Learning Moments

Ideas to help parents create Learning

Moments outside of school
A parent can help children...

1. Imagine ‘what is possible’

2. Learn, Know, Understand, Perform - Framework
3. Appreciate their inner Conflicts
4. Help resolve their Conflicts
5. Build Self-Efficacy
1. Help the learners imagine ‘what is possible’
 e s o f t he
(outcom endeavour)
learning
In his book ‘Social Intelligence’, author Daniel Goleman explains
the impact of emotions on learning and performance...
Stories can play a major role in creating such
’inspired moments of learning’
HOW: stories can fire-up the learners’ imagination

“Don’t Drink and Drive”

Stories can be instruments of information and transformation, taking the

audience from the familiar to the unfamiliar (Jackson 1995)

When one identifies with the character who has changed one can envision and
embrace the possibility of change in oneself (Clark 2001)
2. Facilitate the Learners...
Learn, Know, Understand, Perform
a) Learn - build learners’ inner strength to learn
b) Know - help learners become better at acquiring knowledge of a subject matter
c) Understand - develop modes of thinking to look at the world from different
perspectives
d) Perform - how to attain mastery
2a) Learn

Build learners’ inner learning strength by cultivating

dispositions like emotional resilience, grit, deep
engagement and meta-learning, i.e. develop learning-to-
learn skills
HOW: a few examples
2b) Know

Facilitate the learners become better at acquiring

knowledge in a particular subject-matter by fostering good
study habits and explaining how to search for and
validate good knowledge sources on the web.
HOW: a few examples

Online Learning Journey

2c) Understand

Help the learners acquire deep disciplinary knowledge and

modes of thinking for looking at the world through
different lenses, which leads to deeper understanding
HOW: a few examples
2d) Perform

Help the learners’ achieve personal mastery and a state of

‘flow’ in their work
HOW: a few examples
3. Help Learners Understand their Inner Conflicts
The learner is the ‘hero’ who has to undertake the
learning journey towards ‘what is possible’
In this learning journey, the ‘learner hero’ has to resolve
‘inner conflicts’
 What is possible

Learner’s Inner
Journey
Conflicts

What is
Inner conflicts of a learner could be...
Inner conflicts of a learner could be...

Cynicism, Skepticism
Inner conflicts of a learner could be...

Trying is the first step

towards failure
- Homer Simpson

Cynicism, Skepticism
Fear of Failure or Ridicule
(what will other’s think of me)
Inner conflicts of a learner could be...

Trying is the first step

towards failure
- Homer Simpson

Cynicism, Skepticism
Fear of Failure or Ridicule
(what will other’s think of me)

Inertia to Act or lack of

energy and enthusiasm
Inner conflicts of a learner could be...

Trying is the first step

towards failure
- Homer Simpson

Cynicism, Skepticism
Fear of Failure or Ridicule
(what will other’s think of me)

Inertia to Act or lack of

energy and enthusiasm

Rigid Mindset
(habits die hard)
Inner conflicts of a learner could be...

Lack of Self-Efficacy
Self-belief about lack of abilities,
that in-turn leads to lesser effort
being put into learning
Inner conflicts of a learner could be...

Lack of Self-Efficacy
Self-belief about lack of abilities,
that in-turn leads to lesser effort
being put into learning

Boredom & Anxiety

Inner conflicts of a learner could be...

Lack of Self-Efficacy
Self-belief about lack of abilities,
that in-turn leads to lesser effort
being put into learning

Boredom & Anxiety

Ambiguity or Lack of Clarity

Inner conflicts of a learner could be...

Lack of Self-Efficacy
Self-belief about lack of abilities,
that in-turn leads to lesser effort
being put into learning

Boredom & Anxiety

Ambiguity or Lack of Clarity Focus on Problems not Solutions

4. Help Learners Resolve their Conflicts
- Benevolent, allow mistakes
- Freedom to fail, often
- Provide Motivation - recognition, reputation
- Connect learning with learners’ personal needs
- Build trust through integrity and competence
- Critique not criticize
HOW: a few examples

(Source: Peter Senge’s book

‘Fifth Discipline’)

(Source: Jim Collin’s book

‘Good to Great’)
In their book ‘Switch - how to change things when change is hard’
authors Chip and Dan Heath take a deeper look at inner conflicts...
They look at the inner conflict as a dilemma bet ween ‘HEART and
MIND’ and use the analogy given by psychologist, Jonathan Haidt...
Your Mind or rational side is THE
RIDER
Your Heart or emotional side is
THE ELEPHANT
THE RIDER (mind or rationality)
(+)
- is a visionary (thinks long-term)
- good at planning and direction
- accepts delayed gratification
(-)
- Over analyzes (analysis-paralysis)
- Limited strength (self-supervision is exhausting)
THE ELEPHANT (heart or emotions)
(+)
- can provide energy and enthusiasm
- responds well to positive emotions
- love, compassion, empathy, loyalty
(-)
- lazy and unpredictable
- desires instant gratification
- negative emotions (loss of energy or focus)
“What looks like Laziness is often Exhaustion“

What is What is possible

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THE RIDER
Changing habits is tiring (self-control is exhausting)
Prefer to maintain status quo
Sees only problems on the path of change
Too many choices (analysis paralysis)
“What looks like Resistance is often Lack of Clarity“

What is What is possible

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How
Thi
Why

THE ELEPHANT Id
Why change? No emotional connect with change
The challenge is too big
I don’t have the ability (lack of self-efficacy)
How should I go about it - what steps?
To Resolve the Inner Conflict,
and bring about change (from ’what is’ to
’what is possible’), you need to appeal to
both the rider and the elephant
 (Albert Bandura)

5. Help Learners Build their Self-Efficacy

 Self-belief about lack of abilities,
that in-turn leads to lesser effort
being put-in

- Negative self-percept
- Get distracted from performing well

Result of building Self Efficacy

HOW: a few examples