WATCH VIDEO
Introducing…
Beat the Clock
Have you ever had the experience of watching a boy “waste time” in class but become very focused when you tell him he won’t be able to go our for recess if he’s not done? Many teachers experience this type of thing. Before I did the brain research I thought that the motivation was in the “recess”, but now I believe just as much motivation is in the “timing”. What I mean is that, because boys release testosterone when they set a goal and achieve it, they love any game that lets them do that. By setting a time restriction on a task, you turn give that task “game possibility” and boys are more attracted to it.
How to use it
- Get a timer or cell-phone clock
- Identify the some work to be done–and set the criteria for it’s successful completion.
- Ask a boy who usually is slow in completing work to set a goal for the class regarding how much he thinks they could complete in a set time (usually 5-10 minutes works at the start)
- Invite those who are interested to participate in the 10-minute challenge
- Watch what happens!
Why it works
It again harkens back to our past; successful hunting required intense action at the right time for ancient males, while sustained action with moderate intensity over longer periods of time was essential for the life skills of females. Each gender evolved wiring a brain function to help perform their roles with the most effectiveness, and it means that even today, most boys react well to the stress induced by time-restricted tasks. Interestingly enough, research indicates that most girls do not perform better with this type of approach. So making participation in the timed activity is best made invitational for them.
