Ops Insights #050 - 3 Teaching Techniques that Increase Engagement

September 30, 2024 | Read Time: 5 minutes | Written by Jenny Kleintop

This edition is for my Ops peeps who do teaching, training, and mentoring. From teaching how to use the data or database to teaching how to get the computer to work, we get asked many “tech” questions in our roles. For me, this is exciting as teaching is one of my favorite parts of my work. There's nothing like it to take someone from base level to more advanced to ah-ha light-bulb moments. When I see it finally click and their face lights up, it’s magical. Let’s dive into three teaching techniques to increase engagement.

Jenny with three bullets of text

ONE: You can’t teach the same way to everyone. I have two teenagers, one 14 and the other 16, and some things I can teach in the same style with the same messaging, like clean up your mess, eat your greens, say please and thank you. And many things I have to teach with different styles and different messages for the lessons to get through.

I see similarities when I teach and mentor adults on a database or tech platform. Not everyone learns the same way, so the same method will not work for everyone. You have to be willing to come prepared with three different ways to teach and adjust or flex based on how they are responding to your lessons.

From teaching over 1,200 nonprofit professionals, here are three ways I’ve learned to adapt:

  • Visual: The learner who understands better when they see graphics, charts, demos, and walk-throughs on how to do something. For this learner, I tend to do more demos and repeat my walk-throughs so they can take notes and digest what they saw before I pass the screen-share to them to try it.

  •  Written: The learner who understands if they can read documents and materials. The one who takes in new tasks by following a how-to SOP (standard operating procedure). For this learner, I like to send the written guide beforehand so they can read it before we get on a virtual call together to practice it. I’ll also make a point to show the written version on the screen more so we can talk through it before going into the walk-through and act of practicing.

  •  Audio: The learner who understands by listening. These tend to be the ones who talk about going for long walks before work while listening to podcasts. Right there tells me that I need to adjust my style to podcast mode. For this learner, I tend to talk a lot more while doing the walk-through and take time to explain the why behind each step we do together.

TWO: Lessons will not stick right away. Sometimes, it will be days or even months later when I’ll see the lesson come to light, and I think, wow, this teen was listening. I'll vary my approaches and messaging if it doesn’t stick the first time.

It’s similar to adults, especially as a non-technical person takes time to grasp the tech. It’s not as natural as it is to us, but this is okay. This is why we are so good at what we do and why they are so good at what they do. When we learn from each other, we all grow together and are better because of it. Practice repetitive teaching by being patient and willing to explain many times in different ways across varying lengths of time.

This is the method I use: Show → Observe → Let Go

  • Show: I’ll teach and show you how to do something. I’ll ask, “Does this make sense?”

  • Observe: I’ll ask you to try it while I watch and guide you. I’ll say, “You’ve got this!”

  • Let Go: I’ll ask you to do it again, but this time, I will patiently wait longer before helping, talk less, and let you figure it out. If you don’t get it, I’ll ask, “What would be your second guess?”

THREE: Stay in it and don’t give up. This is the biggest one for me. Teenagers have a way of challenging you in so many different steps. There are days when I want to give up and let go, but I don’t and I won’t. Remember that guiding hope from above?  Even though my teen may not openly admit it, I know she needs me to continue to be present, engaged, and all-in.

It is similar to adults who learn something for the first time or need to re-learn something. You may feel like they are resisting, and honestly you may get some who openly resist. I have, but I have never given up. 

Here are three things I’ve done that works:

  1. I’ve changed my approach. I learned to assess how they learn best, and I changed my teaching style to best suit how they learn best.

  2. I’ve changed the lesson. I learned what was important to them so I could show them how using the database would help them.

  3. I’ve changed the method. I learned to ask how they learn best - in larger groups, smaller groups, or 1:1 and I adjust to meet them where they learn best.

Parenting a teen is no easy road, but there are many moments in between the bumps that I treasure. The four of us went bowling on Saturday, which was the first time we’ve done that together. Watching me bowel was entertaining to say the least, but it was a memory we created together. The cherry on the top: No phones, just us, pizza, bowling, and conversations.

Take Action

Now it’s your turn. To become a better teacher and mentor, take the time to learn yourself and see how you can adjust or tweak your methods.

Here is where you can start:

➡ Figure out how various team members learn and adjust your teaching to include three different ways such as visual, written, and audio.

➡ Practice repetitive teaching by being patient and willing to explain many different times in many different ways across varying lengths of time. You can use this method: Show → Observe → Let Go

➡ Adjust your approach, lesson, and method to meet them where they are at.

You’ve got this!  

👋 See you next time,

Jenny


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Ops Insights #051 - 3 Things Donors Do Not Say

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Ops Insights #049 Get Uncomfortable to Stay Relevant