I’ve spent many years observing teachers.
And there is an odd phenomenon I’ve noticed among a large percentage.
When teaching what they believe to be difficult content, almost without fail, they’ll pause and let students know that it’s difficult.
“Listen up, because what comes next can be hard to understand.”
“This isn’t easy to learn, so I need your full attention.”
“You’re going to have to really concentrate to get this.”
They do this because they think that if they give a heads up, then their students will bear down and try harder to understand.
They’ll better focus on the instruction and grasp the material.
But it isn’t true.
In fact, highlighting difficult content does the opposite. When you tell students that something is hard, when you label it as hard, then it becomes hard.
It becomes exactly what you say it is.
The result is that a large portion of your class, perhaps even everyone to some degree, is going to struggle. And if you paint an entire topic or subject with a broad brush, then they may struggle for some time.
Sadly, students who are behind academically are the most affected. The second they hear you say that something is difficult, they check out. They think, “There’s no way I’m going to get this, so why bother?”
Furthermore, every time you place a seed of doubt in the minds of your students, you rattle their confidence. You cause them to question their ability to learn.
So what’s the solution?
Well, the most obvious solution is to simply stop doing it. Teach everything with the same detail, attention, and enthusiasm and refuse to question or doubt, even in your own mind, the ability of your students to understand it.
In this way, your words, tone, and body language will reflect your belief in them. Your students, in turn, will naturally assume that they can learn whatever it is you’re teaching.
They’ll assume that if they can understand one theory, problem, or concept, for example, then they can learn the next one and the one after that and the one after that.
Knowing that they can is half the battle.
But there is one more thing you can do that has a unique way of engendering strong academic confidence. It’s a strategy, or learning hack, that takes this idea a step further.
Just as calling something difficult makes it difficult, calling something doable makes it doable. In other words, if you pretend it’s easy, then it becomes easy.
“Check this out and you’ll get it, no problem.”
“You can do this, simple as can be.”
“Let me show you the easy way.”
Now, it’s important to point out that the strategy only works if your instruction is up to snuff. It must be clear, detailed, in precise steps (if applicable), and focused like a laser on one thing. In other words, it must indeed be doable.
If it isn’t, then you aren’t ready to teach it.
One of the secrets to great teaching, and galloping progress, is to guide your students from one success to the next, all day every day. The confidence this brings about in students, and the learning and improvement that develops, can be truly transformational.
Our job as teachers, if we’re to do it well, is to make what is complex, simple. Many teachers, and schools for that matter, mistake the mandate for more rigor to mean just the opposite.
More rigor doesn’t mean struggling to understand our instruction. It means that we should continually push the envelope on what our students can do (i.e. more, faster, and higher quality work).
Several years ago, a teacher approached me and asked, “So what is this Linsin method? My students keep telling me that they want to learn math using your method. What are you doing differently?”
“Nothing,” I answered. “I just tell them it’s easy.”
When you make your lessons clear and compelling, and communicate to your students that they really can do it, they’ll be blown away by what they accomplish. Their families will be blown away.
Everyone will be blown away but you, who knows your students are able to learn anything if they only follow your good instruction.
And believe that they can.
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One thing that I have always found helpful is, once students are working the first few problems, questions, strategies on their own, really highlight and let the room know when the first few students come up with the correct answer, follow the directions, etc. I also include that once one person in the room can do it, this proves that everyone can. From there, I try to build momentum as each new student grasps what he or she is scheduled to do. Wow, we’re up to 7 students on target, just a few more to go.
I use this strategy after first sharing the information that people continue to out-do themselves each year, but not until a first person breaks a specific barrier. (I think I read about this in an article by Malcolm Gladwell.) Until Roger Bannister broke the 4 minute mile, no one thought it could be done; however, once he broke the record, person after person continues to break each successive record. Hence, when one student grasps an idea, so will the next and the next, and there will be none in the room who can not. Just an idea I sometimes use.
Too right! Srrangely enough, I realized I do this the right way when working one-on-one with students who have learning difficulties, but tend to do it the wrong way with whole-group instruction.
Thanks for showing us how to adjust a bothersome point at the back of my mind this school year.
I always get something, whether a new technique or a dose of encouragement (or both!) out of reading your newsletters!
You’re welcome, Chris! Glad to hear it.
I love this sentence: “One of the secrets to great teaching, and galloping progress, is to guide your students from one success to the next, all day every day.”
It’s true! Most things really are easy once you have a strategy!
Thanks!
You’re welcome Penny!
I would respectfully disagree. My 2 sons in high school resent when teachers say “its easy!” because that immediately sets a tone that no one should be asking questions because everyone should “get it”. If students don’t think it’s easy then they are left feeling poorly about their ability to understand the concepts. My sons say that after teachers announce something like this, all questions stop… There needs to be a balance and encouragement for those kids that are not on a fast track. They need to know that its OK of they don’t understand it and that sometimes it just takes additional practice.
I agree-both with not saying it’s hard and not saying it’s easy.
Neither needs to be said. Teach the lesson and then allow for questions or one-on-one time when able.
So true! If students have trust in the teacher and that teacher says they can learn it, they will. It is amazing what we can or cannot do because of our belief system.. As Henry Ford said, “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right!”
Thanks for the quote, Jack!
Hello Michael,
Firstly, I love reading your articles. They are tremendously beneficial for all teachers.
However, on this occasion , I also would respectfully disagree with the idea that you should never say something is challenging or difficult. From a linguistics point of view, there are occasions when saying something is difficult or challenging is beneficial for learning. If the teacher has a great relationship with students and is very encouraging, saying something is difficult and then guiding kids through instruction can help develop the teaching and learning relationship. Wouldn’t kids feel more confident? Something that was more challenging before, but now with the right help and assistance, I can get it . Of course, there are times you wouldn’t want to use the strategy, but it shouldn’t be completely abandoned .
Thanks Matthew! I’m so glad you’re a regular reader. On the surface, what you’re saying would seem to make sense. It sounds and feels right, which is how it’s become the dominant strategy in most classrooms (particularly those that struggle). But it doesn’t work that way. In fact, highlighting difficulties is one of many causes of problems related to attentiveness, comprehension, and independence. I think you should try the strategy above for a few weeks and see what happens. 🙂
It’s important to also mention that there is more to this strategy, including how it affects the teacher and their own confidence and ability to teach effective, compelling lessons. I’ll be sure to cover this topic as well as when it’s best to use the strategy and how often and the rare times when you may indeed say something is challenging in a future article.
Hi! I’m a high school teacher (U.S. history) who teaches mostly “gen ed” kids — many of whom really struggle with literacy and comprehension. My 11th grade course has a massive, high stakes EOC (end of course) exam about a month before the school year actually ends — and this test (which is never released, so we teachers never get to see the actual questions) is worth a whopping 30% of our students’ class grade. That is a whole other issue, though.
I wanted to chime in and say that there ARE times when I find it truly appropriate to let my students know that some questions and certain topics may be challenging. I have found that the way I phrase this is important, and that my openness about this (I share my own struggles with these concepts and do modeling and think-alouds for them) actually encourages many of my kiddos to ask questions. After 15 years of teaching this particular subject, I know that there are two or three concepts that are a little more challenging than most of what we study. I would add that whether I let students know that this concept may be challenging totally depends on the “temperature” of the classes I teach — I never do it automatically, and only when I feel that my students will benefit from knowing that this is a topic I myself had to work to understand.
I work really, really hard at creating a classroom atmosphere that encourages questioning and even failure at times — I try to show my students that we all often learn best from our mistakes — and I freely share mine. That helps pave the way for some of my more challenged learners to broach their own questions.
That said, I would add that 90% of the time I teach with the clear attitude that what I’m teaching is understandable, important, accessible, and exciting.
Thanks for sharing your insight, Rachel!
Hi, your articles are so informative and giving solutions to so many serious problem in the classroom. I always try to incorporate your suggestions and ideas in my classroom routine and they do bring great results.
The article ‘You have lost control of your class’ has really helped me a lot. I have started a dispersal prayer and it perfectly brings my class under control.
I would request you to please share some ideas to best utilize the first period of the day( zero period/ tutor period etc.) so the day goes smooth and we are able to get the result we expect for the day.
Will do, Deepika.
I was helping a colleague administer a test. By mistake he had handed out a higher level test. But the students proceeded to answer the reading comprehension questions using the techniques of skimming and scanning. Had they known it was a higher level test none of them would have started. They used a dictionary and were making headway. These struggling students needed a bit of self confidence. National test next month. I tutor some of them. Self esteem big part of future success.
I love this idea!! I am a big believer in growth mindset, so if I share that a concept is easy, I always make sure to discuss how they can grow their brain and challenge themselves. Because I’m so cautious of labeling things as hard or easy, I like to add an extra step to your Linsin method!!
I especially do this in math, because it’s not really usually applicable in literacy. I say that something is easy, but that some people make the silliest little mistake. That I am so glad they won’t make it since they will know better. My kids get so excited when they think they are about to be let in on these little secrets. I also share that they will be able to help so many other students the same age who might make that common mistake. I say this about the things kids commonly get wrong at first–confusing a numerator and denominator, forgetting to regroup, etc. Just bringing their attention to a common mistake and why it doesn’t make sense tends to help build their number sense. But I definitely find that I have to say it’s going to be something they can accomplish.
I get why people are afraid of saying “easy,” but the point you’re making is that kids need to believe they can achieve the task at hand. That’s not unreasonable, and it is backed by research too!
Thanks for all the great posts! 🙂