Learn How to Build Self-Driven Students with Ned Johnson

For an upcoming virtual event, one of our clients asked me for advice on how to encourage her remote learning students to show up while at home. It has been a struggle these last few weeks as more and more students fail to engage in the remote learning experience.

We banged around the typical ideas…

Giving extra credit. Offering a social activity that was COVID friendly. But as we talked, I was feeling a little internal pushback to these ideas.

Don’t we want to build self-driven students?

Don’t we want students to show up because they are excited to learn?

Don’t we want to create an experience that benefits their needs in the greatest way possible?

Building self-driven students isn’t easy, but it is necessary during these growing years. That is exactly why I sat down with the authors of the successful book, The Self-Driven Child, to discuss strategies that we can use as educators, counselors, and parents to develop children that are determined to succeed.

In Part 1 of this series, I interviewed Ned Johnson about the concept of the self-driven child and why he thinks it is so valuable for today’s students.

CLICK BELOW if you want to watch it or CLICK HERE for the podcast version.

And if you are wondering what the final suggestion was that I gave to our client…

Well, based on the interview with Ned, I simply said, “Why don’t you give your students a choice? Offer them a virtual study hall and no extra credit or a choice to attend the TEEN TRUTH event and receive extra credit.” I figured, at least that way her students have some ownership and agency in their educational experience, and (if nothing else) get a glimpse of what it feels like to be self-driven.

Stay tuned as Part 2 and Part 3 of our interview series with Dr. Strixrud will be posted next week. Don’t miss the value bombs that both of these gentlemen drop on us!