Create low hanging fruit

For many years I taught two classes that students love to hate – statistics and research methods. My approach was to first give them a perspective of what we gain, and what we would miss out on, if we did not utilize those tools. Once they conceded that, perhaps, these could be valuable, yeah even necessary, aspects of our professional field, I proceeded to assure them that they could do this. I connected the processes with ordinary things they already took advantage of (like the weather and sports) and basic skills they had already attained (like adding and subtracting). A sign that you really understand something is that you can break it down to its simplest components and bring the tree branch down low enough that someone can reach up and take a hold of it.