8/14/2019 Motivating Middle School Students
1/34
Motivating MiddleSchool Students
CAN it be done? YES!!!!!!!!!!
8/14/2019 Motivating Middle School Students
2/34
Break-out Questions:
Working with the teachers at your table, discussyour answers to these questions.
What do you believe to be the most important things
in the lives of the middle school students that youteach?
What have you observed as being motivational tomiddle school students?
8/14/2019 Motivating Middle School Students
3/34
Discussion:Did you group come up with answers
like these?
Whats important?
Friends
Lunch
SocializingSports
How they look infront of their peers
Extracurricularactivities
What motivates?
Fun activities
Competition
Being with friends
If the subject isinteresting
If the topic is relevant
Getting good grades
8/14/2019 Motivating Middle School Students
4/34
Humans are a unique creation.Each student has a mind thatcan think, learn, reason, andsolve problems.
Cognitive theory, currently theprimary perspective used todescribe and explain humanlearning, recognizes theimportance of the processesused by the brain to learn.
8/14/2019 Motivating Middle School Students
5/34
Assumptions of Cognitive Theory
Some learning processes are unique to humans.
Individuals are actively involved in the learning
process by controlling their learning.
Learning involves an internal, mental change.
Knowledge is organized by association and
interconnectedness.
New knowledge is related to previously learned
information. Inferences about mental processes can be drawn
by observing student behavior.
8/14/2019 Motivating Middle School Students
6/34
Implications of Cognitive Theory
Learning is a function of how information is
processed.
Therefore, we as educators should be concerned with
students cognitive processes. We need to be aware not
only of what students are learning, but how students are
learning.
Piaget and Vygotsky determined that kids develop
more complex reasoning processes over time.
Therefore, when planning units of study and methods of
instruction, we must consider the students current
cognitive level of functioning.
8/14/2019 Motivating Middle School Students
7/34
Implications of Cognitive Theory,continued
As people learn, they mentally organize newinformation. Therefore, it is important to present material in an
organized fashion.
Learning is more likely to occur when people associatenew material with previously learned material. Therefore, we must help students relate new information to
old information.
Students control their own learning by being mentallyinvolved in the classroom. Therefore, we need to monitor students to ensure they are
paying attention, thinking, and processing.
8/14/2019 Motivating Middle School Students
8/34
Why do you
work out?
go shopping?
get involved in a book
study? read a novel?
watch a movie?
cook dinner for your
family? modify your lesson
plans?
8/14/2019 Motivating Middle School Students
9/34
What motivates people
to engage in an activity?
People engage in activities becausethey are enjoyable and/or rewarding.
People might engage in an activitybecause it results in something
rewarding.*think of something you dowhat doYOU GET OUT OF IT???
How many things do you do thatarent fun or that arent beneficial?WHY??
8/14/2019 Motivating Middle School Students
10/34
Definition of Motivation
Motivation is an internal state that
arouses us to actionpushes us in particular directionskeeps us engaged in certain activities
Motivation determines to what extenta student will actually learn.
8/14/2019 Motivating Middle School Students
11/34
Importance of Motivation
Students willalways bemotivated bysomething.
It is ourresponsibility todetermine
WHAT motivatesstudents.
8/14/2019 Motivating Middle School Students
12/34
Discussion Question:
If a student walks into your
classroom motivated tolearn, what behaviorsdoes that child exhibit?
8/14/2019 Motivating Middle School Students
13/34
If a student is motivated to
learn, he will
engage in an activity with greater
energy and activity.
set goals for himself. increase time on task by initiating
work and by persisting despite
difficulty and interruptions. be cognitively engaged, i.e. actually
thinking about whats being taught.
8/14/2019 Motivating Middle School Students
14/34
Extrinsic & Intrinsic Motivation
Extrinsic motivation
occurs when the source
for motivation comes from
outside the person and
task. ( desire for rewards, fear ofpunishment, need for positive
recognition, etc)
Intrinsic motivation
occurs when the source of
motivation comes from
within the individual and
task. The individual sees
the task as enjoyable and
worthwhile.
Group work:
With the people
sitting at yourtable, make a list
of both extrinsic
and intrinsic
motivation thatoccurs in school.
8/14/2019 Motivating Middle School Students
15/34
Both can be effective, but
8/14/2019 Motivating Middle School Students
16/34
Intrinsic motivation is more beneficial
than extrinsic motivation
to promote learning.Students who are intrinsically motivated are more
likely to:
Begin a task on their own
Pay attention Learn material in a meaningful way
Show creativity
Be persistent despite failures
Enjoy the activity
Evaluate their own progress
Achieve at high levels
8/14/2019 Motivating Middle School Students
17/34
The bad news for middle
school teachers
Although most
students start
school with a high
level of intrinsicmotivation to learn,
they tend to lose
this motivation as
they get older.
8/14/2019 Motivating Middle School Students
18/34
So how can we promote
intrinsic motivation? Relate units of study to the students lives.
How are the effects of the tsunami in December similar to the destruction
caused by Mt. Vesuvius in 79 A.D.?
How would you have reacted if your mother embarrassed you in front of
your peers like this character did?
Talk about intrinsic motives.
You must be proud of yourself for getting a B on that quiz.
Im glad you enjoy doing this simulation.
Its important you understand how to reduce fractions. You use this when
you..
Pursue and discuss your own individual interests.
I really enjoying watching the Mavericks; it makes me want to get there andplay basketball!
**talk with your tablewhat ARE they interested in???
8/14/2019 Motivating Middle School Students
19/34
Group Work
with your department
Working with yourdepartment, come upwith a list of ways to promote intrinsicmotivation among your students. Make
your methods specific to your subjectmatter.
Again, the 3 ways to encourage this are:Relate subject to students lives
Talk about intrinsic motivesPursue and discuss your own interests
8/14/2019 Motivating Middle School Students
20/34
Group Work
with your team
Now that you have come up with someways to encourage intrinsic motivationwithin your subject matter, you are going to
be working with yourteam. Make a list of ways to intrinsically
encourage students to excel. Sinceeveryone on your team teaches the same
students, you may want to think of specificmethods for individual students who mightneed more encouragement than others.
8/14/2019 Motivating Middle School Students
21/34
Discussion:
What do you feel is the most
important need for middle schoolstudents?
8/14/2019 Motivating Middle School Students
22/34
Theorists have studied several
humans needs which have
implications for the classroom: Maslows Hierarchy of Needs
Need for Competence and Self-worth
Need for Relatedness Need for Affiliation
Need for Approval
Need for Achievement
8/14/2019 Motivating Middle School Students
23/34
1. Implications for
Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Safety: Students need to be aware
of classroom expectations and to
have routines established.
Love and belongingness: Students
need to feel as though they are part
of a group. This can be manifested
by a M.S. student conforming their
dress, speech, and actions to be like
other students.
Esteem: In order to be respected, a
M.S. student may act in ways that
will bolster his image in front of
peers. Conversely, some students
exhibit low self-esteem.
Self-actualization
Esteem
Love andbelongingness
Safety
Physiological
8/14/2019 Motivating Middle School Students
24/34
2. Need for Competence
and Self-worth Robert White (1959) suggested that humans have a basic need for
competence, a belief that they can deal effectively with theirenvironment. (Ormrod,2004)
Martin Covington (1992) suggested that self-worth (defending onescompetency) is a primary need for humans. This can be done by
Consistently succeeding Avoiding failure
Setting low expectations
Refusing to participate in an activity or to complete an assignment
Making excuses
Cheating
Procrastinating
We see these behaviors on a daily basis, dont we?
8/14/2019 Motivating Middle School Students
25/34
Addressing the
needs described by Maslow &
the need for competence & self-worth Allow students to take
restroom breaks.
Allow students to drink
water in the classroom.
Refer sick or troubled
students to the nurse or
counselor.
Change classroom
activities frequently. Encourage students to
ask questions.
Acknowledge students
achievements.
Have an orderly
classroom.
Have students follow
procedures for daily
tasks.
Be consistent in dealing
with students. Clearly define
expectations.
8/14/2019 Motivating Middle School Students
26/34
Group Activity
Brainstorm with thepeople at your table.Can you come up
with 10 ways to meetstudents basicneeds, as well astheir needs forcompetence and self-
worth? Be asspecific as possible.
8/14/2019 Motivating Middle School Students
27/34
3. Need for Relatedness
Middle school students want to be connected
socially to others. They feel this leads to love
and respect. It might be manifested in the
following ways:Prioritizing socializing over working on
school
Trying to look popular, smart, foolish,
athletic, etc.Showing concern and helping others
8/14/2019 Motivating Middle School Students
28/34
4. Need for Affiliation
Need for affiliation describes students who desirefriendly relationships. Some students have a highneed for affiliation, whereas others have a lowneed.
Students with a high need for affiliation might: Be nervous when watched by others Communicate frequently Be affected by peer pressure
Be more interested in relationships than tasks Earn lower grades than their peers Thrive in a classroom with a nurturing teacher
8/14/2019 Motivating Middle School Students
29/34
5. Need for Approval
Some students have a strong desireto look good in front of others.
How this might be observed:Seeking teacher recognition/approvalSeeking peer recognition/approval
Which of these 2 do we see more in
the middle school?
Note: Students with a high need for approval tend to be less popularthan their peers.
8/14/2019 Motivating Middle School Students
30/34
6. Need for Achievement
Some students have an intrinsic desire to achieve excellence. Thesestudents might be persistent, be realistic about tasks, and set highstandards. Can you think of a student this describes?
Covington and Omelich (1991) have proposed that learners can be divided intofour groups: Over-strivers
Optimists
Failure avoiders
Failure accepters
Can you think of a student who could fit into each of these categories?
*The need for achievement might be influenced more byspecific tasks and subjects rather than true for all areas.
Add i th d f
8/14/2019 Motivating Middle School Students
31/34
Addressing the needs for
relatedness, affiliation,
approval, and achievement Foster healthy teacher-
student relationships Take a student to lunch. Get involved in the
mentoring program.
Attend extra-curricularevents. Show interest in their lives.
Ask about a students day and then listen.
Give students birthdaycards.
Give small gifts to theclass. Acknowledge them
Encourage students.
Allow students to communicatewith their peers.
Discussion with a partner
Cooperative learning
Skits
Peer-evaluation Inform students what material will
be evaluated on a test; i.e. tellthem specifically what to learn.
Challenge students.
Q: Which of these do wealready do successfully?
8/14/2019 Motivating Middle School Students
32/34
Group Activity
Brainstorm with thepeople at your table.List ways you could
meet studentsneeds forrelatedness,affiliation, approval,and achievement.
Be as specific aspossible.
8/14/2019 Motivating Middle School Students
33/34
Homework Assignment
Individually, make a list of 5 ways you think you could help toensure your students needs are being addressed.
Set a goal: How many techniques can you commit toimplementing over the next couple of weeks?
(Dont over do it, though!) Team Leaders: In an upcoming team meeting, set aside 10
minutes for your team to share their experiences.
8/14/2019 Motivating Middle School Students
34/34
Resource
Ormrod, J. (2004). Human learning.
4th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Merrill Prentice Hall.
Top Related