Once upon a time, “Because I said so” was a valid answer to the question, “Why am I learning this?”
No more. Young people are savvier now, more aware of the world and what matters, and more inclined to balk at learning material that they don’t consider to be of value to them.
That’s why, whenever possible, I start by addressing the “why” of the lesson.
If you understand why this knowledge will be of value, I don’t have to do any convincing to get you to dig in and learn it. You’re on board.
It’s one of the best ways to know if you’ve really given a compelling reason to study to your students: if they don’t seem interested, you haven’t shown why it’s valuable to them.
Start with the “why” of the lesson and watch your students get engaged in their own learning.