New Learning Normal Archievable through Critical Follow Up and Implementation of lessons from Seminars

The new normal today is coping with existence of Coronavirus in our day today life. Those who have accessed the vaccine seem to be good to go. Those who have outlived past attacks, equally seem to have gained some immunity, as they await the vaccine. Based on the vaccine issue particularly, our empowerment mission in schools has constantly kept taking the desired shape, on a continuing basis.

Alongside, recent discussions with a keen follower of this forum since inception in June 2018, were rather thought provocative. Why? He wondered how institutions can transform their performance after empowerment sessions of only 2 hours? Further, how possible would it be that all the institutions excel as expected? That has certainly led to revisiting performance of the schools we have empowered over the years.

Particularly, we are encouraged by the fact that only a few isolated cases have failed to improve in performance as expected. One school engaged us in Mid-July 2018 for the form 3 & 4 class. The principal retired the same month and seemed to have gone home with the performance spirit of the form 4 class – the school’s performance dropped marginally. The form 3 class seemed to have re-captured the performance spirit and performed well in 2019.

Apparently, all the other schools we empowered in 2018, seemed to have have performed well. That explains ….”We wish to commend your endeavors of improving education standards in the country,”…wrote the KNEC CEO and former KICD Research Director, on 15th Jan 2019, upon request for performance statistics of the schools we had empowered in 2018.

Sadly, the Coronavirus pandemic has had some negative impact in about 2 of the schools that we empowered in January, February and early March 2020. Enquiry from the schools concerned indicated that there was little or no follow up on the lessons from our seminar, after the school system had shut down for TEN MONTHS. Very sad indeed!!

The truth is that our empowerment mission in schools ALWAYS seeks to address 4 deeply rooted challenges that affect every Kenyan School. The same which end up becoming great leads towards eventual disempowerment include Poor Reading Culture, poor attitudes, indiscipline and challenged focus. Based on research, we realized that all the 4 affect teachers as well as students.

As such, we formulated an empowerment strategy that seems to be working quite well, in every institution that embraces our empowerment strategy. As seasoned professional trainers as well as trainers of trainers, we know that each seminar (whether for one hour, one day, 3 days etc ) MUST have a set of expected achievements, which MUST BE GUIDED by OBJECTIVES. Herebelow are the expectations, in our case;-

Students’ Seminar Objectives
After the session, the participants will have learnt how to

1. Align with 21st Century Mentalities as learning continues
2. Solve current and future empowerment challenges
3. Acquire Strategic Direction in studies, life and
4. Align Studies with their natural orientations

Teachers’ Seminar Objectives
After the Seminar, the participants will have learnt how to

1. Align themselves with the 21st Century Paradigms
2. Help solve current and future empowerment challenges
3. Acquire Strategic Direction in their work and life beyond the workplace.
4. Become more articulate in mentorship
5. Become admirable role models.

The rest is strategic activities and respective causes of action. Meanwhile, wherever we conduct the seminar for teachers, feedback has been that the lessons learnt contribute to not only their personal, but also their school’s performance strategy as well. Some schools engage us for the students’ seminar too, upon this experience. A combination of the two suddenly transforms the behaviors/culture in the school, once the lessons learnt are implemented. Please keep in mind that, it takes 20-30 days for new behaviors to become new normals. Sadly, coronavirus pandemic blocked that from happening for some of the schools in 2020.

Luckily, we have adopted 2 strategies for the ongoing and future form 2 & 3 Classes. That includes those that have previously passed through our empowerment sessions. The first, which is also quite crucial is to ensure that the guidance and counselling teams are fully involved in our seminars. That leads to continued FOLLOW UP that is now inevitable. Secondly, we recently introduced a BOOSTER SEMINAR for Students, that is quite interesting.

Tittle: SMART 21st CENTURY STUDYING STRATEGY
Seminar Objectives
After the seminar, the participants will have

1. Learnt proven strategies that will inspire them towards studies
2. Understood how to avoid panics associated with exam seasons
3. Known exactly how to plan sustainable learning strategies
4. Become aware of how to harness intrinsic motivation

This second empowerment strategy seals all the disruptions that could block improvement of desired performance. The same have worked practically well, even in higher levels of education.

Finally, it is now clear how performance of schools has been transformed through empowerment sessions of only 2 hours. Most importantly, all that matters is the degree of follow up and implementation of the lessons learnt, isn’t it?

Rgds

Mwangi Wanjumbi (MKIM)
Personal Empowerment Coach
Seasoned Speaker/Trainer on Strategy, Performance, Change Management and Leadership.
Officially UNSUNG Architect of CBC
Author of 1. KICD approved Career Dynamics in the 21st Century, 2. Living Beyond Survival:No More Tiptoeing in Life

3. The 21st Century Student:Are You Creating The Future Today? Also, Retired 5 Year Monthly Strategy Columnist (2013 – 2018) for The SME Today Magazine Phone 254772516210