NLP Experiments

Here is a copy of my NLP project

Matrix Essential Training Alliance Ltd
Practitioner project: Enhanced classroom management by improving state and building rapport

Context and Rationale
As part of my work as a Lecturer in Hairdressing at Ealing, Hammersmith and West London College, I teach a large group of 16 – 19 year old girls. There are 18 students in the class and, in my opinion; many of the students have behavioural issues. More than half of the class also have problems with attendance and punctuality. With constant disruption from late students and bad behaviour it has become more and more difficult to teach the group.

After the NLP practitioner course the main issue that I needed to address was the management of my class. I became aware in our first NLP weekend that every time I described my 'naughty' group I screwed up my face and felt miserable. Yet when I described working with my 'good' group I would smile, have open body language and generally feel happier. So I decided that day that my main NLP experiment would be to walk into the bad lesson as I would for the good one.

My understanding was that I was probably adding to the bad atmosphere by entering the class in a very negative state.

The Focus of my project
My aim was to alter my state prior to entering the classroom. To be positive, smile and use open body language to help shift the bad atmosphere and build a much better rapport with my students. I was not sure if this alone would impact enough to change the punctuality and attendance issues that hung over the class, so I took Kate’s suggestion of planning all the exciting activities at the start of the lesson, to encourage latecomers to feel as if they were ‘missing out’. To really add to this it was important not to say anything to latecomers. My final aim was to carryout one to one sessions with each student to discuss and try to focus the student on her own ‘Well Formed Outcomes’ (WFO). I remembered Kate saying that the positives needed to be bigger than the negatives.

My own WFO was simple, to get away from the dreaded anarchy of the usual lessons and forward to a brighter learning environment.

The elements of NLP used
· Changing state: Switching my negative state to a positive state, by altering my verbal and non-verbal language.
· ‘Fake it till you make it’: Pretending to be in a positive state even when really I wanted to climb the walls.
· WFO and What’s in it for me? (WIIFM):Creating positive outcomes that were much greater than the negative ones.

Strategies
By improving my own state I was able to alter the state of the class. An infectious smile, open body language and effective use of words really helped turn the class around. I tried harder to be supportive and build rapport with individuals through little chats and positive statements. I also gave the class little pep talks to spur them on. My best example was a ‘practical workshop’ where I planned a seven-minute video to demonstrate a haircut and then set the class to work on their tuition heads with step-by-step handouts. I briefed the whole class before we started, taking care to ignore latecomers and bad behaviour, then I walked around the class continuously chatting on a one to one basis with each student. I kept very positive and it really worked.

The students all had a go at what we were doing, which sounds reasonably normal, but sadly it is not always the case with this class. The students were chirpy and afterwards we discussed the ups and downs of the haircut. I told them that I was sure that they could all achieve a competent assessment by their third attempt…and they did!

Changing my own state was much harder than I thought, however, my best technique seemed to be the ‘fake it till you make it technique’. As I worked as a hairdresser for ten years, where you have to be polite and positive towards the clients at all times, even when you are miserable, I found the fake it technique much easier. Once the more friendly rapport was in place with the students I no longer needed to fake it, as it came naturally.

Sometimes with students the long-term goal of completing the course is not enough to motivate learners. I tend to find that younger learners do not want to appear too eager as they fear their peers will deem them ‘un cool’. However, constantly chatting about how after the next few weeks they would be able to cut the hair into this or that style, they automatically linked their new abilities to their social circle, “I can cut my mate’s hair” and even better when they hear that they can do it “for money”.

The impact
It became very clear early on in that first lesson with the video and the handouts that the techniques had worked. I had never shown the class a video before, as I always prefer to do my own demonstrations so that I can teach my own styles, rather than alternative techniques. It worked well as it was a varied teaching tool. By the next session I had A3 step-by-step guides printed and laminated and I placed these on the wall. Which is great as learners can investigate areas they are unsure of without my help.

Before the experiments I had been the bad guy in every lesson, but as the new rapport set in I developed a much more productive relationship with my students. They started to tell me stories of their families and friends hair disasters and asked questions in a relaxed manner which I had never witnessed before.

In the short term these experiments have really improved the state of the class and even punctuality. I am particularly glad that I am not so stressed all the time as it makes my job a lot more pleasant. The real test will be at the end of the year when I see how many have achieved, but for now they are back on track and making well needed progress.