Myths of Motivation

1. Myths of Motivation Presented by Resource Team: Ms. Brown, Ms. C. Floyd, Ms. R. Hunt, Ms. Locklear, Ms. Register, Mr. Shoemaker, Ms. Woodell

2. Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself. -Chinese Proverb

3. 4 Myths About Motivation • The student just is not motivated. • You can motivate someone. • You cannot motivate someone • You cannot unmotivate someone.

4. Myth #1: The student just is not motivated. • This myth is never true. We are all motivated by something (Pleasure, Pain, Fear) • Chances are when we say students are not motivated, that they don’t seem to care, what we really mean is that they are not motivated by what we as teachers want or expect.

5. Myth #1: The student just is not motivated. • All students are motivated—you just have to figure out what causes them to react. • To combat this myth, learn as much as you can about your students and their interests.

6. Myth #2: You can motivate someone. • This myth is true. • True motivation isn’t accomplished by short term rewards or punishments. • Find the real reasons students are unmotivated.

7. Myth #2: You can motivate someone. • Seek to find if there is anything going on in your students’ lives that could be preventing them from taking interest in your class.

8. Myth #3: You cannot motivate someone. • This myth is only partially true. • Although you cannot make someone else be motivated, you have the power to establish an environment and atmosphere to develop internal motivation of your students.

9. Myth #4: You cannot unmotivate someone. • This myth is not true. • Teachers have the power to negatively effect a student’s motivation—whether it’s intentional or simply a lack of understanding. • Choose your words and actions carefully.

10. Myth #4: You cannot unmotivate someone. • Treat each student in a way that nourishes a sense of hope for the future. • Remember, when we buy into some of these myths, we deprive our students of hope. • As educators, our motto should be: “Do not deprive of hope.”