if I asked you to go out right now and run a six hour marathon how many of you
run a six hour marathon how many of you
run a six hour marathon how many of you would do it okay we have a few crazy
would do it okay we have a few crazy
would do it okay we have a few crazy people in the crowd but most of you
people in the crowd but most of you
people in the crowd but most of you probably wouldn’t this is exactly what
probably wouldn’t this is exactly what
probably wouldn’t this is exactly what happens in our classrooms every time we
happens in our classrooms every time we
happens in our classrooms every time we ask students to be active and
ask students to be active and
ask students to be active and participate because in the mind of a 12
participate because in the mind of a 12
participate because in the mind of a 12 year old a full day of school is like
year old a full day of school is like
year old a full day of school is like running a six-hour marathon so if we
running a six-hour marathon so if we
running a six-hour marathon so if we want students to be actively engaged
want students to be actively engaged
want students to be actively engaged instead of telling them to go run the
instead of telling them to go run the
instead of telling them to go run the marathon we need to try and nudge them
marathon we need to try and nudge them
marathon we need to try and nudge them to run ten more feet so this man is
to run ten more feet so this man is
to run ten more feet so this man is Richard Thaler he’s been in the news
Richard Thaler he’s been in the news
Richard Thaler he’s been in the news recently he won the Nobel Peace Prize in
recently he won the Nobel Peace Prize in
recently he won the Nobel Peace Prize in Economics this month
Economics this month
Economics this month for a theory he calls nudging Thaler
for a theory he calls nudging Thaler
for a theory he calls nudging Thaler says that nudging is not a requirement
says that nudging is not a requirement
says that nudging is not a requirement and never results in a penalty instead
and never results in a penalty instead
and never results in a penalty instead he says nudging is simply learning how
he says nudging is simply learning how
he says nudging is simply learning how people think so that we can make it
people think so that we can make it
people think so that we can make it easier for them to make certain
easier for them to make certain
easier for them to make certain decisions a perfect example of this
decisions a perfect example of this
decisions a perfect example of this theory can be found in the men’s
theory can be found in the men’s
theory can be found in the men’s bathrooms at an airport in Amsterdam
bathrooms at an airport in Amsterdam
bathrooms at an airport in Amsterdam sanitation staff at this airport were
sanitation staff at this airport were
sanitation staff at this airport were running into a bit of a problem
running into a bit of a problem
running into a bit of a problem specifically with spillage around men’s
specifically with spillage around men’s
specifically with spillage around men’s urinals
urinals
urinals this caused cleaning costs to rise
this caused cleaning costs to rise
this caused cleaning costs to rise dramatically over the course of a year
dramatically over the course of a year
dramatically over the course of a year so the sanitation staff thought
so the sanitation staff thought
so the sanitation staff thought and they came up with a brilliant idea
and they came up with a brilliant idea
and they came up with a brilliant idea they decided to edge a small black fly
they decided to edge a small black fly
they decided to edge a small black fly into the bottom corner of every urinal
into the bottom corner of every urinal
into the bottom corner of every urinal the results were dramatic this
the results were dramatic this
the results were dramatic this immediately improved men’s aim and
immediately improved men’s aim and
immediately improved men’s aim and cleaning bills dropped dramatically over
cleaning bills dropped dramatically over
cleaning bills dropped dramatically over the course of a year this is a nudge so
the course of a year this is a nudge so
the course of a year this is a nudge so if we can apply this theory to schools
if we can apply this theory to schools
if we can apply this theory to schools in Ukraine then we can improve teachers
in Ukraine then we can improve teachers
in Ukraine then we can improve teachers aim and as a result increase student
aim and as a result increase student
aim and as a result increase student achievement I’ve had the opportunity to
achievement I’ve had the opportunity to
achievement I’ve had the opportunity to practice this theory in Ukraine while
practice this theory in Ukraine while
practice this theory in Ukraine while teaching here over the past two years
teaching here over the past two years
teaching here over the past two years and I’ve developed a very simple formula
and I’ve developed a very simple formula
and I’ve developed a very simple formula that we can use as teachers basically it
that we can use as teachers basically it
that we can use as teachers basically it focuses on two pieces first we need
focuses on two pieces first we need
focuses on two pieces first we need students to buy in to our tasks and once
students to buy in to our tasks and once
students to buy in to our tasks and once we have them there we need to keep them
we have them there we need to keep them
we have them there we need to keep them there we need to keep them interested
there we need to keep them interested
there we need to keep them interested in order to do these two things we need
in order to do these two things we need
in order to do these two things we need to first offer students a reward for me
to first offer students a reward for me
to first offer students a reward for me my rewards are always involving food
my rewards are always involving food
my rewards are always involving food because students love to eat and they’re
because students love to eat and they’re
because students love to eat and they’re always hungry it’s very easy second we
always hungry it’s very easy second we
always hungry it’s very easy second we need to consistently reinforce student
need to consistently reinforce student
need to consistently reinforce student participation in whatever we’re asking
participation in whatever we’re asking
participation in whatever we’re asking them to participate in so very simply
them to participate in so very simply
them to participate in so very simply every time students participate we need
every time students participate we need
every time students participate we need to follow that up with something like
to follow that up with something like
to follow that up with something like verbal praise for example good job or
verbal praise for example good job or
verbal praise for example good job or mullah debts and finally we need to
mullah debts and finally we need to
mullah debts and finally we need to energize students throughout this
energize students throughout this
energize students throughout this process at this step teachers really
process at this step teachers really
process at this step teachers really need to take a step back
need to take a step back
need to take a step back and we need to rely on our student
and we need to rely on our student
and we need to rely on our student leaders who are already in the classroom
leaders who are already in the classroom
leaders who are already in the classroom to motivate their students and keep them
to motivate their students and keep them
to motivate their students and keep them engaged throughout the process now as I
engaged throughout the process now as I
engaged throughout the process now as I said I’ve had the opportunity to use
said I’ve had the opportunity to use
said I’ve had the opportunity to use this theory in the classroom what I’ve
this theory in the classroom what I’ve
this theory in the classroom what I’ve noticed though in Ukrainian education is
noticed though in Ukrainian education is
noticed though in Ukrainian education is that more often than not the approach is
that more often than not the approach is
that more often than not the approach is more of a Soviet shove than a gentle
more of a Soviet shove than a gentle
more of a Soviet shove than a gentle nudge I think teachers have a natural
nudge I think teachers have a natural
nudge I think teachers have a natural tendency not just in Ukraine but
tendency not just in Ukraine but
tendency not just in Ukraine but everywhere to be very strict with their
everywhere to be very strict with their
everywhere to be very strict with their students but this only results in one
students but this only results in one
students but this only results in one thing it pushes students farther away if
thing it pushes students farther away if
thing it pushes students farther away if we want to engage students we need to
we want to engage students we need to
we want to engage students we need to try and nudge them instead of shoved
try and nudge them instead of shoved
try and nudge them instead of shoved them so over the course of a year just
them so over the course of a year just
them so over the course of a year just this past month I changed my thinking
this past month I changed my thinking
this past month I changed my thinking about how I would get students to
about how I would get students to
about how I would get students to participate I decided that instead of
participate I decided that instead of
participate I decided that instead of forcing students to practice English I
forcing students to practice English I
forcing students to practice English I would invite them themselves to decide
would invite them themselves to decide
would invite them themselves to decide when and how they would do it I was
when and how they would do it I was
when and how they would do it I was walking into class each day and the
walking into class each day and the
walking into class each day and the night before I would give an assignment
night before I would give an assignment
night before I would give an assignment or ask them to study for a quiz the
or ask them to study for a quiz the
or ask them to study for a quiz the following day and I would walk in I
following day and I would walk in I
following day and I would walk in I would see my students and I would notice
would see my students and I would notice
would see my students and I would notice they either didn’t do the assignment or
they either didn’t do the assignment or
they either didn’t do the assignment or they didn’t study for the test and many
they didn’t study for the test and many
they didn’t study for the test and many of them failed I would walk out of those
of them failed I would walk out of those
of them failed I would walk out of those classes thinking why are my students so
classes thinking why are my students so
classes thinking why are my students so lazy and why do they refuse to practice
lazy and why do they refuse to practice
lazy and why do they refuse to practice at home again though I had to change my
at home again though I had to change my
at home again though I had to change my thinking and so I developed this little
thinking and so I developed this little
thinking and so I developed this little board that you can see on the projector
board that you can see on the projector
board that you can see on the projector the
the
the was simple without any introduction to
was simple without any introduction to
was simple without any introduction to my students I posted this bulletin board
my students I posted this bulletin board
my students I posted this bulletin board in the hallway the task was that each
in the hallway the task was that each
in the hallway the task was that each day I would post a verb to the board and
day I would post a verb to the board and
day I would post a verb to the board and I would ask students to write sentences
I would ask students to write sentences
I would ask students to write sentences using the verb that was posted they
using the verb that was posted they
using the verb that was posted they would then have to submit their
would then have to submit their
would then have to submit their sentences to their assigned class folder
sentences to their assigned class folder
sentences to their assigned class folder the teams were split up by classes and
the teams were split up by classes and
the teams were split up by classes and as Ukrainian teachers we know that a
as Ukrainian teachers we know that a
as Ukrainian teachers we know that a class is like a small family students
class is like a small family students
class is like a small family students take a lot of pride in their class this
take a lot of pride in their class this
take a lot of pride in their class this was going to be the crux of my student
was going to be the crux of my student
was going to be the crux of my student motivation the competition would last
motivation the competition would last
motivation the competition would last for five days and at the end of those
for five days and at the end of those
for five days and at the end of those five days the winning team would receive
five days the winning team would receive
five days the winning team would receive a pizza party so day one rolled around I
a pizza party so day one rolled around I
a pizza party so day one rolled around I became a little discouraged at the end
became a little discouraged at the end
became a little discouraged at the end of day one because as you can see from
of day one because as you can see from
of day one because as you can see from the graph there wasn’t a lot of
the graph there wasn’t a lot of
the graph there wasn’t a lot of participation most classes had written
participation most classes had written
participation most classes had written ten to twenty sentences that’s an
ten to twenty sentences that’s an
ten to twenty sentences that’s an average of half or one sentence per
average of half or one sentence per
average of half or one sentence per student I walked home that day thinking
student I walked home that day thinking
student I walked home that day thinking okay this nudge isn’t working I’m going
okay this nudge isn’t working I’m going
okay this nudge isn’t working I’m going to have to try something else
to have to try something else
to have to try something else but I persisted and I went on to day two
but I persisted and I went on to day two
but I persisted and I went on to day two when I tallied up the results at the end
when I tallied up the results at the end
when I tallied up the results at the end of day two
of day two
of day two I was shockingly happy and pleasantly
I was shockingly happy and pleasantly
I was shockingly happy and pleasantly surprised and as you can see in day two
surprised and as you can see in day two
surprised and as you can see in day two student participation rose dramatically
student participation rose dramatically
student participation rose dramatically most classes had submitted 50 sentences
most classes had submitted 50 sentences
most classes had submitted 50 sentences in a single day and one class had even
in a single day and one class had even
in a single day and one class had even exceeded 200 by day three students were
exceeded 200 by day three students were
exceeded 200 by day three students were swarming the board trying to see the
swarming the board trying to see the
swarming the board trying to see the results of their classes at this point
results of their classes at this point
results of their classes at this point many classes had exceeded 200 some had
many classes had exceeded 200 some had
many classes had exceeded 200 some had exceeded three
exceeded three
exceeded three except for one class and you can see him
except for one class and you can see him
except for one class and you can see him 7a had only submitted a mere 35
7a had only submitted a mere 35
7a had only submitted a mere 35 sentences
sentences
sentences this was my senior class and they simply
this was my senior class and they simply
this was my senior class and they simply said mr. gable were not interested this
said mr. gable were not interested this
said mr. gable were not interested this isn’t important to us we don’t care so I
isn’t important to us we don’t care so I
isn’t important to us we don’t care so I thought to myself how can they be
thought to myself how can they be
thought to myself how can they be motivated with this nudge without me
motivated with this nudge without me
motivated with this nudge without me directly telling them that they had to
directly telling them that they had to
directly telling them that they had to write sentences well I didn’t have to do
write sentences well I didn’t have to do
write sentences well I didn’t have to do anything later that day I arrived in 7a
anything later that day I arrived in 7a
anything later that day I arrived in 7a and I suddenly became surrounded by
and I suddenly became surrounded by
and I suddenly became surrounded by students they told me that a friendly
students they told me that a friendly
students they told me that a friendly bet had been placed between 6a and 7a 6a
bet had been placed between 6a and 7a 6a
bet had been placed between 6a and 7a 6a was leading the school having written
was leading the school having written
was leading the school having written the most sentences and they were very
the most sentences and they were very
the most sentences and they were very confident that they were going to win
confident that they were going to win
confident that they were going to win this pure motivation is what drove 7a
this pure motivation is what drove 7a
this pure motivation is what drove 7a and they came up to me and said mr.
and they came up to me and said mr.
and they came up to me and said mr. gable we need to beat 6a how many
gable we need to beat 6a how many
gable we need to beat 6a how many sentences do we need to write in order
sentences do we need to write in order
sentences do we need to write in order to win I said look you’re very far
to win I said look you’re very far
to win I said look you’re very far behind you probably need to write at
behind you probably need to write at
behind you probably need to write at least a thousand sentences in a single
least a thousand sentences in a single
least a thousand sentences in a single night in order to beat 6a and I was
night in order to beat 6a and I was
night in order to beat 6a and I was thinking that this was going to make
thinking that this was going to make
thinking that this was going to make them quit but instead they immediately
them quit but instead they immediately
them quit but instead they immediately started cutting up new slips of paper
started cutting up new slips of paper
started cutting up new slips of paper and they started writing frantically
and they started writing frantically
and they started writing frantically they had less than 24 hours to make more
they had less than 24 hours to make more
they had less than 24 hours to make more than a thousand sentences well I walked
than a thousand sentences well I walked
than a thousand sentences well I walked home that evening thinking it will be
home that evening thinking it will be
home that evening thinking it will be impossible for 7a to write these
impossible for 7a to write these
impossible for 7a to write these sentences but when I arrived to school
sentences but when I arrived to school
sentences but when I arrived to school the next morning I was pleasantly
the next morning I was pleasantly
the next morning I was pleasantly surprised with a trash bag filled to the
surprised with a trash bag filled to the
surprised with a trash bag filled to the brim with their sentences this trash bag
brim with their sentences this trash bag
brim with their sentences this trash bag has more than a thousand sentences
has more than a thousand sentences
has more than a thousand sentences actually specifically it has 1,200
actually specifically it has 1,200
actually specifically it has 1,200 sentences written by 22 students you do
sentences written by 22 students you do
sentences written by 22 students you do the math because I’m not a math teacher
the math because I’m not a math teacher
the math because I’m not a math teacher so I looked at these sentences and my
so I looked at these sentences and my
so I looked at these sentences and my first thought was now I have to count
first thought was now I have to count
first thought was now I have to count these so the results of the competition
these so the results of the competition
these so the results of the competition were delayed because I spent the next
were delayed because I spent the next
were delayed because I spent the next few nights hand counting each of these
few nights hand counting each of these
few nights hand counting each of these sentences to make sure that they weren’t
sentences to make sure that they weren’t
sentences to make sure that they weren’t writing the same sentence over and over
writing the same sentence over and over
writing the same sentence over and over and they didn’t they wrote all original
and they didn’t they wrote all original
and they didn’t they wrote all original sentences 1200 times so the day finally
sentences 1200 times so the day finally
sentences 1200 times so the day finally came when I would announce the results
came when I would announce the results
came when I would announce the results of the competition
of the competition
of the competition I called 6a and 7a into the main hallway
I called 6a and 7a into the main hallway
I called 6a and 7a into the main hallway they gathered a large group of roughly
they gathered a large group of roughly
they gathered a large group of roughly 40 students and they waited eagerly to
40 students and they waited eagerly to
40 students and they waited eagerly to hear who would win and 6a had written
hear who would win and 6a had written
hear who would win and 6a had written 800 sentences in a single night while 7a
800 sentences in a single night while 7a
800 sentences in a single night while 7a had written 1200 sentences but remember
had written 1200 sentences but remember
had written 1200 sentences but remember this was a five-day competition so 6a
this was a five-day competition so 6a
this was a five-day competition so 6a had 1300 sentences while 7a had 1235 6a
had 1300 sentences while 7a had 1235 6a
had 1300 sentences while 7a had 1235 6a was cheering they were excited they were
was cheering they were excited they were
was cheering they were excited they were giving each other high-fives they knew
giving each other high-fives they knew
giving each other high-fives they knew that they were the winners 7a walked out
that they were the winners 7a walked out
that they were the winners 7a walked out of the hall feeling quite disappointed
of the hall feeling quite disappointed
of the hall feeling quite disappointed and sad although I felt bad for 7a I
and sad although I felt bad for 7a I
and sad although I felt bad for 7a I also felt really happy that they had
also felt really happy that they had
also felt really happy that they had discovered meaning in practicing English
discovered meaning in practicing English
discovered meaning in practicing English without me telling them that they had to
without me telling them that they had to
without me telling them that they had to they had come up with this motivation
they had come up with this motivation
they had come up with this motivation purely from a simple nudge in the school
purely from a simple nudge in the school
purely from a simple nudge in the school hallway over the course of five days
hallway over the course of five days
hallway over the course of five days students from nine classes wrote over
students from nine classes wrote over
students from nine classes wrote over 5,000 sentences
the excitement that week from students
the excitement that week from students needless to say was addictive and
needless to say was addictive and
needless to say was addictive and palpable
palpable
palpable I was nudged to go to school early every
I was nudged to go to school early every
I was nudged to go to school early every morning to post the new verb and count
morning to post the new verb and count
morning to post the new verb and count the sentences my students were nudged to
the sentences my students were nudged to
the sentences my students were nudged to practice English outside the classroom
practice English outside the classroom
practice English outside the classroom in their free time willingly I think as
in their free time willingly I think as
in their free time willingly I think as teachers the more time we spend on the
teachers the more time we spend on the
teachers the more time we spend on the other side of the desk the easier it
other side of the desk the easier it
other side of the desk the easier it becomes for us to forget what students
becomes for us to forget what students
becomes for us to forget what students feel and think about the tasks we asked
feel and think about the tasks we asked
feel and think about the tasks we asked them to do students aren’t necessarily
them to do students aren’t necessarily
them to do students aren’t necessarily lazy as much as they are overwhelmed by
lazy as much as they are overwhelmed by
lazy as much as they are overwhelmed by boredom so in the future when we design
boredom so in the future when we design
boredom so in the future when we design tasks that require student participation
tasks that require student participation
tasks that require student participation we need to remember to etch a fly into
we need to remember to etch a fly into
we need to remember to etch a fly into everyone it’ll improve our aim and their
everyone it’ll improve our aim and their
everyone it’ll improve our aim and their success we are teachers we can do this
success we are teachers we can do this
success we are teachers we can do this thank you
”
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