Hooks and anchors remind Cooperative Extension educators to engage participants so they will attend programming and learn. The hook brings them in and sets the stage for learning. The anchor is the weight or content of the presentation. Examples refer to Cooperative Extension professionals, volunteers, and youth. Experiential learning is a hook, and life skills are anchors for youth

Carroll, Jan B

Wolfe, Kathy

English

Clemson University: TigerPrints

The Journal of Extension Volume 41 Number 4 Article 18 8-1-2003 Hooks and Anchors in Youth Development Program Delivery Kathy Wolfe Colorado State University Cooperative Extension, kwolfe@larimer.org Jan B. Carroll Colorado State University Cooperative Extension, jan.carroll@colostate.edu This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License. Recommended Citation Wolfe, K., & Carroll, J. B. (2003). Hooks and Anchors in Youth Development Program Delivery. The Journal of Extension, 41(4), Article 18. https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/joe/vol41/iss4/18 This Ideas at Work is brought to you for free and open access by the Conferences at TigerPrints. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Journal of Extension by an authorized editor of TigerPrints. For more information, please contact kokeefe@clemson.edu. 	 JOEHOME JOURNAL GUIDELINES ABOUT	JOE CONTACT NATIONAL	JOB	BANKCurrent	Issues Back	IssuesAugust	2003	//	Volume	41	//	Number	4	//	Ideas	at	Work	//	4IAW2Hooks	and	Anchors	in	Youth	Development	Program	DeliveryAbstractHooks	and	anchors	remind	Cooperative	Extension	educators	to	engage	participants	so	they	willattend	programming	and	learn.	The	hook	brings	them	in	and	sets	the	stage	for	learning.	Theanchor	is	the	weight	or	content	of	the	presentation.	Examples	refer	to	Cooperative	Extensionprofessionals,	volunteers,	and	youth.	Experiential	learning	is	a	hook,	and	life	skills	are	anchorsfor	youth.	As	a	part	of	a	learner-centered	model,	Extension	educators	can	think	of	their	lessons	in	terms	of	a"hooks	and	anchors"	analogy.	The	hook	is	a	technique,	framework,	or	model	of	engagement.	It	issomething	that	brings	people	in	to	an	event	or	into	the	content.	The	anchor	is	the	value	thatmakes	the	learning	experience	sink	in	and	become	relevant	for	the	participant.	It	may	be	obviousor	deeply	embedded	in	the	lesson.Hooks	Engage	LearnersTimpson,	Burgoyne,	Jones,	&	Jones	(1997)	point	out	that	engagement	is	"somewhat	slippery	toidentify	and	measure	as	a	researchable	construct	[but]	students	can	certainly	tell	you	whether	ornot	they	were	absorbed	in	a	particular	lecture.	They	can	describe	what	gets	their	attention,	whatsustains	it,	what	allows	them	to	drift	off,	and	what	turns	them	off	completely."	(p.	46)	Theengagement,	or	hook,	overcomes	resistance	to	attendance	or	a	particular	subject.	The	more	cleveror	valuable	to	the	learner	the	hook	is,	the	more	effective	it	is	in	engaging	the	learner.Anchors	Set	the	ContentThe	anchor	in	4-H	educational	experiences	is	the	"weight"	of	the	lesson.	Based	on	learnerobjectives,	the	anchor	is	the	knowledge	base	the	learner	needs	to	have.	Facts,	statistics,vocabulary,	and	research-based	evidence	are	examples	of	anchors	that	help	participants	learnmore	about	a	subject.	Anchors	can	be	the	preliminary	information	needed	for	performing	a	task	orcreating	a	product.The	use	of	analogies	for	teaching	has	been	described	by	experts	in	the	field	of	literacy	as	a	verypowerful	teaching	tool	(Stahl,	Duffy-Hester,	&	Stahl,	1998).	Analogy-based	approaches	have	beenused	in	the	acquisition	and	mastery	of	language	skills	and	focus	of	anchor	words.	Students	useanchor	words	to	learn	the	meaning	of	yet	more	words.Youth	programs	must	remember	the	anchor	when	planning	programming,	so	that	presentationshave	outcomes	that	can	be	measured.	Life	skills	(Hendricks,	1998)	are	all	anchor	subjects.	Similarto	anchor	words,	they	build	upon	one	another.Examples	of	Hooks	to	Engage	Learners	and	Anchors	to	Set	LearningKathy	WolfeLarimer	County	4-H	Youth	Development	AgentInternet	Address:	kwolfe@larimer.orgJan	B.	Carroll4-H	Youth	Development	SpecialistInternet	Address:	jan.carroll@colostate.eduColorado	State	University	Cooperative	ExtensionFort	Collins,	ColoradoYouthFor	a	4-H	foods	and	nutrition	project	for	youth	ages	eight	to	18,	preparing	and	eating	the	foodstudied	is	the	hook.	Food	in	general	is	an	effective	hook	for	all	ages	and	is	especiallysuccessful	with	adolescents.	Trying	new	foods	is	fun	and	exciting.	Wise	use	of	resources,social	skills,	and/or	sharing	could	be	anchors	for	a	4-H	foods	and	nutrition	project	exploringnew	foods.For	a	junior	camp	counseling	train-the-trainer	session,	a	large	number	of	recreationalactivities	are	the	hook	to	cover	the	anchor	topics	of	normal	adolescent	development	and	riskmanagement.	Extension	educators	know	the	importance	of	a	general	understanding	ofadolescent	development	in	order	to	be	effective.	(Wolfe,	1997).	There	are	many	subject	areasthat	are	not	necessarily	appealing	to	junior	camp	counselors	but	are	essential	knowledge	forthem	in	working	with	younger	youth.	When	hooked	with	experiential	lessons	on	campingactivities,	the	necessary	content	sinks	in.AdultsIn	a	Cloverbuds	leader	program	on	developmental	stages	for	youth	ages	five	to	eight,	thehooks	are	the	introduction	and	the	availability	of	literacy	kits	containing	a	book	and	activitiesthat	directly	relate	to	the	learning	about	appropriate	developmental	tasks.	These	kits,essentially	a	lesson	in	a	box,	can	be	checked	out	and	used	by	4-H	leaders	at	regular	clubmeetings.	Because	the	kits	save	the	leaders	time,	energy,	and	money,	they	are	valuableresources	for	leaders	and	can	be	powerful	incentives	to	attend	a	lesson	on	child	development.Leader	and	member	training	on	composing	a	great	photograph	with	the	use	of	digitalcameras	(hook)	provide	an	opportunity	to	include	the	introduction	of	the	need	for	parentalsignatures	on	photo	release	forms	(anchor).Access	to	information	or	resources	is	a	hook	for	many	adults.	Volunteer	leaders	can	beencouraged	to	attend	a	4-H	policies	and	procedures	workshop	with	an	organizational	leadernotebook	that	provides	in-depth	descriptions	of	county	activities	and	events.	In	addition	to	theknowledge	gained	by	reviewing	such	a	resource,	the	leader	notebook	saves	time	by	having	allof	the	information	at	the	leaders'	fingertips.4-H	leaders	need	to	have	important	information	on	legal	aspects	of	fund	raising	and	tax-exempt	status,	which	is	definitely	"anchor"	material.	When	the	details	are	presented	in	theform	of	a	fast-paced	quiz	show,	leaders	are	more	likely	to	participate	in	the	learning	process.Adaptations	of	Jeopardy,	Who	Wants	to	be	a	Millionaire?	and	other	television	shows	have	beensuccessful.In	a	lesson	on	the	4-H	name	and	emblem,	a	4-H	educator	might	incorporate	a	game	on	thehistory	of	the	name	and	emblem	as	a	hook	for	getting	to	the	less	exciting	rules	andregulations	on	the	use	of	the	4-H	name	and	emblem.	A	Trivial	Pursuit	or	Pictionary	questionon	"hustle"	as	one	of	the	four	H's	is	certainly	a	more	interesting	way	of	approaching	basicinformation	about	authorization	of	use	of	the	clover	for	club	leaders.Learning	is	more	effective	when	it	is	attractive,	fun,	exciting,	and	engaging.	Incorporating	bothhooks	and	anchors	into	the	learning	process	facilitates	mastery	of	important	but	potentially	dullmaterial	in	a	more	palatable	learning	environment.	See	Table	1.	Specialists,	agents,	andvolunteers	can	benefit	in	program	planning	when	they	remember	to	design	hooks	and	anchors	intotheir	presentations.Table	1.Hooks	and	Anchors	for	Youth	and	AdultsLesson Hook AnchorYouthExploring	Food Opportunity	to	Prepareand	Try	New	FoodsWise	use	of	resources,social	skills,	sharingJunior	CampCounselor	Train	theTrainerRecreational	Activities Normal	adolescentdevelopment,	riskmanagementAdultsAvailability	of	KitsCloverbuds	LeaderTrainingChild	development	of	5	-	8year	oldsVolunteer	LeaderTrainingDigital	CameraNecessity	of	parentalsignature	of	photo	releaseformsNotebookPolicies	and	proceduresQuiz	ShowFund-raising	and	tax-exempt	statusFast-Paced	Game	onHistory	of	4-H	Name	andEmblemAuthorization	for	use	ofthe	cloverReferencesHendricks,	P.	A.	(1998).	Targeting	life	skills.	(4-H-137A).	Ames,	IA:	Iowa	State	University.Stahl,	S.,	Duffy-Hester,	A.,	&	Stahl,	K.	(1998)	Everything	you	wanted	to	know	about	phonics	(butwere	afraid	to	ask).	Reading	Research	Quarterly.	33,	(3).	338-352.Timpson,	W.	M.,	Burgoyne,	S.,	Jones,	C.	S.,	&	Jones,	W.	(1997).	Teaching	and	performing:	Ideas	forenergizing	your	classes.	Madison,	WI:	Magna	Publications.Wolfe,	K.	(1997).	Influence	of	knowledge	of	adolescent	development	on	self-efficacy	of	youtheducators.	Unpublished	master's	thesis.	Colorado	State	University,	Fort	Collins.Copyright	©	by	Extension	Journal,	Inc.	ISSN	1077-5315.	Articles	appearing	in	the	Journal	become	the	property	of	theJournal.	 Single	 copies	 of	 articles	 may	 be	 reproduced	 in	 electronic	 or	 print	 form	 for	 use	 in	 educational	 or	 trainingactivities.	Inclusion	of	articles	in	other	publications,	electronic	sources,	or	systematic	large-scale	distribution	may	bedone	only	with	prior	electronic	or	written	permission	of	the	Journal	Editorial	Office,	joe-ed@joe.org.If	you	have	difficulties	viewing	or	printing	this	page,	please	contact	JOE	Technical	Support©	Copyright	by	Extension	Journal,	Inc.	ISSN	1077-5315.	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Hooks and Anchors in Youth Development Program Delivery

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Hooks and Anchors in Youth Development Program Delivery

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