MotivationMotivation

Batteries Not Included:Batteries Not Included:Based on Rick Lavoie’s bookBased on Rick Lavoie’s book

The Motivation BreakthroughThe Motivation Breakthrough6 Secrets to Turning On the Tuned-Out Child6 Secrets to Turning On the Tuned-Out Child

Karen IrmerKaren IrmerStephanie LecceseStephanie LecceseAndie MerkowitzAndie Merkowitz

Batteries Not IncludedBatteries Not Included

Is it a teacher’s job to communicate Is it a teacher’s job to communicate information, facts, and concepts? information, facts, and concepts? Should students be equipped with Should students be equipped with motivation before arriving in the motivation before arriving in the classroom? Or is it the teacher’s job to classroom? Or is it the teacher’s job to help excite and motivate their students?help excite and motivate their students?

Motivation – teachers who motivate do not Motivation – teachers who motivate do not necessarily make learning fun, but they necessarily make learning fun, but they make it attainable and purposeful.make it attainable and purposeful.

Motivation Myth #1“…NOTHING motivates that kid.”

All human behavior is motivated.

A student with their head on the desk, refusing to participate. Is this

student unmotivated?

Difference between lack of motivation and misdirected motivation.

Motivation Myth #2“one day he’s motivated, the next day he’s one day he’s motivated, the next day he’s

notnot”

Psychology recognizes motivation as a relative Psychology recognizes motivation as a relative constant.constant.

Performance, productivity, and progress may Performance, productivity, and progress may vary from dayvary from day

Poor school performance and productivity are Poor school performance and productivity are temporary; motivation is permanent.temporary; motivation is permanent.

Motivation Myth #3“Give him something; that will motivate Give him something; that will motivate

himhim”

Rewards as incentives – they may influence Rewards as incentives – they may influence behavior, but not motivationbehavior, but not motivation

Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic MotivationIntrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation

Extrinsic motivators (sticker charts) - lead to Extrinsic motivators (sticker charts) - lead to students surrendering self-assessmentstudents surrendering self-assessment

Students need to feel personal satisfaction for a Students need to feel personal satisfaction for a job well donejob well done

How to Foster Intrinsic How to Foster Intrinsic MotivationMotivation

Encourage students to set and Encourage students to set and establish individual goals for establish individual goals for themselvesthemselves

Students goals must be attainable Students goals must be attainable and appropriateand appropriate

Motivation Myth #4Competition: The Great Motivator

The only person motivated by competition is The only person motivated by competition is the person who believes that he has a the person who believes that he has a chance of winning.chance of winning.

We do our best work when we compete We do our best work when we compete against ourselves – not against others against ourselves – not against others

As adults, we compete when we choose to As adults, we compete when we choose to competecompete

Cooperative vs. CompetitiveCooperative vs. Competitive

Motivation Myth #5Punishment is an effective motivator

Punishment (as a motivator) is ineffective Punishment (as a motivator) is ineffective and short-termand short-term

Punishment is effective only as long as the Punishment is effective only as long as the threat of punishment exists – it doesn’t threat of punishment exists – it doesn’t increase motivation.increase motivation.

Children tend to associate punishment Children tend to associate punishment with the punisher, not the offending with the punisher, not the offending behavior.behavior.

Performance Performance InconsistencyInconsistency

Most students with learning Most students with learning disabilities will have performance disabilities will have performance inconsistencyinconsistency

Internal clock theoryInternal clock theory

Good-day foldersGood-day folders

Learned HelplessnessLearned Helplessness

Students with similar symptoms may Students with similar symptoms may not have the same learning disabilitynot have the same learning disability

Learned helplessness – when a student Learned helplessness – when a student feels that they are helpless, they stop feels that they are helpless, they stop trying completely.trying completely.

Students often have automatic Students often have automatic negative thoughts.negative thoughts.

Three Steps to Combat Three Steps to Combat Learned HelplessnessLearned Helplessness

1. Understand and embrace the 1. Understand and embrace the nature of learned helplessnessnature of learned helplessness

2. Change the student’s thought 2. Change the student’s thought process and adjust his belief that fear process and adjust his belief that fear is inevitable.is inevitable.

3. Contradictory evidence3. Contradictory evidence

Primary NeedsPrimary Needs

HungerHunger ThirstThirst Air/RestAir/Rest Elimination of WasteElimination of Waste Escape from Pain…Escape from Pain…

……..Embarrassment..Embarrassment

Definition of Definition of AdolescenceAdolescence

““The 24 hour a day, 7 day a week, The 24 hour a day, 7 day a week, 365 day battle to not be 365 day battle to not be

embarrassed”embarrassed”

Any kid would rather be viewed as Any kid would rather be viewed as bad than dumbbad than dumb

Secondary NeedsSecondary NeedsThe Eight Forces of MotivationThe Eight Forces of Motivation

GregariousnessGregariousness AutonomyAutonomy Status Status InquisitivenessInquisitiveness Aggression Aggression PowerPower RecognitionRecognition AffiliationAffiliation

6 Ways to Motivate6 Ways to MotivateNot every child is motivated by the same Not every child is motivated by the same thingthing

PraisePraise PrizesPrizes PrestigePrestige ProjectsProjects PeoplePeople PowerPower

SuccessSuccess

““If he would only try harder….If he would only try harder….

he would do better”he would do better”

““If he only did better…..If he only did better…..

he would try harder”he would try harder”