Teenagers are fun to work with; in a training capacity, that's my favourite age-group. My sessions are interactive because I want to learn from them as much as they want to be inspired by me. The most difficult part is gaining credibility in the first few minutes. My sessions last for two, maybe three hours. For such a short window of influence, first impressions are key.
If you're ever faced with a room of teenagers, here are some strategies (discovered by accident), which will help win their respect:
If you're ever faced with a room of teenagers, here are some strategies (discovered by accident), which will help win their respect:
- Walk into the room with a skateboard (or a cool prop, make sure you can demonstrate with confidence).
- Casually pull out Beats headphones or use some new gadget and place in a conspicuous place.
- Dress bright and colourful. Look smart, not too formal, not too casual.
- Engage in 'non-school' behaviour. Do not at any point resort to acting like a teacher.
- Act cool if someone tries to heckle you. The heckler is your most important ally. Use him/her as your point of reference for the rest of the session.
- Write down all their names and associate them with a funny story. (For new groups, I ask for embarrassing moments after I've shared mine).
- Incorporate lots of movement and creativity. Split them into teams and initiate a timed competition. I encourage acting and story-telling.
- Play up tempo music in the background, especially during activities.
- Praise. Praise. Praise. Find something to congratulate individuals - there is nothing more rewarding for a teenager than to have their area of passion recognised and fostered.
- Don't be afraid to ask what inspires them.
- Be an interesting person. If you're cool, half the battle is won. This involves spending time with teenagers outside of your professional capacity.
P.S. On a recent session on creative writing, I noted the 'popular' themes: Snow, Romance, Dark Rooms, Zombies, Vampires, Dance, Harry Potter, Greek Mythology, Detective Stories, Psychopaths... (the future of Indian fiction is going to be interesting)!