MI in the school setting and with kiddos!

One of the things I love to do the most is disseminating information.

I love spreading the word.

So today, I’m gonna spread the word about Motivational Interviewing making its way into schools!

(And if you don’t work in schools or with kids and you know someone who does, send this to them!)

Motivational Interviewing got its start in the substance abuse realm in the early 1980’s.

Clients, who were struggling with ambivalence about drinking, were not responding well to providers telling them what to do. They didn’t always respond with compliance when providers warned them of the consequences of not changing, confronted them, and attempted persuading them via educating them and giving information.

It’s not a stretch at all to rephrase this related to schools:

Students, who struggle with ambivalence about a whole lot of behaviors, don’t always respond well to teachers, parents, administrators and counselors telling them what to do. Many students don’t respond with compliance when providers warn them of the consequences of not changing, confront them, and attempt to persuade them via educating them and giving information.

Some of the strongest research that supports Motivational Interviewing is the use of MI with populations that struggle with providers undermining their autonomy- teenagers, those involved in mandated services, and minorities.

Motivational Interviewing is an essential skill for working with kids. MI has already made its way into coaching, early childhood education, school counseling, and the classroom.

I offer a free webinar series each year, and last week, Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT) member Brian Linhart provided a 2-hour webinar on Motivational Interviewing in schools. He’s writing his doctoral dissertation, analyzing the correlation between the use of Motivational Interviewing in a school counseling setting with the academic performance of academically at-risk high school students. He shared his expertise with MI Center for Change community and I’m so thankful!

In case you missed it, there’s a lot of cool information out there already about the use of Motivational Interviewing in schools. Brian and I compiled some resources for you if this is an area of interest!!

FREE Resources for MI in Schools

Podcast: Talking to Change

• Episode S4 E48: MI in Schools
• Episode S6 E64: Common Questions in MI
  • There is a specific part asking about how young a client can be that you can use MI with; good to show it can work with elementary-aged students.
• Episode S1 E11: Teaching and Learning MI
  • Tips on how to learn and practice skills in MI
• The first 6 episodes to start the podcast (S1 E1 – 6) cover the spirit, core skills, 4 processes, compassion, Rogers and MI, & change talk.

Podcast: Motivational Interviewing & Beyond

S2 E3: Giving Advice & Feedback: Sport, School, and Beyond
Facebook group

YouTube

Videos of MI with adolescents via the MerloLab YouTube channel.

And finally, a resource for those working in early childhood education (and it includes demos!):

• Head Start Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center

Books about MI in Schools (we aren’t selling these, just sharing resources!)

• Main MI book: Motivational Interviewing Book (2023 edition)
• MI in Schools
• MI for School Counselors
• MI With Adolescents & Young Adults
• MI In Schools: Strategies for Engaging Parents, Teachers, and Students
• MI for Effective Classroom Management
• Coaching Athletes to Be Their Best Motivational Interviewing in Sports This one is obviously good for people that work in schools and are also coaches, but can be applied generally when working with younger clients!

Motivational Interviewing Tip of the Week:

Whether you work with school-aged kids or not, consider the ways Motivational Interviewing can support change while sidestepping power struggles and empower your clients to make changes. Motivational Interviewing techniques such as reflective listening, engagement with curiosity and evocation, and supporting client autonomy are also super helpful when working with those mandated to change!

Watch my full video here!