Selling the move
"Selling the move" is a professional wrestling term that refers to the need to make the act convincing in order to keep the audience engaged while not actually harming your opponent. In teaching, the term means to convince your students that the subject matter is worth caring about and being involved with; this task is particularly crucial for general education classes like history that students are only taking because they have no other choice. Remember that just because you might love the subject matter, it doesn't mean that they do.
I teach Math. Not a very exciting topic for most of my students. But I also teach Excel spreadsheet classes. I let students know that Math is important not for the sake of doing problems but because you need to understand how to use the tools you have available such as excel and calculators. This ususally works.
I think that if my high school history teacher had used this method I might have been more interested in the class! I spent hours memorizing names and dates only to forget them directly after the test because I never felt like it was going to be relevant to my future. Granted I do not use any of it in my career, I have children now in high school that ask me questions I cannot answer, even though I know I was taught it in school.
Hi William,
I found your post quite interesting. I believe that an instructors passion and love of the subject will demonstrate on some level the importance of the subject matter. However, paired with this is the clear real world examples of how relevant the material is and how it will benefit the learners.
Kind Regards,
Lee
I learned about the term "selling the move" from your post and appreciate being able to put that in my toolbox. Explaining to students that learning a skill could get them a higher pay grade is one example of "selling the move" that I use. Learning history and information on the local business people may help in networking opportunities as well.
Thank you,
Edee K
Hi Edith,
Anytime you can mention the potential of their income in a partcular field students are sold.
Patricia
