Power of Growth Mindset

By Rebecca Ferdinand, Associate at CoachBright

When I was in Year 10, my maths teacher seemed to equate my value with my weekly test scores. Students were seated around the room test score order. I noticed that if I didn’t do so well on a test, I’d be less likely to be called on to answer a question. Our teacher implicitly let me know that, for her, test scores reflected my intelligence and merit as a student. In any given week, students with low test scores felt demotivated and students with high tests scores lived in fear that they would fail next week.

Unfortunately, my maths class did nothing to create an atmosphere that fostered a love of learning and challenge. Carol Dweck, an American psychologist, and her colleagues at Stanford University might say that our class encouraged an unhelpful fixed mindset in us. In a fixed mindset, people believe that qualities such as intelligence and talent are fixed and permanent. Time is spent measuring abilities such as maths competency instead of trying to develop them. After all, why make an effort to get better at maths if your perceived ability is set in stone?

At CoachBright our programme is designed to instil a growth mindset in students. With this outlook, students believe that all of their abilities can be developed through determination and hard work—talent and natural ability is merely the starting point. After hitting a setback in his exam results our Year 12 coachee Timothy from ARK Globe Academy said, “It’s a stepping stone to a better future next year. I’ve just got to keep my head up and keep working’. Unlike the students in my old maths class, our coachees understand that intelligence can be developed and focus on strategies for improvement instead of worrying about how smart they are.

Evidence tell us that holding this mindset can help improve motivation and achievement in learning. In 2007, psychologists followed hundreds of students making the transition from primary to secondary school. They found that students who held a growth mindset were more motivated to learn and face challenges, and outperformed those with a fixed mindset in maths. This gap in achievement continued over two years, with growth mindset students displaying an upward trajectory in grades compared to a flatter trajectory for fixed mindset students. (Blackwell et al., 2007). All the students followed had entered the new school with similar past achievement. It seems that whether their mindset was focused on measuring their basic abilities or working hard to face learning challenges had a significant effect on their maths grades during this challenging time.

So how can we instil a growth mindset in our students?

Firstly, it’s important to make it clear to students that their performance on tests only reflects their current efforts, not their intelligence or value. When students do well, teachers and coaches should avoid praising students for high grades, as my old maths teacher did. Instead, praise should be given for efforts or strategies. With this in mind, if students are ever unhappy with their performance, there is always constructive action to take: work harder, find more learning opportunities, ask a teacher or coach and so on.

Teachers and coaches can also help students value learning for learning’s sake. Students can become preoccupied with proving their values through grades. Allow students to embrace their mistakes, enjoy putting in effort, and keep on learning regardless. Grades are important, but learning is most important.

To hear more from Carol Dweck, view her TED talk here.

Why Academic Performance Coaching?

By Robin Chu, founder of CoachBright.

The most common question I get asked when visiting teachers, senior leadership teams and university staff is ‘Why academic performance coaching?’ ‘How will it help our pupils?’ Often, the term itself gets muddled and mixed in with its cousins mentoring, tutoring and therapy, when it is a very different type of intervention.

At CoachBright, we use the Association for Coaching’s definition – "A collaborative solution-focused, results-orientated process in which the coach facilitates the enhancement of work performance, self-directed learning and personal growth of the coachee."  

Founding CoachBright, I wanted to take this technique, which is often used in the boardroom into the classroom where we need it the most.

Our most disadvantaged students still abjectly fail to fulfil their potential compared to their wealthier peers. Only 2% of children on free school meals (FSM) go on to a highly selective university. This means, longer-term, pupils from independent schools are over-represented in our country’s elite professions. For instance, over 70% of high court judges and 54% of journalists are from fee-paying schools.

As a result, at CoachBright, we exist to change this so every pupil regardless of background can become independent and resilient learners so they can lead the life they want.

We have created a unique programme called academic performance coaching blending techniques in the world of business (360 feedback and the GROW model) alongside crucial work in educational research (Carol Dweck’s Growth Mindset and John Hattie’s pupil expectations) to improve 3 factors for our pupils so they can win places at top universities:

• Grades – get the results needed.

• Confidence – have the belief to push further.

• Expectations – objectively understand what it takes day-to-day to get the top positions.

We achieve this by using all the facets of coaching: skilful listening, curious questioning and sharing insight without judgement. That way we can help create a powerful process of self-awareness where the coachee makes pragmatic day-to-day behavioural changes that benefits their education and attainment levels.

While new to the field of education, this style of coaching is well known in the worlds of executive business and elite sport. The BBC, McKinsey and Team Sky of cycling fame are just a few who have coaches working with their ‘top talent’.  The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), the leading HR institution also cites coaching as its best development tool for accelerating performance.

The BBC has over 500 coaching programmes run a year with the corporation having 85 internal professional coaches available focused on their senior management team.

For us, we believe academic performance coaching can be a real game-changer for our most disadvantaged pupils. It can accelerate performance for those that need it most. We would love you to join us on our journey.

If you wanted to learn more, feel free to email me on robin@coachbright.org or share support via twitter @CoachBrightUK

Originally posted on Linkedin here.

Dawid meets Campbell: University life and Coding

Our Globe Academy coachee Dawid who is looking into a career in coding caught up with Campbell Morgan, founder of Folissimo and SiteChef, two web development companies, and asked him his ups and downs about university and coding!

Coder meets Coder

Dawid and Campbell

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Full written transcript below:

Dawid (D): How did you get into coding?

Campbell (C): Addiction to certain computer games! When I was about 11 or 12 and my mum said I couldn’t play computer games any more. So I asked my mum if it’s ok to start learning how to program on a computer, and my mum was a bit confused but in the end she agreed to buy me Visual Basic and then I started programming. I then stopped coding for a couple of years and started making electronic music. The main problem with electronic equipment is that it was really expensive, and so that’s when I started to do website design. This meant that I had to learn a whole different code, and that was when I learnt ASP and PHP later. Years later I then started this business which I run at the moment. Only in the last 3, 4 years have I become a real serious developer. 

D: What did you study at university?

C: I did not study anything related to what I am doing now. When I went to university I studied Spanish and Portuguese literature. It sounds like it is unrelated, but it’s more related then you think. Since coding is another language, you do have to have a specific mindset to understand a specific grammar and structure of another language. During university I was doing freelance coding to pay my way for university and when I left, I was doing a bit here and there. 

D: How challenging was your degree?

C: Very challenging. Especially my final exam at my university, we had eleven 3 hour exams in 2 weeks. You had to write 3 essays, 1 hour each and in advance you had to know 3 or 4 books for each essay. So it was very stressful and it was probably the hardest thing I have done. It is important to play to your strengths, at the time, I really enjoyed speaking Spanish which is why I decided to do it for my degree. For me I feel like it has opened up a lot of doors. 

D: During your time at university, what was your most difficult challenge and how did you overcome it?

C: I guess my most difficult challenge at university was knowing how to write really good essays. Since my A-levels were Maths, further Maths, Economics and Spanish. In Economics you have to write essays, but not in the way you have to do it in literature essays. A lot of other people on my course did English A-level and understood the structure of it. So I think learning what a good essay was to start off with was a real challenge. And I guess the way that I did it, it took me a long time to do because I was writing an essay and then rewriting it and then rewriting it. An important thing was having enough time to be able to edit it and then you begin to understand what good writing looks like. Another point is to read critically other peoples’ essays whether that is someone who is a professional academic or another colleague who is doing really well. Through that, try to work out what is good about their essay and how you can improve yours.

D: What was the best and worst part of university life?

C: The best parts of university life for me was certainly learning about a subject in great detail, from people who are obsessed with their subjects and obsessed with something very specific about their subject. The most interesting thing was hearing from people who have studied their subject for a long time, like 8 years or so, hearing them talk about it. Then eventually you pick up that passion and talk about it. If your teacher is like that then they are very good. On the other hand, if that does not happen then the teacher is probably very bad.

For the worst parts it would have to be growing up, just trying to work out what you want to do, try to work out where you see yourself in the future. Final exams were also very stressful, as 90% of my degree was based on the final 2 weeks of my exams and that was pretty terrifying. 

D: What advice would you give for someone who wants to study coding at university, someone like myself?

C: I can’t answer that from an academic point of view because I didn't study computer science at university but I have good friend who did study it and the funny thing is, some of the best coders that I know and the very best developers often didn't study computing at university.

There are two pathways; one is an intellectual side where that involves thinking about the structure of programming, thinking about new languages, thinking about the best ways of combining stuff together to make very efficient, coherent code. This tends to be more academic as the academics also tend to create new languages.

Whereas to be a developer, in a successful business, that makes really valuable code, for businesses you need to understand the academic side, but more importantly is your ability to communicate clearly with other members of the team, to understand what is a waste of time and what isn’t a waste of time.An academic programmer wouldn’t even think about time wasting as they would just know and do it straight away, but sometimes if you want to work in an industry, that’s counter productive because you spend a lot of time thinking about the most efficient way of writing something which takes you 10 minutes to write. What I would do is just write it and then go back over it a day later and correct it. At the end of the day the most important thing is to make stuff that works that serves customers. You may have really ugly code but if that code works and serves customers then you have the money to correct it later. Whereas if you have beautiful code that does not serve customers, then you don’t have money and you are stuck.

The way I see university in this country is that you do not have to do anything that relates to your career later on in life, whereas in countries like France or Germany you have to do a degree in your career chosen path. The wonderful thing is that here in the UK, you have 3 or 4 years to study for just the interest of it and not to affect your career.

Do what you enjoy at university, and learn coding on the side so when you finish university you can train to become a junior programmer later.

In conversation with Trae and Abby

We managed to catch up with our coachee Globe Academy pupil Trae Charles and our coach from Kings College London Abby Ross. Here is them in conversation...

In conversation with: coaching catch up

Abby and Trae

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Full written transcript below:

Abby (A): What is your favourite thing about Globe Academy, and what is your least favourite thing?

Trae (T): My favourite thing about Globe Academy is the atmosphere and all the teachers and everyone feels like one big family. A family that is helpful, and beneficial for everyone to achieve their greatest. The thing that I dislike about Globe, well the thing that I dislike seeing is bullying. Sometimes I see things in the playground, I see kids who are getting bullied and no one is there to intervene and say ‘this is not right, don’t do this, be friends because you are all the same age, you will be friends at the end of the day’. The reason I dislike it so much is that no one should be feeling less than they are already.

A: Do you think that Globe helps prevent bullying?

T: I believe there are lots of schemes and projects in place at Globe to eliminate bullying. I believe that if a pupil is getting bullied, a teacher is on top of it. So I believe it is very hard to bully discreetly. I believe that everyone who bullies should be punished and I believe that they are getting punished.

A: What do you study in school?

T: Sociology, psychology and English literature.

A: Which one is your favourite?

T: I like them all the same, but I particularly like the ability to express yourself in English.

A: Which one is most challenging?

T: English again!

A: What accomplishments in English literature are you most proud of?

T: I would not say it’s an accomplishment, but I would say my growth, for example, if you put all of my work in a timeline, from when I first started until the end of Year 12, you would see a big change from a Year 11 student to a Year 12 student and that my structure and writing formula has improved.

A: How do you think coaching has helped you at Coachbright?

T: Well I used to have high barriers so I wouldn’t really tell people what I would feel and that would affect my interactions with people and people would not really know why. But then with Robin (coach) helped by saying that he wants to help me and that he cares even though the teachers at school were saying that they care, he showed persistence and commitment. He made me really feel that there are people who are there for me. So I have lowered that barrier slightly, which has improved my social interactions. I believe it has also helped me socially and mentally.

A: Ok so what are your questions for me? 

T: How is working with Coachbright?

A: So I was a coach with CoachBright in my final year of university and then since finishing my  classes, I have helped last week with a debate based on surveillance on the government so I have helped to set-up up for the debate and then this week I am here, helping him think about how we can get more university students involved to coach so that’s been my focus. It has been really good, I have had an opportunity to coach at Globe and I had an opportunity to meet students like you, and I have really enjoyed it.

T: When did you study at university?

A: I have just finished studying religion, philosophy and ethics 3 year course.

T: Was it challenging?

A: It was, it is really difficult but I think if you choose a subject that you really enjoy which I really enjoyed, and I think that it makes it a lot easier and it makes you work a little bit harder so if you find that maybe in English literature if you do a project that you enjoy or an assignment that you really enjoy, it doesn’t matter that its difficult because you really want to do it first. It is difficult but it’s worth it.

T: What do you believe was your biggest attribute that you had to help you overcome this?

A: I would say getting to know my lecturers individually so at university they do three things called office hours, which is you will have a lecture with a lecturer in a big group of people, about 60, 70 students. If you didn’t understand what was going on in a lecture, or if you need help with an assignment, you can go during a time that they set called office hours to go speak with them and get to know them as a person. I would say that was the most useful thing getting one on one time. The difference between university and school is that you have to make sure that you go and find that on your own because the classes are bigger and you need to seek out individual attention, but it helps a lot.

T: What would you say you liked and disliked most about university?

A: I would say the thing I liked most is having a lot of freedom to learn new things and to get to choose what I wanted to focus on so, I got to sort of choose which classes I wanted to take and choose what I wanted to write my essays about. And there was a lot of freedom. I would say my least favourite thing was that universities are a very big place, so sometimes it can be hard to sort of find your way and it can be hard to get to know your lecturers really well, but i think that there is a way to overcome that but that can be the most difficult thing.

Our Public Debate Feminism & Activism: How can we create change?

By Alex Helling, Programme Manager for IDEA UK. This article was originally published on the IDEA website here.

‘Feminism & Activism: How can we create change?’ was the topic of a lively debate that ranged over questions of what is feminism? How do we empower women? And how can activism create real change?

The speakers at the question time style debate were Jo-Ann Hamilton UN Women Global Champion for Women's Economic Empowerment and founder of the SecretBirds enterprise, Chardine Taylor-Stone writer, DJ and black feminist activist, Pavan Amara founder of My Body Back Project, Shaina Yang administrator for the Facebook group Cuntry Living, Kate Hudson National Secretary of Left Unity party and General Secretary of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, and Sarah Anderson from the successful No More Page 3 campaign. The debate was chaired by Amanda Lundstedt, co-founder of Young Feminists London, who asked questions provided via twitter.

Camden Collective, where the debate was held, was packed with an audience of over one hundred and twenty. And with it being a question time style debate the audience were able to get involved by voicing their opinions and asking questions directly to the panel. Some of the debate was very internal; such as on definitions of feminism where Shaina argued "There are different feminist interpretations but one ground rule: you can't oppress others in your definition of feminism". This inward-looking nature was also recognised by Chardine pointing out that "Sometimes we're in danger of being quite insular... We need to start putting ourselves out there".

But at the same time many of the issues were broadly relevant well beyond a debate about feminism. Jo-Ann argued that “ultimately it boils down to the individual, you have to empower yourself” not wait for others to empower you, something relevant to all campaigners. Similarly discussions around feminism on the internet are broadly applicable. Anonymity means that "The Internet can be a really horrible place” says Shaina. It has a population of hate filled trolls, seen particularly prominently on twitter recently, and with yet more private groups and networks can provide safe spaces for ideas and communities enabling individuals to “construct the space in any way that you want".

The debate closed with the question from the start “how can we create more change?” with the audience response of "Unite resources - carve your own spaces and make sure they are inclusive". Perhaps we had not found a definitive solution to the question but the debate had certainly brought forth lots of interesting ideas. 

The debate was a joint collaboration between London is Fem, IDEA UK and CoachBright.

Marginal Gains - recipe for success in Education

By Robin Chu, CoachBright Founder

As we enter the final lap, the GCSE and A-level exams our pupils have been gearing up to all year round, it seemed right to share a key principle underpinning our approach to coaching pupils into top universities.

A simple formula really; marginal gains over time = exceptional results

Popularised in the world of sport. Sir Clive Woodward, a man who knows a thing or two about leadership once said ‘England winning the Rugby world cup was not about doing one thing 100% better, but about doing 100 things 1% better”.

Similarly, Sir David Brailsford who brought Team GB 8 golds in London 2012, not to mention the Tour De France for Team Sky making him one of the most successful coaches the world of cycling has seen. He said ‘If you broke down everything you could think of that goes into riding a bike, and then improved it by 1%, you will get a significant increase when you put them all together’.

Again, improving the 1%. Not drastic sea change rather minute little-by-little details. During Woodward’s reign, he demanded his team repeat the acronym T-CUP – Thinking Clearly Under Pressure (to stay emotionally intelligent during pressure periods), wore skin-fitting jerseys (opposition players couldn’t just grab your shirt but rather tackle players like Jason Robinson), and a full time video analysis room (to empower players to reflect on their play). In isolation, likely to be insignificant but in unison and embedded over time can produce the perfect end result.

So, as educators, lets transfer that thinking to our pupils?

If we broke down everything you could think of to get the pupils you work with into university, what would that be and look like? Then, how could you raise their performance in each factor by 1%.

Just a few points that come up during our coaching sessions:

• Environment: where best to work? Library? Study room? 
• Time: how long to revise? What is optimum?
• Method: how should I revise? Teaching others? Past papers?
• Mindset: visualising success or failure? What drives you? Having a Growth Mindset?
• Diet/Exercise: are you getting the right balance?

Where do your pupils need to improve? What are the marginal gains your pupils can make? Are you facilitating situations to make that 1% increase?

Let us know what you think by commenting below or tweeting @CoachBrightUK and @RobinChu1

Debate in the Community

Exciting news! We have partnered with global debate provider IDEA (International Debate Education Association) and local groups to run a debate series for young people around issues important to them from May-June to showcase the power debate has in facilitating critical thinking and discussion among young people. 

The first in our series is, in partnership with the incredible London is Fem, a social media organisation which gathers news and events for feminists in London. Together, we invite you to:

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'Feminism & Activism: How can we create change?'

When and Where: 14th May at 7pm, Camden Collective NW1 7JE

Care about equality of the sexes? Should you 'rock the boat' or adopt a softly-does-it calm down dear approach? 

What's the best way to unpick the various systems of oppression in society?

Come along to share your thoughts and find out how others go about fighting back!

Hear from leading UK campaigners who have joined forces to take a closer look at where their frontlines meet, discussing their successes and failures and asking how best can we create change in the field of feminism.

There will also be drinks and nibbles on offer! Join us for an inspiring evening of talks and discussion.

The Line-Up

Chair: Tansy Hoskins: journalist at the Guardian, New Statesman and Al Jazeera. Author of 'Stitched Up - The Anti-Capitalist Book of Fashion' - ICA Bookshop Book of the Year and co founder of Brick Lane Debates.

Speaker: Kate Hudson: a British far-left political activist and academic who is the General Secretary of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) and National Secretary of Left Unity.

Speaker: Jo-Ann Hamilton: UN Global Woman Champion for Woman's Economic Empowerment and founder at SecretBirds, an enterprise, which encourages, supports and empowers girls and women through entrepreneurship.

Speaker: Chardine Taylor Stone: a writer, DJ and founder of black speculative fiction book club Mothership Connections. She also plays drums in the black feminist band Big Joanie.

Speaker: Pavan Amara: founder of My Body Back Project, which works with women who have experienced sexual violence, supporting them to love and care for their bodies again.

Speaker: Shaina Yang, an administrator for the Facebook group Cuntry Living, an intersectional, sex positive online space in which members can challenge patriarchy and share experiences of oppression.

Speaker: Sarah Anderson, part of the No More Page 3 Campaign since January 2013. Sarah has facilitated workshops including 'Kick Ass Campaigning' and the use of social media as a campaign tool.

Get your ticket on Eventbrite below!

Sell Tickets through Eventbrite

Tips for picking your course and university

By Mohammed Ahmed, CoachBright Intern

Year 12’s across the country are starting to think about what to study and where.  At CoachBright HQ, we know how picking the right course at one of the 300 plus educational institutions in the UK is a tough decision and quite a few factors are in play.

So, to help you have a clear view of the options available and the parts involved in making those decisions we decided to ask our current coaches about what informed their decisions and to avoid when going about the selection process.

1. Visit the campus on Open Day

“I couldn't recommend visiting the campuses of your prospective universities highly enough. A must-do. Sounds pretty obvious, but who would spend 3/4 years at a place without knowing what it looked like beforehand. Don't just visit course buildings. Go to the town centre, the accommodation buildings, the pub, local restaurant - really imagine if you can see yourself there”.

Hazel, History graduate of Exeter University

2. Pay Attention to course details

My subject (film and media) is not studied uniformly across UK universities. You can study through the lens of either academic research and writing or a more hands on, practical filmmaking approach. When beginning the process of choosing your course and university, I would strongly recommend checking out the module list for all the courses that initially pique your interest as while some courses are listed highly on the university rankings, they may not be entirely suitable for your career plan. This could leave you feeling unmotivated in class when you’re not following the education path you expected.

Mohammed, currently in last year of Film Studies at Queen Mary, University of London

3. Research Online

Doing my own online research was absolutely essential in my process of deciding where to go to uni. I used the universities' websites to look at what modules were available for each course I applied to. The Student Room is also a good resource for questions about what student life is like at a particular uni, or even about things like safety on campus. Additionally, some universities have informational videos posted on YouTube about things like accommodation and student societies. Definitely do as much of your own research as possible, especially if you won’t have the chance to visit the university yourself. 

Abby, studies Religion, Philosophy & Ethics  at King College London

4. Picking a subject you genuinely care about:

"Don't do business because you want to make money! Do it because you actually want to learn about business.". That's what I heard from a sixth form advisor. It definitely rings true. I knew so many people at university (myself included) who didn't fully want to do their course. Sounds obvious but really think about whether you can see yourself dedicating to that one particular subject.

Robin, History and Politics graduate of Exeter University

5. Cost of the courses

I was in the lucky position not to worry too much about the cost of my MSc program because I was able to secure scholarships in Germany. At the Department of Psychology at LSE there are substantial differences when it comes to the cost of the different programs. If you look closely, however, the programs do not differ too much because you can take the same elective courses and have the same access to the academics in the department. So, if money is a consideration I would encourage you to look into the details of whether the different programs actually differ so much in content or whether the difference in price is actually ‘only’ due to the name of the program.

David, currently studying Psychology MA at London School of Economics and Political Sciences

 6. Work Experience and Future Employment Opportunities

In a humanities degree like mine (I study Religion, Philosophy & Ethics), finding work experience is not always straightforward. However, whether you’re a humanities student or not, the connections that you make with academics are invaluable in finding work experience. I worked as the media intern in the head office at White Cube, an internationally renowned commercial art gallery, because I was recommended to the internship program by one of my lecturers. It’s especially easy to make strong connections in a small department, but if you are determined enough, there are always ways for you to make yourself stand out. Personal tutors and individual office hours are provided for this very reason. It’s never too early to try to make connections. If you have questions about what kind of work experience or future employment, send an email to the course convener. 

Abby, studies Religion, Philosophy & Ethics at King College London

7. Research the lecturers

For my decision to study my particular program at LSE, the lecturers (more precisely their area of research) were the primary source of information. I think the academics and their ongoing research projects ultimately shape the character and atmosphere of the particular program, even more than the “official” description of the courses. So I think it makes a lot of sense to familiarise oneself with the academics and their research areas before applying to a particular program.

David, currently studying Psychology MA at London School of Economics and Political Sciences

8 – Location

Since the tuition fee hikes, many people have found themselves considering their options and wanting to stay closer to home in order to save money and lessen their student loan debt after graduation. For those worried about future debt, this choice can be imperative. However, especially those who do not live within close proximity to a good university this could be a choice that is essentially out of their hands. If the industry you’re looking to enter has a higher success rate if you move to a bigger city and after careful consideration you’re willing to shoulder the debt because you’re determined to be successful I believe you should risk the money. For those who are moving from remote parts of the country to metropolitan areas I would recommend checking out the local rental prices as those in major cities, especially London are considerably higher than the rest of the nation.

10 Ways to become more organised and motivated in your studies

By Mohammed Ahmed, CoachBright Intern

Set your target

Identifying a target is vital because it allows you to structure your time and approach to your studies before you begin. Why not divide your goals into three categories: long term, short term and immediate. For instance:

·       Long-term: Get into your university of choice,  get a B grade in GCSE maths at the end of the year or get a career job in an industry you really like.

·       Short term: make sure I make my deadline that’s fast approaching, study more so I can put myself in a better position to get improved grades

These short term goals consist of and are realised by immediate targets such as for the essay deadline coming up - make sure you’re making an essay plan, read up on your given subject and make sure you’ve run it by a teacher or writing advisor at your teaching institution.  Plan your essays months in advance, by timetabling yourself in advance you can ensure that you won’t wake up on the day of the deadline with three individual essays to complete.

On targets, stay motivated by hanging your mission or long term goal somewhere noticeable like by your desk!

Distractions

For reasons unknown to me, I somehow always notice how interesting the intricate design of my wallpaper is when I’ve got to write an essay due the next day. Distractions are everywhere, especially for the weary mind. Whether it’s your phone going off, emails popping up or viral videos on YouTube blowing up, it’s easy to get distracted.

If you have no self-control like me then using a website-blocking app is perfect. Apps like Cold Turkey, SelfControl and LeechBlock are designed to block your favourite website for a set amount of time or after a set amount of time. So you can stop dillydallying on reddit and get focused on your work.

Leisure Time

It’s difficult to remain motivated when all you do is study. Working hard is important but working smarter is the key. Make sure you designate a certain amount of hours for work and others for leisure. Your mind won’t work if it’s constantly drained so it’s imperative that you rest, relax and recharge. Do something that doesn’t involve looking at a screen, go out with friends, just make sure to return right back to work afterwards.

Also when working tirelessly for an assignment make sure you take a short 5 minute break every so often so you can return to your work fresh and not run yourself into the ground.

Work Ethic

To some people this word is as foreign as chicken tikka masala but you must have it. But do not fret, there’s always ways to develop your work rate. Firstly, you must decide on your goals and figure out what it takes to accomplish your goal.

Sticking to this plan requires you to constantly be motivated to strive and prosper. One often finds themselves in slumps of low motivation which can be very detrimental to your end goal. The key to keeping up your work ethic is to recognise and notice how self-discipline and procrastination make you feel respectively. Those first few minutes of forcing yourself to do your work can be excruciating but feel all the more justified and exhilarating when you arrive at your end goal and can tell yourself that all those hours of sacrifice were worth getting out of the comfort zone for. Trust me, accomplishment feels better than anything you can stuff down your face when trying to avoid doing your work at all costs.

Find a partner

This doesn’t have to be someone you work with on a day to day basis in close proximity. No, instead what I’m referring to is someone to help you motivate yourself, keep your work ethic in line and a person you can rely on to support you when times are hard. These people can be vital and can be life saviours.  On the flip side, certain people can suck the air out of a situation and make it impossible to stay motivated. So, pick who you work around wisely!

Saying No

There is no such thing as stretching yourself too thin. Your studies are a full time job, whether you think that or not. Sometimes you will need to take on a larger workload because you might need the money from a work job, or maybe you need experience, or need to expand your portfolio. These things are expected and accepted but you have to remind yourself what the ultimate goal is. There will be times when you will have to say no to certain opportunities in order to put your all into studies. Your friends will still be there for you tomorrow, - that football game or social outing can wait.

Reward yourself

It’s hard not to feel like a dancing seal wading through his work looking forward to his fresh fish but it’s necessary. Set yourself daily goals so when you’ve put in the required work and accomplish your goals you can reward yourself. Whether its write 100 more words and get another biscuit, reading these last few pages of the textbook before you watch 20 minutes of telly during your break, or gifting yourself the thing you’ve been eying since forever, use it to keep yourself motivated and rewarded in order to continue pushing forward.  

Don’t let knockbacks get you down

Robert F. Kennedy once said that “Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” Setbacks are pivotal because they build the character, know-how and perseverance needed to remain focused on your goals and succeed. In the words of the eternal Aaliyah:

·       If at first you don't succeed/ 

·       Dust yourself off and try again/

·       You can dust it off and try again/

Only compete with yourself

One sure fire way to kill your motivation is to measure yourself, your work and your worth by someone’s standards. Positioning yourself in relation to other people’s accomplishments only leads to negative energy and a state of unfulfillment.

Different people operate at their own speed and it’s critical to remember that you do not know what or how much work went in to people achievements. This is not to say you shouldn’t evaluate others work method’s and see what you can incorporate into yours but rather that what might work for some might not work for others.

Figure out what works best for you and then toil way on streamlining and working efficiently in order to maximise your time and potential. 

Different people operate at their own speed and it’s critical to remember that you do not know what or how much work went in to people achievements. This is not to say you shouldn’t evaluate others work method’s and see what you can incorporate into yours but rather that what might work for some might not work for others.

Figure out what works best for you and then toil way on streamlining and working efficiently in order to maximise your time and potential. 

The Power of informal education

By Janice Garman, Volunteer Coach

Education is a topic often spoken about in the media and the academic world.  However, most often it is in a negative way, focusing only on students’ poor performances or grades within standardised tests and exams.  What rarely gets the attention of mainstream discussions is informal education, in all its various forms.  Informal education is important as it is a continuum of learning which occurs in all kinds of spaces in ones’ life.  It is most often recognised in the civil society sector where a large amount of positive learning occurs.  Spaces of learning outside of the school environment are not given the due they deserve.

The opinion I have with regards to this has largely been shaped by my experience with CoachBright.  As a tutor for the CoachBright programme I have discovered the true meaning and importance of education in a less formal setting and style.  A positive and encouraging environment which leads students into discovering what they enjoy about certain subjects and how they may be useful for their futures, has shown to be a fruitful way of engaging with students who have become discouraged by the formal system.  The students who have taken part in the programme from Walworth Academy have discovered skills not necessarily taught within the classroom, and are vital skills for tertiary education as well as the workplace.  Learning the skills of positive feedback, presentation skills, teamwork, positive competition and essay writing has been a fun experience for both students and tutors.  This was done through informal exercises in an environment which did not demand right or wrong answers, a certain level of competence or confidence.  I have seen students over the course of the programme become a lot more confident in themselves, unafraid to raise their hand or voice their opinion.

This kind of informal environment has shown to be very useful and fruitful in helping students to reinvest a sense of purpose into their studies, learning from young adults who have been through the formal school system and have often been through similar stages of shyness, lack of confidence and lack of purpose for their studies throughout their lives.  This programme has helped me to understand that there are many ways of making learning fun and relevant.  Learning is a constant process and informal styles deserve a lot more attention.  In saying this I would like to reiterate that although the programme is for the students and geared towards academics, I gained a tremendous amount from the programme too.  It is essentially an informal way to help students learn the skills already mentioned, but it is so much more than just that.  It is about building confidence, not just for the students but also for the tutors.  Speaking from personal experience, I used to be a very shy and quiet person, and although I am no longer as quiet the programme helped me tremendously in planting the idea in my mind that I am capable of a lot more than I previously thought.  I am able to instruct and supervise, skills I never felt particularly confident in doing.  CoachBright is a great example that proves that informal ways of learning are fruitful; CoachBright is a fun and stimulating way for students to engage with academics.  

Supporting over telling

By Catorina Rubens, Volunteer Coach

CoachBright attracted me immediately because of its student led focus. I wasn’t interested in going into a school and telling kids what to do – they get enough of that from curriculums and teachers. The idea that CoachBright tutors would facilitate and support rather than instruct really resonated with me on a personal level.  For me, education should be about allowing pupils to explore topics which interest them, and that’s what CoachBright is all about.

My first CoachBright session was pretty nerve wracking. I had no idea whether the students would see the worth in what we were trying to do, but I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome we got from the kids. They really responded to receiving individual attention and it was very rewarding to see the results we got from putting into practice different coaching techniques. I had some fantastic one-to-one sessions with different pupils where I tried to use good listening approaches we’d learned in training. The pupils opened up more straight away and became far more comfortable discussing what they found difficult about the tasks we were setting. It was like I’d flipped a switch and suddenly they wanted to talk about learning.

A particularly clear cut memory of CoachBright came in our final session watching three of the graduates give presentations on their research topics. Six weeks previously, the idea of public speaking filled these particular students with a deep sense of dread. And yet here they were, standing up and presenting on topics which motivated them, with more confidence and charisma than many experienced adults I know. When we gave them feedback on their final presentations, you could practically see some of them shining with pride. They really recognised how far they’d come. I couldn’t help but think about some of the advantages children who attend certain private schools receive – extra tuition, debating classes, pronunciation lessons to name but a few – and smile at the thought that CoachBright was helping to level the playing field.

Even though CoachBright is only at its inception, it’s clear to me that the programme is a game changer. I’ve witnessed first-hand how giving kids more control over their own learning delivers direct results. These pupils aren’t stupid; they just want a chance to focus their education on stuff that they think is important. The genius of CoachBright is that it enables pupils to achieve this whilst helping them to develop key skills along the way like public speaking, workshop delivery, communication, self-reflection and research. Most of the participants have been too busy enjoying themselves to realise they have massively improved in these areas, and that’s thanks to the CoachBright approach.

As a recent graduate, CoachBright has been great for me to reach out of my comfort zone and diversify my skillset. The whole programme encourages self-reflection and constructive criticism for both the pupils and the tutors. It’s been an invaluable opportunity to think about how I work with others and communicate with peers and pupils alike. It’s so exciting that this is just the beginning of CoachBright – and I’m very proud to say that I was there at the start. 

The CoachBright Effect

Tabetha Bhatti, Volunteer Coach

As widely accepted interpretation of the term ‘success’ dictates, a pupil’s ‘success’ is measured by their level of attainment; the higher their grades, the better they fare in the pursuit of much contested University places. Ultimately, the more esteemed the institution of higher education they attend, the better their prospects of employment. Moreover, the calibre of an individual school and its teaching staff is also gauged by overall percentage of A*-C achieved annually. The unfortunate phenomena of ‘teaching to the test’, whereby students are prepared intensively to take public and/or alternative standardised exams, such as the TOEFL/SATs, throughout the course of key academic years, tends to weigh heavily upon the psyche of teaching professionals. We, as young teachers, can often find ourselves pandering to established curricula obsessively, and, on occasion, losing sight of the fact that a pupil’s formal schooling should not be at the expense of their education.

Upon graduating, I found myself teaching English in Saudi Arabia. Although it was a Saudi establishment, the school was accredited to run an American International curriculum. As a result, it was mandatory for my Grade 12 pupils to graduate having taken the SAT and TOEFL exams, whilst achieving a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.5 or above in English, so as to ensure they could secure university places abroad (primarily throughout North America and Western Europe). Thus, the temptation to drill SAT words into the heads of my seniors was severe, for example. However, I was lucky enough to be trained by the ‘Mawhiba’ Programme. Literally meaning, ‘gift’ or ‘talent’, Mawhiba (Programme) had been designed with the aim of turning traditional teaching pedagogy on its head, whereby the educator – traditionally expected to exert total control within the classroom – was trained to promote student-led learning. Moreover, the emphasis upon identifying the individual strengths of pupils, and actively nurturing their ‘gifts’ or ‘talents,’ was great. As a result, I had no choice but to assume the role of the 'guide on the side', as opposed to the 'sage on a stage', so to speak, for the better part of my lessons.

In CoachBright, I found a social enterprise that aimed to work alongside schools to address the unintended consequences of 'teaching to the test', as did the Mawhiba Programme in Saudi. This was made apparent by an approach that fostered student engagement from the very onset of the programme. Specifically, it was proposed that all students would have to complete a research paper, and by providing a purposefully broad and abstract topic, one requiring contemplation of 'the future', students would naturally pursue specific topics that interested them most; they'd take charge of, thus engage in, their learning process. All the while, my primary role as a mentor would be to support them through the process - an approach I'm naturally inclined to as a teacher. In my experience thus far, when given ownership of their learning in a supportive environment, students tend to take charge. For example, a 14yr old young lady I'm working alongside expressed a desire to go to medical school early on during our acquaintance. She determined, after a particularly dynamic 20 minute brainstorming session, that her research paper would explore the "role of technology in Medicine today, and how further technological advancement (and innovation) would effect the practice of medicine within the next 20 years.'' Incredible.

Over the course of the programme, we've borne witness to students show up to after-school sessions on a near weekly basis. Their schedules seem demanding, unforgiving almost, with our previous session being after a school day that included three tests, for example. Despite the rigorous nature of their routines, pupils have shown up. This commendable degree of commitment of our pupils seems to stem from a genuine desire to further enhance their communication skills, written and/or public speaking skills. I've watched as a young gentleman has struggled to deliver a 2 minute spoken presentation on his research thus far; then utilise the feedback provided to present once again, only to do so confidently - in defiance of his nerves. As a tutor, watching pupils develop/ refine skills of their own volition has been inordinately rewarding. Moreover, watching pupils work diligently despite the lack of a strictly enforced code of discipline and formalised teacher-student dynamic has reinforced the notion of young people being inherently able to take charge of their learning once they are engaged. Moreover, it has served as the ultimate validation of the student-led learning approach of which CoachBright is a huge proponent.

I can only hope the programme continues to expand its operation throughout schools in low income communities throughout London. Onwards and upwards, CoachBright!

School's out, or is it?

In my first tutoring session with Tim*, a 14 year old, I asked him what he thought of school. ‘I hate it… I’m bored… it doesn’t excite me’, he told me.

At the time (a year ago), still fresh from graduating, I thought this was just a classic case of ‘yeah, but it’s cool to pretend school is crap, right?’. After all, plenty of my friends and myself went through education saying the same thing. However, several sessions later, it was clear this wasn’t a front to be fashionable. He was serious. School didn’t motivate him and he didn’t get anything from it.

Surprising? Probably not. A problem? Yes. My question then, is why?

Tim’s bright (on B’s and C’s at GCSE when we started), articulate and personable. And school gives you friends, teachers who got into the profession to inspire and a place to explore interesting content. So, what’s wrong?

Is it because kids don’t want to learn?

Arguably, but let’s consider Sugatra Mitra’s Hole in the Wall experiment. In 1999, Mitra put an internet-connected computer in a New Delhi slum. Without any knowledge in English or how to use a PC, the kids from the slum played around and taught themselves how to browse the web and basic English phrases. No supervision, no instruction, no curriculum. This suggests if pupils are put in an environment where learning can happen, it will happen.

Then, is it because teachers just don’t care?

This point is touted around time and time again. Teachers don’t care so pupils don’t care. The job is cushy and easy. But, one watch of the recent BBC3 series Tough Young Teachers, or going into a secondary school at 7pm shows this is absolutely untrue. Teachers definitely care. Most work way beyond office hours marking homework and devising killer lesson plans.

If it’s not teachers and it’s not the pupils then whose fault is it that Tim isn’t engaged?

My personal, if very biased opinion (feel free to slate. I’m @RobinChu1 on Twitter) is that neither are true. Instead it seems schools are just too stretched resource-wise to cater for each individual pupil.

With Ofsted requirements, schools are judged on academic targets. For instance, at a secondary such as Tim’s, the focus will be on getting as many pupils on A*-C’s at GCSE with a few exceptional case studies (e.g. One pupil received 11 A*’s etc). Broadly, this is the criteria schools are assessed on.

Therefore, in practice, top resources and staff time are pushed to those who are either struggling on a D/C grade borderline or those exceptionally talented on an A* grade. Looking through this lens, no wonder there is a demotivated squeezed middle which Tim falls under. After all, like a middle child in the family - the youngest gets the attention and the oldest the glory. In this case though, the ‘parent’ (school) can’t be blamed since they are only doing what strategically makes sense.

Moving forward, you might think I’m painting a bleak picture for the Tims of this world. Maybe – 10 years ago. Now – definitely not. The rise of technology and community engagement means schools are no longer limited to their finite resources. The goal to give each child, like Tim, a supported, personalised and attentive education is no longer a pipe dream anymore.

Some fantastic initiatives are already revealing the potential for lowering school walls to enthusiastic community members. The Brilliant Club are raising ambition and skills by getting PHD tutors to deliver university style seminars for pupils. Future First are bringing alumni back to their old school to share stories about their occupation. This is great in giving not just useful career information but relatable role models.

It’s the same with technology. Even Britain’s most well-known and traditional of schools in Eton, acknowledges that the new digital landscape calls for change. Partnering with Emerge Venture Lab, an education technology accelerator, Eton teachers will mentor the next generation of social entrepreneurs. That way, helping increase the amount of technology-focussed initiatives to tackle the major issues round education.

Likewise, WildSchool, the venture I have co-founded is a tutoring programme for disengaged students that merges offline workshops and one to one tutoring around a digital world. Based heavily on the US movement round “flipped teaching”, it aims to use technology and volunteers to give each pupil the personalised and attentive support they need to thrive.

So, while the problem of pupils not enjoying school is a very real problem. The solutions are not that far away.