Communities In Schools Maximizing Support for Motivation Dr. Theresa Thorkildsen and Persis Driver Communities in Chicago Schools, April 23, 2014

Primary Themes Part I – Building trust and showing respect Part II – Reasons for success and failure Verbal and non-verbal intelligence Ability or effort Effort and task difficulty Luck or skill Strategies for encouraging motivation Part III – Learning with the whole body and not just with the mind What knowledge is of most worth? Catch ‘em being good! Promoting fairness in the classroom Part IV – Assessment Long-term and short-term benefits Separation in brief encounters

Part I – Building trust and showing respect Primary Themes Part I – Building trust and showing respect Part II – Reasons for success and failure Verbal and non-verbal intelligence Ability or effort Effort and task difficulty Luck or skill Strategies for encouraging motivation Part III – Learning with the whole body and not just with the mind What knowledge is of most worth? Catch ‘em being good! Promoting fairness in the classroom Part IV – Assessment Long-term and short-term benefits Separation in brief encounters

R-E-S-P-E-C-T Find out what it means to me! Sennett, R. (2003). Respect in a world of inequality. New York: W.W. Norton and Company.

Part II – Reasons for success and failure Primary Themes Part I – Building trust and showing respect Part II – Reasons for success and failure Verbal and non-verbal intelligence Ability or effort Effort and task difficulty Luck or skill Strategies for encouraging motivation Part III – Learning with the whole body and not just with the mind What knowledge is of most worth? Catch ‘em being good! Promoting fairness in the classroom Part IV – Assessment Long-term and short-term benefits Separation in brief encounters

Common Attributions for Success and Failure Luck or skill Effort or task difficulty Ability or effort Verbal and non-verbal intelligence Systems of thought or actions handle intellectual challenges posed by the environment. They become progressively more complex as we mature.

Strategies for encouraging motivation Primary Themes Part I – Building trust and showing respect Part II – Reasons for success and failure Verbal and non-verbal intelligence Ability or effort Effort and task difficulty Luck or skill Strategies for encouraging motivation Part III – Learning with the whole body and not just with the mind What knowledge is of most worth? Catch ‘em being good! Promoting fairness in the classroom Part IV – Assessment Long-term and short-term benefits Separation in brief encounters

Good Ideas Show interest and give responsibility. Make attributions to thought, strategy choice, and improvements. Promote cooperation. Select stimulating tasks and materials that vary in difficulty level. Give choices with some structure.

Easy Bad Habits Attribute failure to low effort. Use of extrinsic rewards as an inducement to compliance. Demand assignment completion before allowing for free-time activities. Offer global praise. Encourage the best effort.

Part III – Learning with the whole body and not just with the mind Primary Themes Part I – Building trust and showing respect Part II – Reasons for success and failure Verbal and non-verbal intelligence Ability or effort Effort and task difficulty Luck or skill Strategies for encouraging motivation Part III – Learning with the whole body and not just with the mind What knowledge is of most worth? Catch ‘em being good! Promoting fairness in the classroom Part IV – Assessment Long-term and short-term benefits Separation in brief encounters

How does your physical location affect your perspective? How do you incorporate physical activities into students’ day?

Part III – Learning with the whole body and not just with the mind Primary Themes Part I – Building trust and showing respect Part II – Reasons for success and failure Verbal and non-verbal intelligence Ability or effort Effort and task difficulty Luck or skill Strategies for encouraging motivation Part III – Learning with the whole body and not just with the mind What knowledge is of most worth? Catch ‘em being good! Promoting fairness in the classroom Part IV – Assessment Long-term and short-term benefits Separation in brief encounters

What type of knowledge is of most worth?

Part III – Learning with the whole body and not just with the mind Primary Themes Part I – Building trust and showing respect Part II – Reasons for success and failure Verbal and non-verbal intelligence Ability or effort Effort and task difficulty Luck or skill Strategies for encouraging motivation Part III – Learning with the whole body and not just with the mind What knowledge is of most worth? Catch ‘em being good! Promoting fairness in the classroom Part IV – Assessment Long-term and short-term benefits Separation in brief encounters

What does it mean to be and do good? Why is it so easy to punish the whole group for the transgressions of a few, but so difficult to praise everyone for the successes of a few? What does it mean to be and do good? Miller, R. L., Brickman, P., & Bolen, D. (1975). Attribution versus persuasion as a means for modifying behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 31, 430-441. doi: 10.1037/h0076539

Part III – Learning with the whole body and not just with the mind Primary Themes Part I – Building trust and showing respect Part II – Reasons for success and failure Verbal and non-verbal intelligence Ability or effort Effort and task difficulty Luck or skill Strategies for encouraging motivation Part III – Learning with the whole body and not just with the mind What knowledge is of most worth? Catch ‘em being good! Promoting fairness in the classroom Part IV – Assessment Long-term and short-term benefits Separation in brief encounters

Distinguish Learning, Test, and Contest Situations Thorkildsen, T. A. (1989). Pluralism in children's reasoning about social justice. Child Development, 60, 965-972. doi: 10.2307/1131036

Long-term and short-term benefits Separation in brief encounters Primary Themes Part I – Building trust and showing respect Part II – Reasons for success and failure Verbal and non-verbal intelligence Ability or effort Effort and task difficulty Luck or skill Strategies for encouraging motivation Part III – Learning with the whole body and not just with the mind What knowledge is of most worth? Catch ‘em being good! Promoting fairness in the classroom Part IV – Assessment Long-term and short-term benefits Separation in brief encounters

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