The Power of Purpose: "Be Weird"

A student of mine was preparing for an oral exam in a second language and I love the way he did it. He wrote key vocabulary words on a whiteboard for the situation he would need to speak to. Then he sat on the other side of the room and started speaking to himself.

In a similar situation, most of my former French Immersion students would have mumbled sentences under their breath or simply said them in their head if they made the sentences at all. But this student said them proudly out loud with nobody to hear them but himself. It was clear that preparing himself for this exam was more important than any embarrassment or discomfort he might feel for studying in this way.

For me, this illustrates the power of having a clear purpose and priorities as a learner. Learning is hard and there are so many distractions calling us away from doing that hard work, which makes studying in a way that might be embarrassing even less likely to occur. But when a student is clear on why they’re doing their learning and how they will make it serve them, those obstacles seem to fade into the background. I’ve had students who make up little fairy tales, visuals, and hand gestures about concepts to help remember them. These strategies are incredibly effective and give these students a massive dose of confidence too.

Figuring out a clear purpose to motivate their learning also doesn’t come easily to most students, however. This is one aspect where Learning Coaching can help. Through guided questioning, students come to recognize goals and directions that empower them to take actions they otherwise wouldn’t consider. They’re more willing to be weird, to make tough choices that serve them better and to follow their own guiding star - and their learning is the beneficiary.

Wondering if this might be what your child needs? Give us a shout and we’ll set up a conversation to see whether our services might provide the direction and confidence they need.