We have so many interventions that sometimes even some of
our favorite devices can be forgotten. These techniques used
to be regulary included in our popular Breakthrough
Strategies to Teach and Counsel Troubled Youth Workshops
but not so often now,though perhaps they should be.
So, here are some old but golden strategies that should be used not forgotten.
If you love these solutions, and want more, our web site has information on our workshops and books plus hundreds more attention-grabbing, ready-to-use interventions to turnaround troubled youth and children. You can find our site at http://www.youthchg.com/live.html.
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** FOR YOUTH WHO DISRUPT THE CLASS OR GROUP
To teach hand-raising, wave your arms all around and name
that "windshield wiper arms" or "helicopter arms." To show
students correct hand-raising technique, hold your arm in
the air and still and call it "flagpole arm." Using these images
may work better than conventional approaches.
** FOR YOUTH WHO CAN'T IMAGINE EVER CHANGING
Have the youth create before and after ads, similar to weight
loss commercials. You can even photocopy weight loss ads from
magazines and let students insert their own pictures or art work
that portrays their own personal before and after. This device
is especially good with withdrawn children who dislike talking.
** FOR YOUTH WITH LOW SELF-ESTEEM
Have the kids create a magazine about what they do well over
the next month. The magazine can feature a picture of the
student on the cover and highlight successes that the student
has. Name the magazine "Esteem Magazine," with a motto of
"for students who know that Esteem is more than hot air."
The magazine may also contain articles on self-worth and lists
such as "The Top 10 Things People Like About Me."
** FOR YOUTH WHO THINK SCHOOL IS A WASTE
Here are the very latest numbers that show once more
that education pays and pays and pays! These new numbers
make an old intervention even more profound and even more
powerful! Use play money to illustrate or put this information
in a chart on your board, or do both. Follow up by having
students experience how much money is worth by visiting a
store, car dealership or reviewing housing classified ads.
As of January, 2000, drop-outs can expect to earn just
over ,000, based on 1998 dollars. High school grads
earn nearly ,000 and college grads almost ,000.
Ask your kids to pick their salary for the new millennium.
** FOR ABSENT YOUTH
For kids who are frequently absent, bring in a lot
of legos or lincoln logs. Ask the students to copy a
model you create out of the legos. The students
will easily do it and discuss that with the class.
Next, begin to make a second model but this
time, part way through the building process,
ask some of the students to leave the room, then
hide several legos inside the model. Recall the
students and ask them to compare their model
to yours. Assist the class to notice the poorer
quality that resulted from the absences then discuss
if being absent matters.
** FOR YOUTH FACING PEER PRESSURE
Peer pressure to use drugs and alcohol is nonstop but
here is a quick device to chip away at the power of the
pressure. Divide your students into two groups. Give
one group bags of M&Ms and give the other group
bags of litter. Allow the students to mingle. The
students with the litter will try to get others to
take their bags while the students with the candy will
want to keep their bags and will not force others to
take the M&Ms. Relate this phenomena to peer pressure
to use substances by discussing that people seldom
need to pressure people to do good things, only bad.
Get much more information on this topic at http://www.youthchg.com
Author Ruth Herman Wells MS is the director of Youth Change, (http://www.youthchg.com) Sign up for her free Problem-Kid Problem-Solver magazine at the site and see hundreds more of her innovative methods. Ruth is the author of dozens of books and provides workshops and training throughout North America.