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In their Exchange article, "You Gotta Catch Fire Before You Can Burn Out," James Strickland and Stuart Reynolds review their research on unenthusiastic teachers and provide tips on getting them enthusiastic about training. Here is an excerpt:

"The first step towards achieving more enthusiasm is to realize that effective training is more than just transmitting information. Before the transmission begins, the trainer must be sure that the trainee is prepared to receive. That preparation requires that the trainer get the trainee turned on, enthused about (or at least interested in) the training. Then, the trainer must generate the trainee's enthusiasm for the particular topic. This means that the trainer must understand the trainee as well as he or she understands his or her topic.

"Given what we know about many of the non-fired up persons, we began to experiment with training adapted more to their interests. For example, we were having trouble particularly in gaining trainee interest in methods of developing a child's self-esteem until we found a trainer who had expertise in that area and who had also been a bit player on the TV show 'Dallas.' Given her other skills and expertise, she was able to both dramatize the points effectively and interlace examples with anecdotes about who shot JR."

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Exchange offers you a range of resources on improving staff performance. First, you can read the entire "You Gotta Catch Fire..." article on the Exchange web site. Second, your can find this article, plus 50 others on leadership on the new Exchange CD Book, Leading People in Early Childhood Settings. Finally, you can acquire this CD Book, plus the following Exchange resources at a discounted price when you order the Manager's Tool Kit:

• The Art of Leadership: Managing Early Childhood Organizations
• Managing Money: A Center Director’s Guidebook
• Beginnings Workshops Book #8 - Professionalism
• 250 Management Success Stories from Child Care Directors
• Developing Capable, Creative Teachers CD Book
• Leading People in Early Childhood Settings CD Book

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