Motivating Students to Learn

1. Motivating Students to Learn Melinda Barnett Region 5 ESC Summer 2012

2. The Motivation Breakthrough 6 Secrets to Turning On the Tuned-Out Child By Richard Lavoie

3. Student Motivation: What It Is and What It Isn’t

4. Motivation is the key to learning Who was your favorite high school teacher?

5. Myths and Misconceptions about Student Motivation “Do Something. If it works, do more of it. If it doesn’t . . . Do something else.” - Franklin Delano Roosevelt

6. Myth #1 – “That Danny ... NOTHING motivates him!” FALSE – All human behavior is motivated! • The trick is to motivate the student to do that which you wish him to do! • Students who refuse to do their work or appear to half try are usually extremely motivated. They are motivated to avoid embarrassment, avoid failure at attempting the task, etc.

7. Motivation Myth #2 “That kid! One day he is motivated, the next day he is not!” FALSE – The field of psychology recognizes motivation as a relative constant. That is, if a child is motivated to learn math, he is motivated to learn math all the time. If he is NOT motivated to learn math, he is not motivated to learn math – ALL of the time.

8. Performance Inconsistency: Children with Learning Disorders • They have bursts of forward movement wherein they make observable, measurable progress for a period of time, then through no fault of their own, they hit an invisible wall. • Parents and Educators view this as a motivational problem rather than a neurological problem. One approach – file folders individualized with the struggling students name. Inside the folder a worksheet with or concept the particular student struggles with. On “good days,” give them the folder. That may be the day he learns “i before e, except after c!”

9. Overcoming Learned Helplessness • Members of the animal kingdom (that would include us) can be taught to be helpless or taught that they can help themselves. • We all have areas of learned helplessness. • Adults can usually avoid these areas and still function. Children cannot avoid theirs. • Chronic academic struggles and failures creates a mindset of Learned Helplessness.

10. 3 Steps to Assist Children with Learned Helplessness • You must come to fully understand and embrace the nature of learned helplessness. It is credible and treatable. • It is necessary to change a child’s thought processes and adjusting his belief that failure is inevitable. You must replace his expectation of failure with a more positive and effective thought process. - Make the child aware of his automatic, negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones. -Provide the child with concrete, measurable evidence that contradicts and refutes his negative thoughts.

11. Step Three in Assisting Children with Learned Helplessness • Ask the student what he would do if he were falsely accused of something. (He’d probably say he would defend himself…..) Tell him that in essence, his negative thought patterns are accusing him falsely. - Provide a supportive, non-threatening learning environment - Teach them that mistakes are inevitable, but useful. - Utilize corrective techniques that keep the student’s self-esteem in tact. - Eliminate the word “wrong” from your vocabulary as much as possible.

12. A Different Approach to LH • Do It For Him • Do It With Him • Watch Him Do It • Have Him Do It

13. Motivation Myth #3 “Give him something; that will motivate him.” Extrinsic rewards (stickers, money, etc.) have little impact on motivation. They will do little to improve or enhance motivation. It may temporarily modify behavior, but it does little to modify motivation.

14. Motivation Myth #4 Competition: The Great Motivator … NOT! Classes that incorporate special needs students do NOT need to utilize competition in their teaching strategies. As educators and parents, we must downplay competition and emphasize the concept of “personal best.”

15. Cooperative Education, YESCompetitive Education, NO • Cooperative classroom – active learners working busily in small groups, sharing ideas, initiating discussions, reinforcing one another. • Competition is replaced by collaboration and every student’s active participation is assured. Positive feedback, support, praise and affirmations are encouraged. • All small group work does not qualify as cooperative learning. (Teacher-directed remedial groupings are not cooperative learning groups.)

16. Criteria for Cooperative Learning Activities • Interdependence – students share ideas, information, skills, materials. • Accountability – students have assigned tasks to complete for success of project. Tasks are tailored to each child’s strengths, skills, and interests. • Social Component – strategies promote positive social interaction. Students talk, plan, discuss, share, and praise.

17. Motivation Myth #5 Punishment is an effective motivator. • Desensitizes kids eventually • Behavior changes only while punishment is given. • Children associate the punishment with the punisher, not with the offending behavior.

18. Motivating the Child With Attention Deficit Disorder • The ADD child is searching for stimulation. That is his oxygen and he cannot function without it. • Current research by the Council for Exceptional Children indicates that nearly 10 percent of school-aged children struggle with ADD. (failure rate 250% higher than peers) • They are often exceedingly bright, and they are well aware of the discrepancy between their potential and their performance. Add to this mix the fact that they get in trouble, continually blamed, … anger, frustration, resentment emerge.

19. Current Research on ADD • In the 1980s – 3 basic symptoms (hyperactivity, distractibility, and impulsivity) • Current research – Those three symptoms are only the tip of the iceberg. There are numerous traits and symptoms that affect their academic and social performance.

20. The Key To Motivating the ADD Child • Modify and adjust the learning environment (Spend time and energy trying to change procedures or practices rather than trying to change the child.) • 3 factors influence performance and motivation: 1) degree of interest in activity; 2) difficulty of activity; 3) duration of the task. • Curriculum should be stimulating and relevant to the child’s life experiences. (Good for all students!) • Challenge and support ADD children

21. The Motivating Classroom Global Strategies – Incorporating the 6 C’s • Creativity • Community • Clarity • Coaching • Conferencing • Control

22. Creativity • Inject variety and creativity into lesson planning • Capitalize on visuals – Use drawings, pictures, charts, graphs, etc. • Think outside the box (enhance curriculum with real world items or ideas)

23. Community • Students and parents must know we care • Your classroom is a community with its own culture, values, and standards of behavior • Each child must feel valued, accepted, included, and safe. • Classroom culture must be inclusive – Teachers must foster this especially for new students. Cliques and special groups should be avoided.

24. Ways to Show You Care • Greet students at your door, smile, make eye contact, and call them by their preferred name. • Attend school plays, games, activities of your students • Be attentive and actively listen to your students when they talk to you • Criticize in private; praise in public! • Circulate around the room in a natural, nonthreatening manner, … walk and talk. • Acknowledge student progress, accomplishments, efforts, and birthdays • Inquire about health after an absence

25. Clarity • Class Rules, Procedures, Consequences must be clear and visible • Incorporate the Classroom Philosophy into Rules • Don’t refer to the rules only when they are broken. Also acknowledge the rules when they are followed. • Give clear, concise directions and instructions. When there are multiple steps, give one at a time, pausing and checking for understanding before moving to the next step.

26. Coaching “A good coach will make his players see what they can be rather than what they are.” - AraParseghian A Good Coach- • wants all of his players to win. • knows all his players. • designs individual goals and group goals. • uses the players’ strengths. • Consistently works on each player’s weaknesses.

27. A Good Coach- • Knows the opponent (ADD, dyslexia, etc.) • Considers existing conditions (be sensitive to “bad” days) • Applies and practices new skills • Constantly evaluates and assesses

28. Conferencing • One-on-one student/teacher conferences should not be reserved for scolding or bad behavior. • Conferencing enables the teacher to develop meaningful relationships with students. • Actively listen to the student (it’s attitude not technique)

29. Control “The beauty of empowering others is that your own power is not diminished.” - Barbara Coloroso • Students usually don’t want to snatch our power, they just want to exercise a bit of his or her power.

30. Control • Allow students to make a few of their own choices. • Allow each student to enjoy success, realize progress, and be recognized and celebrated for his strengths and interests. • Avoid power struggles. • Always use a calm voice, be respectful, be considerate, and be mindful of preserving dignity and integrity when confrontations arise.

31. The Eight Forces of Motivation The 8 Basic Motivational Forces that inspire human beings to action and sustained effort: • Gregariousness 5. Aggression • Autonomy 6. Power • Status 7. Recognition • Inquisitiveness 8. Affiliation

32. Gregariousness: The Need To Belong • Happiest with crowds • Has many, many friends and enjoys these relationships • Prefers committees to work instead of solitary projects • Both a joiner and a leader • Puts much effort in establishing and maintaining his relationships • Can be positive (popular, friendly) or negative (gang member, hostile leader in classroom, challenging authority) YOUR SCORE?

33. Autonomy: The Need for Independence • Relishes opportunities to work independently on projects • Dislikes committee work • Inspired by solitary projects where results depend upon his performance • Decision-makers • Highly committed to making those decisions work well • Chooses to run things themselves • These type of students will take over group work if it isn’t done to their level of achievement.

34. Status: The Need To Be Important • This individual’s self-esteem is tied to the opinions of others • Greatly concerned with viewpoints others hold regarding this person’s performance and progress • Eager to please others • Can be extremely sensitive to criticism • Is greatly concerned about disappointing or upsetting other people

35. Inquisitiveness: The Need To Know • Has a need to learn and know • Extremely curious, hungry for new information • Not limited to one or two areas of expertise, rather enjoys learning about nearly any topic • Wants and values information • Feels uncomfortable if they believe information is being withheld • Interested in gaining social, personal, and professional information about others in their environment • These students want to know the how and why of everything, including rules, procedures, etc.

36. Aggression: The Need to Assert • Can be positive (leadership positions, assertive personality) or negative (bully, intimidator) • Confrontational • Stands up for personal injustices or unfairness • Interested in expanding their sphere of influence • They want their feelings and opinions to be recognized and responded to

37. Power: The Need for Control • Greatly concerned with control and influence • This person could have very strong or very weak self-esteem (need for power may be rooted in feelings of confidence and superiority or it may be rooted in feeling of helplessness and inferiority) • Relish responsibility and authority • Enjoys autonomy, dislikes being micromanaged • Students often times want the last word and are argumentative.

38. Recognition: The Need for Acknowledgment • Highly motivated by their achievement recognition • Not necessarily braggarts, just driven to be recognized by their accomplishments • Will work hard for the goal • Are not always competitive, quite often it is an intrinsic drive that motivates them to achieve

39. Affiliation: The Need to Associate and Belong • Strong need to be connected with others and with organizations, movements, and institutions • Great strength is gathered from these associations • They identify and feel a sense of belonging with the group, organization, etc. • Children who are driven by affiliation often seek the approval of and association with teachers. • School logos, official sports clothing, social clubs, etc. are important to the person driven by affiliation.

40. How to Motivate All Students • Utilize a wide variety of approaches, strategies, and techniques • Try to determine the child’s unique motivational type and tailor instructional lessons or activities toward that • Incorporate the Six P’s: Projects, People, Praise, Prizes, Prestige, and Power

41. The Six P’s – Motivational Teaching Strategies Projects – motivate the autonomous or inquisitive child People – motivate the gregarious or affiliation-driven child Praise – motivates the status-driven or recognition-driven or affiliation-driven child Prizes – motivates the status-driven or recognition-driven or affiliation-driven or power-driven child Prestige – motivates the autonomous or status-driven or aggressive or power-driven child Power – motivates the power-driven or autonomous or aggressive-driven child

42. Remember… If the child cannot learn the way that we teach, we must teach the way that he learns. -Richard Lavoie Melinda Barnett TCP Director, Region 5 melinda@esc5.net