Start With Why: Simple Ways to Build Connection, Relevance & Engagement From Day One
What happens in the first few days can shape what happens for months afterward.
Every educator wants to start the year well.
But it doesn’t take long before some familiar challenges begin to appear.
Students who don’t seem interested in learning.
Students asking, “Why do I need to know this?”
Behavior that begins interfering with instruction.
Students who shut down, refuse to participate, or give up quickly.
Peer conflicts and classroom disconnection.
Young people who simply don’t seem to believe that school has much to do with their future.
We can’t prevent every challenge.
But we can be intentional about the foundation we build before many of those challenges take hold.
Free Webinar for Educators
Thursday August 20th
1:00 – 2:00 PM MT | 12 PT | 2 CT | 3 ET
Save your spot!
Join WhyTry for a practical, free webinar focused on simple things educators can do at the beginning of the school year.
In this webinar, experienced education leaders from WhyTry will share strategies that help students:
- Feel seen, known, and valued
- Build positive connections with teachers and classmates
- Recognize strengths they already possess
- See greater relevance and purpose in what they are learning
- Connect what they do in school with skills, opportunities, and future choices
- Begin the year with a stronger sense of hope and direction
The goal isn’t another complicated initiative.
Most teachers already have more than enough on their plates.
That’s why we’ll focus on simple, practical strategies that can fit into what educators are already doing.
We’ll also introduce The First Five: Focus on Why
five short activities designed to take approximately five minutes during the first five days of school.
Together, they reinforce five important messages:
- You matter here.
- We’re better when we connect.
- You have strengths you can build on.
- What you do here can matter to your future.
- Your future is worth thinking about.
These aren’t just feel-good messages.
They can help create the conditions for greater engagement, stronger relationships, better classroom participation, and fewer of the preventable behavior struggles that often emerge when students feel disconnected or fail to see the point of school.
In this webinar, we’ll explore:
How connection affects engagement
Why helping students feel noticed and known matters before we ever ask them to take academic risks.
How to help students discover their “why”
Practical ways to connect what happens in the classroom with skills, opportunities, choices, and students’ futures.
Small ways to build belonging
Simple interactions that can help students discover common ground and feel more comfortable participating.
How strengths and future thinking build motivation
Helping students recognize what they already have to build on—and what they want to become.
Start the year by giving students a reason to engage.
But you can help create a classroom where students begin to believe:
- I matter here.
- Someone notices me.
- I can grow.
- There is a reason for what I’m learning.
- What I do today can affect what is possible tomorrow.
And that can be a powerful place to begin.
Free Webinar for Educators
Thursday August 20th
1:00 – 2:00 PM MT | 12 PT | 2 CT | 3 ET
Save your spot!
💬 Know a colleague who’d benefit? Share the link—this is a conversation every educator should be part of.
Meet our panelists:
Hans Magleby
Hans Magleby is the co-founder of WhyTry and creator of the transformative WhyTry Program, used in thousands of schools in the US and internationally. Hans is a former teacher and has over 20 years of experience as a trainer, and education consultant, specializing in student engagement and building emotional resilience. Hans has a diverse background in fine art technology, product development, and instructional design. He was formerly the art director for a video game company and a tech entrepreneur. Hans has a passion for using technology to teach and engage youth and has been dedicated to the growth and mission of WhyTry, developing practical tools to teach resilience and motivate youth. Hans frequently speaks to audiences of educators, administrators, counselors, and mental health professionals across the US.
Jason Johnson
Jason Johnson is a licensed school psychologist and Director of Training & Research for WhyTry, where he consults and trains educators nationwide on resilience-based strategies to support student success. A nationally recognized expert in resilience education, he has spoken at hundreds of conferences and led WhyTry program implementations in schools, healthcare, corporate settings, and the U.S. Military. Passionate about helping students overcome challenges, Jason is dedicated to creating a culture of resilience in education.