain how these tools have the potential to make classroom teaching more rewarding.  The tools enhance the work that teachers carefully prepare, enabling students to absorb information better and subsequently help to reduce levels of frustration.  Assignments have a better chance of being handed in on time and students may be better prepared for exams as they learn how to manage their time and study.  Remind them how study doesn’t come naturally to some students and this is an opportunity for them to teach the skills that will ultimately lead to improved performance and success.
  • Remind your staff that these resources are part of a desire to improve the academic culture of their school.  The shift in culture encourages students toward more effective study, better time management and greater efficiency. When the same message is reiterated by ALL staff it allows for a common language to be developed and the consistency of the message can be quite compelling.
  • Keep telling your staff that teachers are powerful role models.  (If a teacher is not committed, students will pick up on the inconsistency and it will work against the intended shift in culture).  Where the whole teaching team has supported the program, students have gained much from the material and made great progress.
  • Ensure staff remind students on a regular basis to use their wall planners and their student guides.  When setting assignments and tests, staff should remind students to not only put the details in their student diaries but to include them on their wall planners as well.  The teacher can also reiterate particular skills they have learned through the program and apply them to their own subject areas.
  • While lesson plans and presentations have already been prepared for teachers, we recommend that they spend 15 minutes reading prior to introducing specific topics to students.
  • Enlighten staff about the importance reviewing, analyzing and giving constructive feedback on the A3 worksheets, before signing them off.  Students and parents both need to sign off before the teacher.  Taking time to discuss the content with their students is an important part of the mentoring process if the teacher treats the worksheets seriously then so will the students.  Assisting students to fill the worksheets effectively increases their chances of utilizing their wall planners to better effect.

To find out how your school can start using this resource please use our contact form.