Lesson Objectives

• Understand the psychology behind resistance to learning new tools and methods

• Learn practical strategies for increasing engagement through problem-solving

• Discover how to demonstrate immediate value to reluctant learners

Do Now

Before we get started, take a moment to reflect on a time when you were resistant to learning something new. What eventually changed your mind? Was it seeing a practical benefit, peer influence, or something else?

What We’re Working with Today

Today we'll explore a challenge that every educator faces: how to engage learners who show resistance or indifference to new knowledge. Whether we're helping colleagues adopt AI tools or trying to engage students in traditional subjects, the core principles of motivation and engagement remain surprisingly similar.

I Do, We Do, You Do

I Do: Here’s What I Discovered

This week, I had an enlightening conversation with our assistant superintendent about staff resistance to AI adoption. The discussion sparked a broader realization about teaching and learning that applies universally: people engage when they see direct value to their lives.

What started as a conversation about staff observations eventually led to AI and LLMs. At one point he asked me, "what about the significant percentage of staff that just don't want to use AI? How do you convince them to learn it?" I told him what I have learned from all the courses I have taken recently—you solve a problem for them. You take something that is a current pain point for them and you make it significantly less painful.

I did this with our special education TOSA just a few days earlier. We were creating a parent input form and I asked her to describe what she was envisioning. Together, we reworded it and added some detail and I hit enter on Claude. Then I showed her as Claude proceeded to create the questions for us within seconds. Exactly how we had asked it to.

She wasn’t opposed to AI, but she hadn’t explored it yet. In that moment, she was converted. She saw that with a strong prompt, LLMs could transform our thoughts into a final product. This is how you convince someone they want to learn something—you should them the value and direct impact it can have on their life.

We Do: Let’s Inspire Together

Follow this step-by-step guide to transform resistance into engagement:

1. Identify the Pain Point

   • Listen to your learner's frustrations

   • Document their current workflow or learning challenges

   • Understand what matters most to them

2. Create a Compelling "Before and After" Scenario

   • Show how much time/effort is currently being spent

   • Demonstrate a concrete improvement

   • Focus on immediate benefits, not theoretical advantages

3. Start Small, Win Big

   • Choose one specific problem to solve

   • Ensure success in the first attempt

   • Let the learner experience the benefit firsthand

4. Build on Success

   • Use the first win as a foundation for more learning

   • Connect new concepts to proven benefits

   • Gradually expand the scope of learning

You Do: Your Mini Task for the Week

Now it's your turn! Choose one resistant learner (student or colleague) and:

1. Have a conversation focused solely on understanding their challenges

2. Identify one specific task that causes them frustration

3. Design a solution that provides immediate relief

4. Document the before/after impact

Here’s a little holiday gift: AI Student Engagement Prompt Pack. You can use these prompts to increase student engagement. Simply copy and paste into your LLM of choice (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, etc.) and change any [words in brackets] to your specific situation. Then watch the magic unfold in front of you.

Think-Pair-Share

• Think of 3 tasks that your resistant learners find most frustrating

• Pair up with a colleague to brainstorm how these tasks could be simplified or automated

• Share your success stories with our community of educators when you break through with a resistant learner and connect with other Edumators who are transforming their classrooms with AI and automation.

Exit Ticket

Ready to explore automation and take control of your processes? Join the FREE 30-Day AI & Automation Email Course for Educators to learn how to build solutions tailored to your needs.

Do you know a parent of a student with special needs that wants to learn how to better advocate for their child? Share our newly launched SPED Code Advocacy Guide blog with them!

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