1. Southern Regional Education Board 1 Six Strategies for Increasing Student Motivation HSTW 23 rd Summer Staff Development Conference Atlanta, Georgia July 9, 2009 Lois J. Barnes Lois.barnes@sreb.org Welcome!

2. Southern Regional Education Board So, you can lead a horse to water but …..? 2

3. Southern Regional Education Board Sure you can! Run him around the track! 3

4. Southern Regional Education Board Ride ‘em hard! 4

5. Southern Regional Education Board Sure you can! Salt his oats. 5

6. Southern Regional Education Board You can set the conditions so that the horse will want to drink. 6

7. Southern Regional Education Board What are the conditions that encourage learning? That will “get the horse to drink” – get students motivated? 7

8. Southern Regional Education Board Motivation What motivates us is unique to each person. No one can motivate another person. No one can force another person to learn. So, what can you do? You can set the stage so that a student will go to work. 8

9. Southern Regional Education Board Motivation Motivation is the variable – the condition that can be arranged and changed to motivate a learner, to encourage learning. 9

10. Southern Regional Education Board Motivation does four things for the learner: 1.Increases the rate at which (s)he can learn 2.Increases the degree of learning 3.Increases the transfer (making the connections) 4.Increases the retention of new learning (remembering ) 10

11. Southern Regional Education Board The bottom line in motivation is meaning – understanding. 11

12. Southern Regional Education Board Six Motivation Strategies or “TRICKS” T one R eward I nterest C oncern K nowledge of results S uccess 12

13. Southern Regional Education Board Motivation Strategies or “TRICKS” Take interactive notes, using the graphic organizer in your handout. 13

14. Southern Regional Education Board Raising or Lowering Concern: Examples “I’ll check papers in five minutes.” Time limits Oral reporting Team competition Eye contact “Write the problem on the board.” Lower anxiety by giving short tests more often 14

15. Southern Regional Education Board Classroom Climate or Tone: Examples Positive classroom climate – teambuilding activities Encouraging words “Truth Signs” Thank you’s Giving praise or compliments (or withholding) Attractive, enriched environment 15

16. Southern Regional Education Board Interest: Examples Audio-visuals Student choice Relevancy, authentic examples, applications Project-based learning Room environment – bulletin board displays, exhibits, learning stations/centers Manipulatives Variety of activities, change of pace Vividness – new or different approaches, changes in seating Pacing 16

17. Southern Regional Education Board Success: Examples Adjust the level of difficulty Diagnose carefully = pretest Match between diagnosis and activities Rubrics Models of quality student work Recognition of success Displays of quality completed student work Giving students the chance to perform 17

18. Southern Regional Education Board Knowledge of Results: Examples Feedback on work in progress Specific comments Students check their own papers Charting progress Charting the connection between effort and achievement Verbalizing students’ strengths and how they can improve “Praise, prompt, leave” Clear expectations 18

19. Southern Regional Education Board Rewards: Examples Intrinsic – enjoyment of the activity or learning Intrinsic – relating content directly to students’ lives Free choice activities/projects Praise Smile Recognize accomplishments Extrinsic – privileges, prizes, awards 19

20. Southern Regional Education Board Let’s Practice: Pairs Check 20

21. Southern Regional Education Board Dos and Don’ts in Using the Motivation Strategies DO build on a learner’s productive concern about his learning DO use pleasant tone. DO make examples interesting and meaningful. DON’T build so much concern the learner can’t concentrate on the task. DON’T use pleasant tone when it isn’t working. DON’T make things so vivid the learner thinks more about them than about the learning. 21

22. Southern Regional Education Board Dos and Don’ts in Using the Motivation Strategies DO see that a learner experiences success. DO give the learner specific knowledge of results DO use extrinisic motivation when the learner has no intrinisic motivation to learn something. DON’T have the work so hard the learner can’t possible do it or so easy (s)he doesn’t have to try. DON’T give only general information. DON’T negotiate or bribe to get a student to learn. 22

23. Southern Regional Education Board INCREASED______ Moderate level of anxiety Interest Success Knowledge of results Tone, pleasant or unpleasant Activity is rewarding in itself DECREASED______ Anxiety beyond optimal level or no concern Too difficult or uninteresting task or material Failure No knowledge of results Neutral feeling tone No pay-off or reward 23

24. Southern Regional Education Board Motivation Strategy Shuffle 24 My Situation: My Strategy: Other Strategies:

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