The Impact of Investing in Student Interests

"Alright, what update do you have for me today on TS?" I ask as my 5th-grade student transitions into H&H for her session. Her face shifts from one of apprehension and uncertainty to one of assurance. We spend the next 5 minutes talking everything Taylor Swift. How does this have anything to do with building her reading fluency, task initiation, or writing skills? It doesn’t. So why would I spend the first few minutes of every session talking about her all-time favorite pop star, who, truthfully, I know nothing about nor really care about? Because it matters to her. And making sure she knows that her interests matter impacts the rest of our session together.

Supporting students’ interests is a priority for us at H&H Learning. Here’s why. Before I started each session intentionally focused on learning about my student’s current obsession, I was met with resistance, pushback, and an overall unwillingness to engage. I felt defeated, and so did she. I had two options: blame her for her lack of participation or get curious.

So, I became curious and began to wonder what was impacting her ability to engage. Recognizing that she had spent the day following rules set by adults allowed me to understand her need for autonomy. By the time she arrived at our session, she was desperate to regain ownership over her day. Positioning her in the driver's seat as soon as she enters H&H provides her with the sense of autonomy and independence she craves. 

The next question I needed to answer was how. How could this need be fulfilled during an educational remediation session? The answer lay in utilizing her interests. Allowing her to select the topic and steer the conversation empowered her with control before she was tasked with engaging in work that likely didn’t feel nearly as exciting as discussing Taylor Swift's latest album. Incorporating her interests has not only facilitated engagement but also transformed the learning experience into a dynamic and personalized journey tailored to her passions.

Here’s what’s happened since I got curious: we are having fun together again. She is willing to take more risks, she asks for help when she doesn’t know how to spell a word. She makes mistakes and is unfazed by them. She maintains her engagement when completing non-preferred tasks, but most importantly, she is leaving the session with a sense of confidence in her capabilities. The benefits of utilizing students’ interests in the work we do are immeasurable. So - the next time you are feeling defeated or stuck - get curious about your students’ interests; it may just be the key to unlocking the door to connection and learning!