Learning for Success, Inc.



MFIN “HINTS” The MFIN approach is based on changing the conversations with our students. The following are examples of the “HINTS we have distributed to Staff and Parents:MY FUTURE IS NOWWhat is it?MFIN changes the way students experience school by organizing the curriculum, instruction, and guidance services around their strengths, skills, talents, interests, plans and dreams. When this transformation occurs, academic achievement, engagement and motivation increase; student aspirations rise; and many of the difficulties found in our schools are eliminated. Students who have never linked school to a successful future are motivated to do so.Why am I teaching this?We want to ensure that students always know what they are learning, why they are learning it and how they can use it when they are no longer in school. As you introduce a new topic, say something such as the following: “Today you will be learning about/how to do ABC.” (In most cases students are either learning about something or how to do something.) Ask, “Why do you think this is important to know?” Whatever you teach, be thinking about why this knowledge or skill set is in the curriculum. Why do you think this is important to know? We want to be able to answer students’ questions when they ask, “Why do we have to learn this stuff? When will we ever use it?” A major reason that students drop out of school is because they don’t know what they are learning, why they are learning it, or how it will make a difference in their lives. It has no meaning for them and they don’t value it. The suggestion offered here is a major dropout prevention strategy.The Reason for SchoolRemind students that the reason they are in school is to use their strengths, skills, talents and interests to create successful futures.? The key here is "create." ? Futures are not something that happen to us. ? We create them. ?When you encounter students, ask them what strengths, skills, talents, and interests they are working on this week so they will have a successful future down the line.? If they can't answer, ask what strengths, skills, talents and interests they could be working on, and what assistance they would find helpful. ?Many students will not be able to respond articulately to these questions.? However, just having to field them and think about them, will get some students thinking about their futures, which is the reason we have schools in the first place. ?Questions for Changing the Conversation with StudentsDaily greetings:1. Hey, good to see you here today!2. What's been the best part of the (day, week) so far? 3. How's the (dog, little brother, math class, etc.) going today? Get them to talk about something that is important to them.When students are misbehaving:1. How do you see (fighting, interrupting a class, skipping school, etc.) helping you create a successful future? 2. How did you decide that getting even was a good idea?3. If you had it to do over again, how do you think you might handle it? MY FUTURE IS NOWStudents need to know what they are learning, why they are learning it, and how can they use it. Ask the students:-If you don’t understand something I am teaching, raise your hand and ask me, “How is this going to help us develop our strengths, skills, and talents?Strengths, Skills, and TalentsAsk students?What strengths, skills and talents they have that they are most proud of. ?How they are using them to do well in school.?How can the school help you develop those strengths, skills and talents to create a successful future? ?What is your Dream? Ask each student to tell you about her/his dream for becoming a successful adult. What kind of work are they doing? How are they supporting themselves? How are they making a contribution to others? What kind of “good life” have they created? Make a note of this and begin to connect students with dreams. This will provide a rich context for future conversations with them. Make sure they understand that the purpose of school is to help them learn things that will make their dreams come true. MY FUTURE IS NOWSTUDENT ENGAGEMENTLook for something in the news or in the community that you can link to what you are teaching.? It could be a sports event, something in the world news, or an observation you made on your way to work in the AM.? Almost everything "out there" can be related in some way to what we are teaching, regardless of subject or level. ?My Future Is NowCreating Student Successes Make sure every student is given a challenging, doable task that he/she can complete successfully. When the task is completed, ask:“How does it feel to do something that you didn’t think you could do?”“What would you think about completing an even harder task now?” Seeking Students’ VoicesMake sure that every student has a voice and is given the opportunity to contribute to the class. Regularly ask students, “Why do you think this is important to know?” “Some of you have told me you don’t understand the homework. What could we do to fix that?” MY FUTURE IS NOWEXPECTING POSITIVE OUTCOMESStudents who do not expect positive outcomes are rarely motivated to perform well.? What could we be doing here at our school to ensure that all of our students expect positive outcomes? ?My Future Is NowSelf-Efficacy and ResiliencyFocus on increasing student self-efficacy (their belief about their capability to perform in your class), and resiliency (their ability to overcome obstacles and rebound from setbacks). How can we:Make sure every student is given challenging, doable tasks that he/she can complete successfully? Success breeds success. Failure kills it. Make sure that students view us as caring, supportive adults who believe in them, and have their best interests at heart? Make sure that every student has a voice and is given the opportunity to contribute to the class?MY FUTURE IS NOWBeing A Caring Adult Make sure that students view us as caring, supportive adults who believe in them, and have their best interests at heart. Say something such as, “I assume you want to have a successful future. I’m here to help you do that. “You are bright, capable students, and I know that you will be able to do well in this class.” MY FUTURE IS NOWBeing A Caring Adult Make sure every student can name someone in the school who is a “caring adult.” (From a student’s perspective) “This is someone who really knows me, is interested in me as a person, believes in me, wants me to succeed, has high expectations for me, and is in my corner, rooting for me to make it. I look forward to going to school every day, just to see this person.” Students who don’t have this adult in their lives are less likely to engage, and to value school. Adults:Each day, let students know how glad you are to see them and how much you appreciate their being at our school and/or in your classroom. Create assignments, activities, discussions and conversations that make students feel competent, confident and connected. Let them know how much they are learning and growing. Make sure students always know what they are learning (not doing), why it is important to know, and how they can use it in the future. Rather than asking students how they are doing, ask them what they are learning that has the most meaning for them. Begin each class by saying, “Today we’re going to learn about how to do X.” Then ask, “Why do you think this is important to know? When do you think adults would need to know about/how to do this?” Let students know how you, and people you know, use the knowledge/skill being taught. If students have caring adults at our school, can describe what they are learning and why, and how it will affect their futures, achievement and motivation will improve and many discipline problems will disappear. MY FUTURE IS NOWWhat Impacts Your Future?Ask students to think of something they have done recently that could have an impact on their future. It could be a game they played, an assignment they completed (or didn’t), a test they took, a song they learned, a movie or TV show they watched, a discussion they had, a thought that crossed their mind, something they read, an item they bought, knowledge or skills they acquired, etc. The point here is to help students (and adults) realize that we do things every day that can have an impact on our futures. Every day we can be informed, inspired, disappointed, engaged, etc. All of these things help determine who we are and what we become. Share with students some recent event in your life that will have an impact on your Creating A Great FutureMost students say they want to “have” a great future. At our school we talk about “creating” a great future. What is the difference between “having” a future and “creating” a future? MY FUTURE IS NOWWhat Are You Learning?In any interaction with a student, ask him/her to name something they have learned in school recently. If they answer with what they “did,” ask, “So what did you learn while you were doing that?” “How do you think you might use that?” Ask, “What other things would you like to learn here at our school?” We want students and adults to continually engage in discussions about learning. Most students can tell you what they did in class. Far fewer can tell you what they learned, and very few can talk about how they might use it in the future. If we want students to value school, we will need to help them articulate clearly what they are learning, why they are learning it, and how they can use it to create a successful future. (Students’ inability to do this is one of the leading causes of dropouts. MFIN is a dropout prevention project.) MY FUTURE IS NOWDECISION-MAKINGAsk students:?"Name two decisions you have made this year that will help you create a successful future." ?If the student describes a decision, ask, "How do you see that helping you in the future?"If the student can't think of a decision, give them an example from your experience, then say, "Think of two decisions you could make this year, that would help you create a successful future." ?If they mention one or two, ask, "How do you think that might help you in the future?" ?HINTS FOR OUR PARENTS: How to be a positive influence on your child’s futureSet aside a few minutes each week to have a “future talk” with your student(s). Ask your student to think of something they learned during the week that might help them create a successful future. Ask them to elaborate. “That sounds interesting. Say more about that.” Give them hints: “What did you learn in social studies? Reading? Math?” Ask your student to think of a decision they made during the week that can have a positive impact on their future. Examples: I decided to do my homework; avoid a fight; answer a teacher’s question; help the teacher; help a fellow student; research some careers of interest; do some extra work. Discuss the implications of this decision for future success. “How do you think this might help you in the future?” Ask your student how many times they have thought about their future during the week. Make a note of it and record it. Just asking the question can remind them to do it. And the more they think about it, the more important it will become. Ask your student how you can help them plan a successful future. If they give you a question you can’t answer, let them know that you will try to find the answer. Someone at the school should be able to help you. Remember: You are the most important influence in the kind of future your student will have. Work with us to make sure that it is a successful one!“HINTS” #1 – Caring AdultsMake sure every student can name someone in the school who is a “caring adult.” (From a student’s perspective) “This is someone who really knows me, is interested in me as a person, believes in me, wants me to succeed, has high expectations for me, and is in my corner, rooting for me to make it. I look forward to going to school every day, just to see this person.” Students who don’t have this adult in their lives are less likely to engage, and to value school. Adults:Each day, let students know how glad you are to see them and how much you appreciate their being at our school and/or in your classroom. Create assignments, activities, discussions and conversations that make students feel competent, confident and connected. Let them know how much they are learning and growing. Make sure students always know what they are learning (not doing), why it is important to know, and how they can use it in the future. Rather than asking students how they are doing, ask them what they are learning that has the most meaning for them. Begin each class by saying, “Today we’re going to learn about how to do X.” Then ask, “Why do you think this is important to know? When do you think adults would need to know about/how to do this?” Let students know how you, and people you know, use the knowledge/skill being taught. If students have caring adults at our school, they will be able to describe what they are learning and why, and how it will affect their futures; achievement and motivation will improve, and many discipline problems will disappear. “HINTS” #2- “What am I Learning?”In any interaction with a student, ask him/her to name something they have learned in school recently. If they answer with what they “did,” ask, “So what did you learn while you were doing that?” “How do you think you might use that?” Ask, “What other things would you like to learn here at our school?” We want students and adults to continually engage in discussions about learning. Most students can tell you what they did in class. Far fewer can tell you what they learned, and very few can talk about how they might use it in the future. If we want students to value school, we will need to help them articulate clearly what they are learning, why they are learning it, and how they can use it to create a successful future. (Students’ inability to do this is one of the leading causes of dropouts. MFIN is a dropout prevention project.) My Future Is Now“What am I learning?”Ask students to name something "important" they have learned at school this year.? If they name something, ask what makes it important. ?If they can't name something, ask them to describe something they would like to learn, so they could have a successful future. ?If students have difficulty with this, it tells us that our teaching?is not resulting in their learning, which should be good information. “HINTS” #3: Questions for Changing the Conversation with StudentsDaily greetings:Hey, good to see you here today!What's been the best part of the (day, week) so far? How's the (dog, little brother, math class, etc.) going today? Get them to talk about something that is important to them.When students are misbehaving:How do you see (fighting, interrupting a class, skipping school, etc.) helping you create a successful future? How did you decide that getting even was a good idea?If you had it to do over again, how do you think you might handle it? “HINTS” #4: Beginning Each Class“Today we’re going to learn about/how to do X.” “Why do you think this is important to know?”“When do you think adults would need to know about/how to do this?” Let students know how you, and people you know, use the knowledge/skill being taught. “How can you use this in your future?”“HINTS” #5: Everything You Do Impacts Your FutureAsk students to think of something they have done recently that could have an impact on their future. It could be a game they played, an assignment they completed (or didn’t), a test they took, a song they learned, a movie or TV show they watched, a discussion they had, a thought that crossed their mind, something they read, an item they bought, knowledge or skills they acquired, etc. The point here is to help students (and adults) realize that we do things every day that can have an impact on our futures. Every day we can be informed, inspired, disappointed, engaged, etc. All of these things help determine who we are and what we become. Share with students some recent event in your life that will have an impact on your future. “HINTS” #6: Creating a Successful FutureMost students say they want to “have” a great future. At our school we talk about “What would it take to make sure you are not wasting your time and talents, but are living up to your potential? How can we help with this?” We are “creating” a great future. What is the difference between “having” a future and “creating” a future? Remind students that the reason they are in school is to use their strengths, skills, talents and interests to create successful futures.? The key here is "create." ? Futures are not something that happen to us. ? We create them. ?When you encounter students, ask them what strengths, skills, talents, and interests they are working on this week so they will have a successful future down the line.? If they can't answer, ask what strengths, skills, talents and interests they could be working on, and what assistance they would find helpful. ?Many students will not be able to respond articulately to these questions.? However, just having to field them and think about them, will get some students thinking about their futures, which is the reason we have schools in the first place. ?“HINTS” #7: Raising AspirationsToo many students have low aspirations. Their potential is much stronger than their performance. When you observe this, say, “I think you are capable of much better (work, behavior, etc.).” “What do you think?” This should get the student thinking. (“If s/he thinks I am capable, maybe I should think I am capable.”) Ask, “What would it take to make sure you are not wasting your time and talents, but are living up to your potential? How can we help with this?” HINTS” #8: Talking About LearningRegularly ask students to name three important things they have learned at our school this year, that will make a difference in their lives.? It could be a specific subject, interpersonal, a way of thinking about the future, or anything else they can think of.? The point is to get them thinking and talking about learning. ?“HINTS” #9: Talking About Strengths, Skills, and TalentsAsk students?What strengths, skills and talents they have that they are most proud of. ?How they are using them to do well in school.?How can the school help you develop these strengths, skills and talents to create a successful future? ? “HINTS” #10: “Why Is This School Here?”Ask students, “Why is this school here?” “Why are you here?” “What kinds of things can you learn here?” The reason we have a school here is to help you develop your strengths, skills, talents and interests so you can make your dreams come true. Do you think that is a good idea? What are you doing now to develop your strengths, skills, talents and interests? How can we help you? “HINTS” #11: Doing Better In School and LifeIf you had any wish you wanted about doing better in school or in life, what would it be? (Wait for their response).How would you feel if you: Became more interested? Got along better with teachers and other adults? Got along better with other students? Understood the curriculum better? “HINTS” #12: Decision-MakingAsk students?What kind of decisions have you made this year that will help you create a successful future? Think of decisions you have made:About learning. About how you get along with other students. About how you get along with adults at the school. About taking school seriously.If the student describes a decision, ask, "How do you see that helping you in the future?"If the student can't think of a decision, give them an example from your experience, then say, "Think of two decisions you could make this year, that would help you create a successful future." ?If they mention one or two, ask, "How do you think that might help you in the future?" ?“HINTS” #13: Having High ExpectationsLet students know that you have high expectations for them. If a student says, “I can’t,” ask softly, “How would you feel if you could?” or “Imagine that you could do it. What would that be like?” If a student is not performing up to her/his potential, say, “I think you are capable of much better work. What do you think? What could we do so you could show what you are really capable of?” If a student says, “This is too hard,” say, “It is hard, isn’t it, but I believe that you are capable of hard work. Let’s see if we can find a good place to begin.”“HINTS” #14: Calling Parents About Their StudentsHello, Ms. Smith: This is ___________ from _____________ school. Our goal is a successful future for every student. We want all of our students to acquire knowledge, skills and attitudes that will help them become successful adults. We know that parents and guardians want the same thing. I’m calling because ___________has made some recent decisions that are not leading to a bright future. S/he has (missed three assignments, been involved in a fight, missed several classes, etc.). I wonder if there are some things that you and I could do to get this situation turned around. We know that _________is capable of much better (work, behavior, etc.) than we are seeing now, and wonder what ideas you might have to help get (him, her) back on track. “HINTS” #15: Are They Learning What We Are Teaching?Ask students to name something "important" they have learned at school this year.? If they name something, ask what makes it important. ?If they can't name something, ask them to describe something they would like to learn, so they could have a successful future. ?If students have difficulty with this, it tells us that our teaching?is not resulting in their learning, which is good information for us to have. “HINTS” #16: Describing Student SuccessAsk students to think about the times when they feel most successful in school.? What are they doing to make those times so special?? How can they create more of them?? What can we (teachers, administrators, staff) do to help create more of them? ?“HINTS” #17: Asking Students About SchoolWhat is your favorite subject?? What do you like about it?? What could we do to make sure that all students have favorite subjects? ?If your friend asked you to describe our school, what words would you use?? What would you tell them it is like to be a student here?What adults here at our school have been most helpful to you?? What have they done to help you? ?What could we do to make sure that all students are successful here at our school? ?There are several possible payoffs for these types of questions. ?Students will have to do some serious thinking about themselves and their progress in school. ?Adults will have to do some serious thinking about how students are experiencing school.We could get good ideas from students about improving their experiences at our school. ?“HINTS” #18: Student BehaviorSay this to classes that are misbehaving:There are many students whose behaviors are not preparing them for a successful future.?What could we do to change that, so more of our students will be successful adults?This has two purposes: ?1) ?To let them know we care about them and are concerned about their futures.2) To elicit their ideas for improving things, which gives them the opportunity to have a voice and contribute to improving their school.? Just raising the issue can have a positive effect on many students.?What kind of school could we create where students don't misbehave?? How would it differ from the one we have now?? MFIN's purpose is to help create that kind of school.?If a student exhibits undesirable or unhelpful behaviors, we can say softly, “Help me understand how fighting is helping to make your dream come true,” or, “I notice that you are having trouble completing your assignments. I also hear you say that your dream is to go to college and play (some sport). What can we do so the work you are doing here at our school will prepare you to be successful in college?” ................
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