1. The Motivational Breakthrough
6 Secrets to Turning On the
Tuned-Out Child
Presented by
Pam Elmore

2. It Takes a Village to Motivate a Child…
Lack of Motivation:
Unmet Basic Needs (food, shelter, safety, love, etc.)
Fear of Failure
Lack of Understanding
Learning Disorders
Frustrations
Environmental Issues
*Attempting to teach a child who is unmotivated is as futile as hammering on cold steel

3. Without motivation, there is no learning.
Kids do not come with batteries included.
You have got to provide the batteries if you want them to function.
Our nation’s future depends greatly on our ability to motivate our children today.

4. “I was successful because you believed me. ” –Ulysses S
“I was successful because you believed me.” –Ulysses S. Grant to Abraham Lincoln
Motivation:
All human behavior is motivated.
Students have unique, individual patterns of motivation.
The only effective long-term motivators are love and success.

5. Phrases that increase feelings of learned helplessness:
Let me do that for you.
I’ll handle it.
I’ll talk to your teacher to get her to change her mind.
I’ll send the teacher a note.
That’s too difficult for you.
You are too young to understand.
You are just a child.

6. The ADD Child
ADD has a substantial impact on a child’s academic performance and his degree of motivation.
Lacks focus and control
Needs and seeks stimulation to the same degree that we require oxygen
Motivations are influenced by:
Degree of interest in the activity
Difficulty of the activity
Duration of activity

7. Phrases that enhance independence:
I’ll get the job started and you can finish it.
Take a chance. See if you can do it.
I know you can…
Sounds like you have a problem. What solutions have you thought about?
Let me teach you how to do it by yourself.
You are smart enough to figure it out.
Show me what you have done first.
What do you think you should do?

8. “MOTIVATION” Driving force that initiates and directs behavior
The reason for an action
Your “WHY”

9. The Six P’s of Motivation for the Classroom
The Child Motivated by Praise
The Child Motivated by Power
The Child Motivated by Projects
The Child Motivated by Prestige
The Child Motivated by Prizes
The People-Oriented Child

10. The Child Motivated by Praise
Motivates the status-drive, recognition-driven, or the affiliation-driven child
Praise (conditional)-vs.-Encouragement (unconditional)
Express Interest, Gratitude, and Enthusiasm
Praise the act not the child
Post-it notes Praise and Private Praise
Be Sincere and Specific; avoid “phony praise”
Focus on effort, progress, and improvement
Use appropriate Body Language

11. The Child Motivated by Power
Motivates the power-driven, autonomous, or aggressive child
Most Feared and Misunderstood
Often seen as “The Bully”
Choose Your Battles
Offer Minor Choices
Give Responsibility & Be willing to Negotiate
Allow yourself to Lose (once in a while)
Enforce Rules but Prevent Power-Struggles
Needs Adults to show Competence & Confidence
Future Leaders (good or bad)

12. The Child Motivated by Projects
Motivate the autonomous or inquisitive child
Higher Order, Independent & Critical Thinking
Task Focused, Responsible, and Problem Solvers
Challenging and Structured approach to learning
Excels in the work-force
Child-centered And Active Process
Strength for the OCD child
Difficult for the ADD child unless broken into Smaller Parts

13. The Child Motivated by Prestige
Motivates the autonomous, status-driven, aggressive, or power-driven child
The need for prestige, awards, and recognition is fundamental for motivation (can be hard to motivate)
Seems self-involved, arrogant, and superior
Hard on self
May have fragile and poor self-esteem / self-image
May be easily embarrassed / sensitive
Perfectionist / needs to be the best /leader
Needs Responsibility in the classroom

14. The Child Motivated by Prizes
Motivate the status-driven, recognition-driven, or affiliation-driven child
Excels with a reward and incentive system
Effective for younger and Special Education child
Can feel punished if not rewarded
Win / Lose instead of Win-Win: Competition
Low self-motivation
New laws on “Prizes”
Effective Parenting Technique

15. The People-Oriented Child
Motivates the gregarious or affiliation child
Relationship Seekers (needs to know you care)
Seeks out attention from teachers and others
Ethical issues (follow laws and policy)
Discuss healthy relationship skills
Adult must Remain Professional (there is no equality in an adult-child relationship)
Teacher’s Pet
Encourage positive relationships in the classroom
Acknowledge students during class, hallway, etc.

16. You are the Great Motivator in your classroom!!!

17. Implementing the 6 P’s in the Classroom
Teach Enthusiastically
Focus on Strengths
Recognize Success and Effort
Encourage & Promote Creativity
Promote Cooperation-not Competition
Establish Goals
Give Choices & Consequences
Show Genuine Care & Concern
Create a Safe Environment
Setup Students for Some Success

18. HUMAN MOTIVATION
Human motivation is a complex and intricate process that has been studied and analyzed for decades. As teachers we must have a pragmatic understanding of the factors that enhance or decrease the motivation of the children with whom we interact each day.

19. TEN CONCEPTS 1. All human behavior is motivated
2. Tangible rewards may create temporary behavioral changes, but rewards are unlikely to increase the child’s motivation
3. Learning and attentional problems have a marked impact on student motivation
4. Competition is an ineffective motivational approach for most children, most of the time
5. Motivation is greatly impacted by primary physical needs

20. 6. Students have unique, individual patterns of motivation
7. Coaching techniques are often effective in motivating the child who struggles academically
8. Punishment, like reward, will result in temporary behavioral changes, but will do little to foster motivation
9. The only effective, long-term motivator of human behavior is success
10. In order for a person to be motivated to invest himself in an activity, three factors must be present:
A. He must feel that the goal is attractive
B. He must feel that the amount of effort required to meet the goal is realistic
C. He must feel that it is likely that he can accomplish the goal

21. Motivating the Unmotivated
“If you want to build a ship, don’t recruit the men to gather the wood, to divide the work, to give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea” -De Saint-Exupery