Teaching And The Four-Minute Rule (2024)

Teaching And The Four-Minute Rule (2)

What is the most important part of any lesson?

The first four minutes.

After that, it doesn’t matter.

Game over.

Well, if we are applying what Steve McDermott says then those first 240 seconds are all your class will really remember so you’d better make them count and put everything into your intro.

Steve is the author of ‘How to Be a Complete and Utter Failure in Life, Work & Everything: 44 1/2 Steps to Lasting Underachievement‘ and he’s learnt the hard way.

Steve explains that when he has been working away for up to 2 weeks at a time, by the time he get’s back home, he’s usually tired and irritable from the journey.

The thing is, his wife let’s their children stay up to see their dad. Nothing wrong with that but Steve is shattered and he’s not really in the mood for 3 kids to jump on him as he walks through the door.

His kids would be naturally over the moon to see their dad but Steve just wanted to collapse and relax and his reaction wouldn’t always be the best: “Kids, please just let me get through the door. Let me put my case down. Let me get my jacket off. Come on, give me a break, I’ve been travelling for hours.”

His wife reminded Steve that there would be a time in the future when his kids wouldn’t be bothered whether their dad was home or not.

Steve decided to change tack and thought “What would the best dad in the world do?”

So when he came back from a trip the next time he opened the door and dived on the kids, giving them lots of love and told them how great it was to see them.

What he noticed was that after about 4 minutes the kids got fed up and went off to do whatever they were doing before.

The principle behind the four-minute rule is that the first 4 minutes of every interaction are the most important.

Okay, from a teaching point of view, the whole lesson matters but it is definitely the case that the first few minutes decide what level of engagement and interest follows. We’ve got to make those minutes matter!

The ‘four-minute rule’ is best explained in the following video by the man himself.

Teaching And The Four-Minute Rule (2024)

FAQs

What is the 4 minute rule? ›

The 4 minute rule says: “If you don't want to go then get your gear on, and set out for your workout.” If after four minutes you still don't want to be out there, then stop and walk home.

What is the 10 minute rule in teaching? ›

To keep students engaged, you must win the battle for their attention every 10 minutes. I call this the 10-minute rule. Every 10 minutes I use what I call a “hook” to refocus my audience on my topic or message. I also organize my material in a hierarchical fashion, because that is how the brain processes information.

What is the 4 minute rule in psychology? ›

What he noticed was that after about 4 minutes the kids got fed up and went off to do whatever they were doing before. The principle behind the four-minute rule is that the first 4 minutes of every interaction are the most important.

What is a 4 minute offense? ›

The four-minute offense is the opposite of the two-minute. You're trying to bleed time off the clock with a lead instead of conserving time when you're behind. Base runs and MAYBE a playaction pass is usually what is included in the four-minute package.

What is Hank Green's degree in? ›

Hank Green earned a bachelor's degree in biochemistry from Eckerd College and a master's degree in environmental studies from the University of Montana.

What happened to the VlogBrothers? ›

Hank's Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis and aftermath (2023–present) In light of Hank's May 2023 Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis, the brothers announced that videos would likely not be uploaded with the same regularity while Hank underwent treatment and John took on more responsibilities at Complexly and DFTBA Records.

How old is John Green from the crash course? ›

John Green
Age43 years
BornAugust 24, 1977
GenderMale
Height1.85m
8 more rows

What is the 5-minute rule in life? ›

The Five-Minute Rule

Using the 5-minute rule, you set a goal of doing whatever it is you would otherwise avoid, but you only do it for a set amount of time: five minutes. If, after five minutes, it's so horrible that you have to stop, you're free to do so. Mission accomplished.

What is the 5-minute rule in psychology? ›

The 5-Minute Rule is a simple yet effective technique to combat procrastination. It involves committing to work on a task or activity for just five minutes, without the pressure of completing it entirely within that timeframe.

What is the 5-minute rule for Getting Things Done? ›

The 5-minute rule is a cognitive-behavioral technique tailored to beat procrastination and enhance productivity. The trick is to commit to spending just five minutes on whatever task you're avoiding, and then you're free to stop if you want. Most often, the hardest part is starting.

What is the 5 minutes a day rule? ›

To have success in any area of life, we need consistency. That consistency starts with aloting 5 minutes a day to focus on 1 thing that is for you. Its something that you need to do to reach your goals. In as little as 5 minutes, you are creating a habit that will become central to your success.

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