motivating students to want to learn you can drag a horse to water…
TRANSCRIPT
Motivating Students to Want to Learn
You can drag a horse to water….
So what about motivation?
• What is it?
• How does it manifest itself?
• What factors affect motivation?
• Difference between constructive and restrictive
• So how do I motivate??
What Is Motivation?
It is the desire to want to do something; it is CHOICE
Some thoughts...
• We make assumptions– They can’t learn
– They don’t want to learn
– They’ll never learn
• We make mistakes– Lack of attention is not
lack of motivation
Principles of Motivation:
• We are motivated differently at different times.
• We are motivated by different factors.
• We are not always motivated.
• Each of us is motivated differently.
Factors affecting motivation
• Physical• Social• Intake• Personal• Past experience
Constructive vs. Restrictive
• “I want to because…I enjoy; I like…”
• “I like the reward: $, *, privilege, etc”
• “I like to be accountable, confident, take initiative”
• “I have to or else…”• Fear or threats that are
physical, psychological
• Lack of initiative, blames another, lack of accountability.
Basic Human Motivators
• Personal Gain• Prestige• Pleasure• Security• Convenience• Avoidance of
punishment
Motivators
• Teacher behaviors– Wait time
– Answers vs. understanding
– Use of :• Declaratives
• Reflective statements
• Invitations to elaborate
• silence
Make the benefits of trying more
desirable than the benefits of not trying • 1. Make sure that assigned tasks are
realistic so that all students can complete them if they really try.– Small groups– Different assignments– Different assessments– Self-monitoring
• 2. Focus students’ attention on their own progress, not on others’ – Base rewards on improvement– Use individual improvement charts– Use short-term goals
• 3. Reward effort apart from outcome– Use a separate system of grades or rewards– Have students reflect on their effort– Help them learn from their mistakes– Praise diligence apart from brilliance
• 4. Give every student opportunities to demonstrate competence in class– Set time aside for demonstration in non-
academic areas– Give everyone a job
• Allow students to set goals– Make sure they are realistic and challenging– Record the goals and track their progress– Give each student a picture of his/her “status”
REMEMBER: MADNESS IS DEFINED AS DOING
THINGS SAME WAY OVER AND OVER AND
EXPECTING A DIFFERENT OUTCOME EACH TIME.