Renewal, Post Spring Break

The month of April, and the celebrations of Ramadan, Passover, and Easter, bring energy and thoughts of renewal. However, post-spring break, the word "renewal" may not be foremost in students' minds. Instead, many are focused more on barreling through or crawling to the end of the term. The energy of "just gotta get through to the end" signals more of a performance focus than a learning focus -- and when students are struggling to pull grades up in April, that performance focus may not get them where they want to go. 

If we encourage students to think more metacognitively in this moment -- for example, to identify and analyze the how, what, when, where, who, and why of their study actions -- they will be more likely to see the possibility of change in their learning before the term winds up (more here from Learnwell on metacognition and why it matters).

Use powerful questions to shift student focus from the grades they've received so far to the learning they have acquired (or not), the actions (or non-actions) that have led them to this point, and possible changes:

• Think about the exam/assignment that is most important for you to do well on right now. What was the result on the last exam/assignment? What actions did you take to prepare, and how did they work? What can you do differently this time to increase your learning and performance?

• Finish this sentence: "In March I should have..." How might the action you didn't take in March be possible in April?

• What vision of satisfaction do you see for yourself at the end of the semester because you kept focused on what is needed to persist right now?

• What aspect of your studying -- time spent, location, strategies, or something else -- do you think is having the most negative effect for you? What change are you willing to make this month to turn that around, cultivating habits of lasting success?

Find your own renewal with a three-day LifeBound course in Inclusive Coaching taking place on Zoom over three Fridays -- April 14, 21, and 28 -- and empower your students to finish the spring semester strong!