How did the ‘P&P’ (Possibility & Probability) approach evolve?
“After working with troubled children & youth for over a decade, I realize that these young people were very special, with different wants and needs. Identifying these differences was the toughest challenge, as the youths themselves were unsure about what they wanted. So I began experimenting with different approaches and methods to motivate them to excel in their studies.
In
the beginning, most approaches known to the educational community did not
get the desired results I wanted. True, some youth did benefit from traditional
approaches, but not the majority. The reasons for those failures were very
clear. They all used the approach of ‘I-know-what’s-right-for-you’.
Part of this failure, I believe, is because these textbook approaches were
designed with Western students in mind. Asia’s current educational systems are very exam & results orientated. Students able to score high grades are well recognized and given a lot of positive reinforcement.
Others, unable to score good grades, are side-lined in most schools. These students are placed in classes called EM2, EM3 (primary school) & NA, NT (secondary school). My observations revealed that these students, unable to cope, were very seldom ‘heard’ by the teachers as to what they really wanted and needed. Even if listened to, they were still only encouraged to “do their best” to cope with the current system.
The important question here is, have they been ‘heard’ or had they been side-lined once again? My key observation was that these special groups of students weren’t gaining any self-worth from what they were doing, and almost no reinforcement for their achievements.
Two important things that unmotivated students need is, one, to be HEARD and secondly, to be given and shown SELF-WORTH. To be heard and to have self-worth are the keys which unlock their lost interest in studies, and to changing any negative behaviors they were displaying.
After finding the keys to their lost motivation and interest, I developed the ‘P&P’ approach with our Eastern students in mind. Allowing the students to be ‘heard’ and allowing them to build self-worth is the secret to motivating the unmotivated ones. The ‘P&P’ model of motivation is unique and creative. It empowers the youth to choose what they want to achieve in education. At the same time, it teaches them to see their progress after a very short period of time.
Two key questions determine the interest and motivation levels in these students. 1: Do you like exams? 2: Do you like to pass an exam? 100% of the students who are not motivated in studies will give the answer NO to question 1. Yet, the same 100% will say YES to question 2.
After
an evaluation by our counselors, we can firmly define what the student does
not like about the learning process, and key them into their love of success
and achievement. But it’s not an instant process, it takes the kind
of guidance and adherence that we’ve developed at DeMontfort’s
Youth & Family Consultancy Services.”