Applied learning is a powerful way to engage students and help them develop leadership skills through hands-on, real-world experiences. But as with any teaching method, there are common pitfalls that can prevent students from reaching their full potential.
At Yellow Arrow, we specialise in student leadership development, and we’ve seen firsthand what works—and what doesn’t.
In this post, I’ll explore the top three mistakes teachers can make when implementing applied learning, along with practical strategies to avoid them and boost student success.
Mistake 1: Not Building Enough Trust
One of the biggest mistakes in applied learning is jumping straight into the activity without first establishing trust. Leadership and collaboration require a foundation of mutual respect, and students need to feel safe before they can engage meaningfully. If trust isn't built, students may hold back, avoid taking risks, or struggle with group dynamics.
How to Fix It:
Trust-building goes beyond icebreakers (although icebreakers are important!). It’s about how you show up as a teacher and model authentic leadership. Be consistent, approachable, and present. Trust is built through the small, everyday interactions you have with your students—by listening, valuing their opinions, and creating a classroom environment where students feel safe to try, fail, and try again.
Practical Tip:
Get to know your students beyond the subject material. Take time to learn about their interests, passions, challenges, and aspirations. Ask open-ended questions, engage with them during informal moments, and show genuine curiosity about who they are outside of the classroom. This can be as simple as having casual conversations during lunch, before or after class, or even while supervising extracurricular activities.
When students feel that you see them as whole people, not just learners in a specific subject, they are much more likely to trust you, open up, and engage fully in applied learning activities. This also helps create a classroom culture where students feel valued for who they are, fostering a deeper sense of belonging and connection.
Mistake 2: Giving Too Much Freedom Without Structure
It’s tempting to encourage students to dream big and think creatively by saying, "The sky’s the limit!" But in reality, giving students total freedom often leads to choice paralysis. Without clear boundaries or a framework, students can either freeze up or stick to overly safe, unoriginal ideas.
How to Fix It:
Instead of overwhelming students with unlimited options, provide them with freedom within a framework. Having a structure, like the design thinking process or the use of curated prompts, gives students a launching pad for their ideas. The framework serves as a guide, allowing them to be more creative within defined parameters.
Practical Tip:
Use Yellow Arrow’s Student Action Cards to help students focus their brainstorming. These cards come in three categories—issues, idea formats, and resources. Have students draw one card from each category to generate a combination that inspires a new project idea.
For example, a group might draw the cards “Loneliness,” “Meal,” and “Retirement Home” and come up with the idea for students to participate in cooking classes from residents at the local retirement home. This approach gives students just enough structure to guide their thinking, while still allowing for creativity and innovation.
On the back of each card is a quote to help encourage further reflection. Click here to buy a set of cards to use in your classroom.
Mistake 3: Skipping the Debrief or Leaving It Until the End
Debriefing is often rushed or skipped entirely, which is a missed opportunity. Reflection is where the real learning happens. It’s how students process their experiences, connect the dots, and internalise the leadership lessons they’ve learned. When debriefing only happens at the very end of a project, students miss out on ongoing reflection that could deepen their understanding.
How to Fix It:
Make reflection a regular part of the learning process, not just something tacked on at the end. Debrief after every significant step in a project, and create multiple channels for students to express their reflections—whether through writing, discussions, or creative mediums.
Practical Tip:
Incorporate a variety of reflection methods, including sideways conversations, where students can share their thoughts while doing a hands-on activity like building with LEGO or taking a walk. This can make sharing less intimidating and help students open up. Additionally, use anonymous online tools like Mentimeter for real-time feedback, or simple exit surveys at the end of a lesson to capture student reflections. Providing different formats for reflection ensures that all students can engage in a way that feels comfortable to them.
Final Thoughts
Applied learning is one of the best ways to help students develop real-world leadership skills, but avoiding these common mistakes is key. Build trust from the start, provide a structure to guide creative thinking, and make reflection a regular part of the process.
By doing this, you’ll create a classroom environment where students feel empowered to lead, grow, and make meaningful change.
If you’re looking for more resources to help you implement leadership development in your classroom, check out Yellow Arrow’s Project Santiago Leadership Curriculum. The two units are aimed around supporting students to find their personal leadership style, gain tangible skills and take meaningful action. We have provided assessment rubrics, lesson plans, videos and resources so that you can save time and focus on your students. We have also mapped out the curriculum links for the Victorian curriculum at year 10 level and VCE-VM.
We’re excited to partner with schools to make student leadership a core part of the learning journey. Click here to get a sneak peek and find out more!
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