Teacher Resources
Introducing ExploraVision | Motivating Your Team | ExploraVision Ambassador Program
Classroom tips: Elementary | Middle and Junior High | High School
Motivating Your Team
One of the crucial roles of the coach is to provide motivation at the appropriate times. Whether you're offering constructive criticism or cheering them on, you have an important role in keeping your team on track and enthusiastic. So remember:
Do:
- Help the team determine a schedule and timeline and monitor its progress. Older students will need less support here, but younger students will need you to oversee them.
- Give students feedback, but allow them to work independently. The teams will need you to be available to listen to their ideas and to help resolve any discouraging problems. Respect what they do so that they retain their sense of ownership of the project.
- Make them famous. Praise the team publicly. If possible, set up a bulletin board of past and present entries or put them on your school's Web site. After all, ExploraVision requires real effort and commitment. Your students deserve recognition!
- Provide them a little freedom from other school and homework, if possible. Most teachers provide some in-class time to work on ExploraVision entries. This work can take the place of regularly designated classwork.
- Encourage, encourage, encourage!
Don't:
- Forget that ideas (and egos) are fragile. Keep your students upbeat by offering criticisms in a constructive way, tempered with praise, and never ever laugh at ideas.
- Ignore the obvious. Winning ExploraVision entries are not always glitzy. When looking for project ideas, have your team members look carefully at the tools and technologies they use every day. Have them think about tasks they do every day — are there ways to do them better?