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Motivating Adults to Learn

In her Exchange article, "Motivating Adults to Learn," (January, 2002), Karen Miller offers these strategies for motivating teachers of infants and toddlers...

*  Locate quality conferences in your area that have an infant track and request that the staff attend. Hearing what other centers are doing, especially if it is innovative, usually motivates staff. They develop a sense of collegiality and realize they are not the only ones asked to practice in a certain way. They can gain insights and conviction.

*  It's great if you can close your program and send the entire staff to conferences. This is one way of supporting them with time and money and shows you value them. Plus, the break from their ordinary routine can give people new energy.

*  Put one staff person in charge of keeping track of in-service training. Peggy Yackel does this for her program and is forever bringing in announcements of classes, conferences, and reading -- urging others to take advantage of them.

*  Ask staff for input as to what kind of training they'd like brought in to the center.

*  Arrange a visit to another center, perhaps where people could see others using a new method or implementing interesting ideas.

*  Provide staff with the newest books on infant and toddler care.

*  Identify one or two staff who may be the least resistant and ask them to do a little research/reading on the issue. They will help the others to understand what you are trying to do.

* Build on what is known and commonly done by the group and use long-time teachers as class mentors. Ask people to share ideas and questions in writing on group charts. This helps people feel valued and heard.

*  Hold a team building workshop at your center. It is a good way to ensure that new people on staff feel supported and included.

*  Appeal to staff self-interest. Show them how the new practice will make their jobs easier or more effective.

Karen's complete article is available on the Exchange Articles on CD collection, "Staff Training."  For the next three days all 8 Exchange Articles on CD collections will be on sale at: http://mail.ccie.com/go/eed/0372

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