Methods That Show Students the Value of School

Just in time for the return to school, here are a few of our most popular and powerful apathy- busters, all designed to build interest and enthusiasm for school.

As you read the strategies below, pick
interventions that fit your students, and
match your style, community and setting. If you
like our interventions, come to our class, or
get some of our books and get hundreds more
must-have methods, all designed to awaken
your sleeping students!


* Will You Need Education When Life Strikes?:

Inform students that they will be playing
"Life Strikes," a game that tests if
school is necessary to the future. You
should have already prepared 'Life Strikes'
slips of paper, with enough for 3-10 slips
per student. Each slip should have a
statement on it, such as "Your HMO is
denying your claim" or "The state wants to
condemn your property." Distribute the
slips giving 3-9 slips per student. Ask
students to read aloud their slips then
determine if education can help when
life strikes.

* BONUS Intervention:
Ask students to create a soap opera
called "As Life Strikes." Each student
adds a sentence to the soap opera
story. After the story ends, ask
students to identify the times
that education was needed.

* Employer Directions Require Educated Deductions:

Show students that all/nearly all jobs
require education. Have them detail how
they would follow employer instructions such
as "Make sure that you only send widgets
to people in the Pacific Time Zone but not
to anyone who in the 510 area code or in the
L.A. metropolitan area who lives within the
county limits." Alternatively, have students
actually attempt to use actual work place
forms, applications, manuals and directions,
gathered from occupations known to interest
your students.


* Dropping-Out Can Leave You Defenseless

This is a very intense intervention only for
older students who are incredibly sour and
negative about school, and are close to
dropping out. Be sure to use this
intervention only if it is appropriate for
the student and your setting, and be sure
that you use respect, kindness and a
gentle style.

Upon entry into your school or agency, ask
the student to sign a very complex-looking
contract with text that the student is
unlikely to understand. After school
starts, and the student begins complaining
that school has no value, show the student
the contract that they signed long ago,
upon entry. Inform the student that the
document is an agreement that the student
will never ever do any of her favorite
activities again, such as using the phone,
interacting with friends, etc. Note that
education, especially reading skills, could
have helped. Assist the student to determine
what similar situations could occur in the
future when education could help.

* Diplomas Deliver Dollars

As of 1998, drop-outs earned about $16,000
per year, but high school grads, earned
nearly $7,000 more. Note that earning a
college degree can almost double your
annual income. Teach students that each
degree can almost double the dollars they
earn. If necessary, use automobile, housing
and grocery ads to show how little $16,000
in annual income buys in our contemporary
time.

Ruth Wells MS is the director of Youth Change; click here. Get free samples and see 100s more of her problem-stopping interventions at Youth Change's web site. Ruth is the author of dozens of books and ebooks, and conducts professional development workshops