Activating teaching methods in VMBO

In a special edition of Sardes I came across an interesting article on activating teaching methods in VMBO (pre-vocational secondary education). Perhaps the most important group of all when it comes to adapting teaching to the students in front of you. Without wanting to generalise, let us state the obvious: “the” VMBO student is not exactly known for a high degree of intrinsic motivation to sit through every lesson, particularly lessons that demand a long attention span. In general subjects we often see students struggling to keep up and to get the most out of their learning. We also know that when a VMBO student is genuinely interested, a world opens up in which involvement and attention are suddenly very much present.
With activating teaching methods the student takes an active working attitude, and the day seems to fly by for student and teacher alike.
In his article, René Melisse sets out a number of possibilities, and also a number of conditions.
From Franzen Consultancy I would stress an integrated approach, in which activating teaching is one component. Working together as a team, and thinking jointly about different teaching formats within a learning organisation, are important factors too.
The new examination programmes have to be introduced, and in September 2016 they start at every VMBO school. For many organisations this is a complicated process, given everything the new programmes make possible. As far as we are concerned, this is the moment to hold the organisation up to the light, look at where its strengths lie, and put those to work in an activating organisation where student and teacher alike get going with motivation.

Marc Franzen