Motivational Strategies and Relationship Building for Middle School and High School

1. Motivational Strategies and Relationship Building for Middle School and High School Cheryl L. Bricken Education Specialist Education Service Center, Region XV

2. Welcome • I encourage you to participate in all discussions, ask questions, and provide information pertinent to your particular assignment and students • Please silence your cell phone. If you need to take a call, please step out of the room before you begin speaking. • Thank you! Cheryl L. Bricken, Education Specialist, Education Service Center, Region XV

3. Motivation • “Do Something. If it works, do more of it. If it doesn’t . . . do something else.” • Franklin Delano Roosevelt Cheryl L. Bricken, Education Specialist, Education Service Center, Region XV

4. The Power of Expectations • The key is to set expectations and then establish relationships so that students want to meet these expectations • Great teachers expect good behavior—and generally that is what they get • Expectations are clearly established, focus on the future, and are consistently reinforced Cheryl L. Bricken, Education Specialist, Education Service Center, Region XV

5. Myths and Misconceptions About Student Motivation • “NOTHING motivates that kid.” • Actually, the student is not motivated to do what you are asking him to do.” • “One day he is motivated, the next day he is not.” • Motivation is a relative constant. Performance, productivity, and progress may vary from day to day. The issue is unorganized learning. • “Give him something that will motivate him.” • Incentives may temporarily impact behavior but will do little to enhance or improve motivation. Cheryl L. Bricken, Education Specialist, Education Service Center, Region XV

6. Myths and Misconceptions About Student Motivation • Competition: The Great Motivator • The only person motivated by competition is the person who believes that he has a chance of winning. • We do our best work when we compete against ourselves—not against others. Personal Best should replace The Best. • The keys to success in the workplace are competence, cooperativeness, and motivation. • Adults compete only when they choose to compete, and they compete against peers with similar backgrounds. Cheryl L. Bricken, Education Specialist, Education Service Center, Region XV

7. How Do You Motivate Students? • I work so hard at trying to get these kids motivated. Some are, but so many aren’t. They just seem to want to get by—if that. I try to encourage them—I’m their biggest cheerleader! But it can get so tiring. I feel like I’m pushing a rope with some of my students. Why can’t they just want to achieve instead of having to be pushed into it? • (Ferlazzo, L., Helping Students Motivate Themselves, p.3) Cheryl L. Bricken, Education Specialist, Education Service Center, Region XV

8. How Do You Motivate Students? • The proper question would be—how can you create the conditions within which students will motivate themselves? • When we try to motivate students, the energy is coming from us. • When we help students discover their own motivation, and challenge them to act on it, more of the energy is coming from them. • This is the difference between irritation (pushing someone to do something you want them to do) and agitation (challenging them to act on something they have identified as important in their lives). Cheryl L. Bricken, Education Specialist, Education Service Center, Region XV

9. The Dangers of Incentives and Rewards • Providing rewards to induce desired behaviors can result in long-term damage to intrinsic motivation • Contingent rewards force people to give up some of their autonomy • Students can be recognized and celebrated for their success; however, it is better to provide the unexpected “bonus,” rather than to hold out the “carrot” • Suggest that students list how they may reward themselves if they achieve some of their goals Cheryl L. Bricken, Education Specialist, Education Service Center, Region XV

10. Immediate Actions • Praise effort and specific actions • Build relationships • Use cooperative learning • Show students the economic and health advantages of doing well in school • Create opportunities for students to help make decisions Cheryl L. Bricken, Education Specialist, Education Service Center, Region XV

11. Setting the Stage • The brain is like a muscle • Setting goals • Reviewing goals regularly • Partner support • Asking questions • Making goals public • Designing action plans • Getting enough sleep • Recognizing that what is being learned is useful Cheryl L. Bricken, Education Specialist, Education Service Center, Region XV

12. What Not to Do! • We often hear that we can learn from anyone. From effective people we learn what to do; from ineffective people, we learn what not to do. • How much can we really learn from our ineffective colleagues? • Good teachers already know: • Not to use sarcasm with students • Not to yell at students • Not to argue with teens in front of their peers • Working with students is never as simple as yes or no, bad or good, true or false • Eliminating the inappropriate options does not move us forward Cheryl L. Bricken, Education Specialist, Education Service Center, Region XV

13. Myths and Misconceptions About Student Motivation • Punishment is an effective motivator. • Children with a history of academic difficulty have been punished enough. They are mostly immune and desensitized to this approach. • Children tend to associate the punishment with the punisher , not with the offending behavior. Cheryl L. Bricken, Education Specialist, Education Service Center, Region XV

14. Overcoming Learned Helplessness • “Tell a man that he is brave, and you help him to become so.” • Thomas Carlyle Cheryl L. Bricken, Education Specialist, Education Service Center, Region XV

15. Overcoming Learned Helplessness • The teacher must come to fully understand the nature of learned helplessness. • Change the child’s thought process and adjust his belief that failure is inevitable. • Help the child provide himself with contradictory evidence regarding his negative perceptions of his ability. • Gather contradictory evidence • Analyze alternatives • Consider the implications of failure Cheryl L. Bricken, Education Specialist, Education Service Center, Region XV

16. Overcoming Learned Helplessness • The learning environment needs to be supportive and non-threatening—mistakes must be viewed by all as inevitable, useful steps in the learning process. • “If you keep getting every answer correct, I won’t know where to start my instruction.” • Measurable success and progress must be an integral part of the learning environment. • Teach students to establish and work toward realistic goals, monitor his or her own performance, and to accept both responsibility and credit for progress. Cheryl L. Bricken, Education Specialist, Education Service Center, Region XV

17. Overcoming Learned Helplessness • Four-Step Learning-Teaching Cycle: • Do it for him. • Explain each step as he watches. • Encourage questions. • Then have child guide you through the process as you do it. • Do it with him. • Have child assist you. • Increase subtasks child completes with your assistance. • Watch him do it. • Offer suggestions, praise, and reinforcement. • Have him do it. • Don’t do it for him. Cheryl L. Bricken, Education Specialist, Education Service Center, Region XV

18. The Motivating Classroom • Students expect to learn ONLY if the teacher expects them to learn. • Six Cs of a Motivating Classroom • Creativity • Teachers must inject variety and creativity into their planning. • Community • Students must feel safe, welcome, and a deep sense of belonging. • Clarity • All members must understand the rules and expectations Cheryl L. Bricken, Education Specialist, Education Service Center, Region XV

19. The Motivating Classroom • Coaching • A Good Coach: • Wants ALL of his players to win • Knows ALL of his players • Designs individual goals AND group goals • Uses the players strengths • Consistently works on each players weaknesses • Knows the opponent • Considers the existing conditions • Applies and practices new skills • Constantly evaluates and assesses Cheryl L. Bricken, Education Specialist, Education Service Center, Region XV

20. The Motivating Classroom • Conferencing • One-to-One Student/Teacher Conferences • Opportunities for support, praise, reinforcement, and motivation. • Opportunities to address behavior only if you use them in a positive way as well • Control • The student doesn’t want to snatch your power. He just wants some of his own. Cheryl L. Bricken, Education Specialist, Education Service Center, Region XV

21. Keys to Motivation • Relationship • Relevance • Success • Involvement • Fun • In other words . . . • Know your students • Know your stuff • Like your students • Like your stuff • Allen Mendler Cheryl L. Bricken, Education Specialist, Education Service Center, Region XV

22. Eight Forces of Motivation • Gregariousness: the need to belong • Autonomy: the need for independence • Status: the need to be important • Inquisitiveness: the need to know • Aggression: the need to assert • Power: the need for control • Recognition: the need for acknowledgement • Affiliation: the need to associate and belong • The Motivation Breakthrough: 6 Secrets to Turning On the Tuned-Out Child — Richard Lavoie Cheryl L. Bricken, Education Specialist, Education Service Center, Region XV

23. Know What Motivates Your Students • Gregarious—Allow and encourage interaction with others. Can contribute to class morale and school spirit. • Autonomous—Relishes independence and enjoys responsibility. Enjoys working on projects and doing research. • Status—Aware of the feelings and attitudes of others, easily embarrassed. Needs enthusiastic, positive teachers. • Inquisitive—Curious and enjoys problem-solving and research. Needs to know relevance of curriculum. • Aggressive—Avoid power struggles. Allow choices, implement their suggestions, and recognize them for their contribution. • Power—Needs control. Foster leadership skills and ask him for input • Recognition—Benefits from immediate feedback. Sensitive to criticism. Becomes distraught over failures. Responds well to rewards. • Affiliation—Responds well to teamwork and cooperative learning. Wants to feel that you know him and enjoy his company. Cheryl L. Bricken, Education Specialist, Education Service Center, Region XV

24. Know What Motivates Your Students Projects- motivate autonomous or inquisitive child People- motivate gregarious or affiliation-driven child Praise- motivates the status/recognition/ or affiliation driven child Prizes- motivate the status/recognition/affiliation/ or power driven child Prestige- motivates the autonomous/status/aggressive/ or power driven child Power- motivates the power/autonomous/ or aggressive child Cheryl L. Bricken, Education Specialist, Education Service Center, Region XV

25. Ten Motivational Teaching Strategies • Teach enthusiastically (People, Power) • Focus on strengths (People, Praise, Prizes, Prestige, Power) • Recognize, reinforce, and celebrate success, effort and progress (Praise, People, Prizes Prestige) • Encourage and promote creativity (Projects, Power) • Promote cooperation- not competition- within your classroom (People, Prestige, Power) Cheryl L. Bricken, Education Specialist, Education Service Center, Region XV

26. Ten Motivational Teaching Strategies • Establish long-term and short-term goals for and with the students (Projects, Prestige, Power) • Provide students with opportunities to make decisions and choices (People, Power, Prestige, Projects) • Show that you genuinely care for your students and their progress (People, Power, Prestige, Praise) • Promote peer relationships (People, Prestige) • Provide opportunities for every child to realize success (Power, Praise, Prestige, Prizes) Cheryl L. Bricken, Education Specialist, Education Service Center, Region XV

27. Motivational Type • Determining the motivational style of a child is not an exact science. • It is not possible or advisable to slot children into motivational categories. • When you carefully analyze the traits of individual children, a pattern will begin to emerge that you may use to develop classroom activities. Cheryl L. Bricken, Education Specialist, Education Service Center, Region XV

28. Some Ways to Get the Year Off to a Great Start • You only have one opportunity to make a first impression. • Building Relationships • Set and Enforce High Expectations • Engaging Lessons with the “Why” Built into Them • Assessments • Connecting with Parents Cheryl L. Bricken, Education Specialist, Education Service Center, Region XV

29. Relationship Building Strategies • Greet each student at the door every day and shake their hand. • Affirm every student every day—meaningful affirmation tied to something that they do, not something they are. • Invite students to a candlelight luncheon. • Hold “special time” with students (set aside time after school to meet with students—the students decide what you will talk about) • Attend events in which your students participate • Appreciation Certificates Cheryl L. Bricken, Education Specialist, Education Service Center, Region XV

30. Needs • Security • Order • Belonging • Worth • Approval • Stimulation • Growth • (Sutton, J., 101 Ways to Make Your Classroom Special, p.52) Cheryl L. Bricken, Education Specialist, Education Service Center, Region XV

31. Rigor, Relevance, and Assessment • Suggestions • Determine the level of Rigor and Relevance on state assessments • Develop your tests to parallel state tests when preparing for them • Use performance assessment when you want Quadrant D achievement • Keep level of assessment consistent with expectation for performance • Let students know assessment in advance Cheryl L. Bricken, Education Specialist, Education Service Center, Region XV

32. Cooperative Learning Criteria • Interdependence: Students share ideas, information, skills, and materials. Each student’s success and progress is dependent upon the performance of his learning partners. • Accountability: Each student has assigned tasks that he must complete in order to ensure success of the project. These tasks are tailored to each child’s strengths, skills, and affinities. • Social Component: Cooperative strategies promote positive social interaction among children—planning, discussing, sharing, and praising. Cheryl L. Bricken, Education Specialist, Education Service Center, Region XV

33. A A D D B B A A C C D B D B C C A B C D Cheryl L. Bricken, Education Specialist, Education Service Center, Region XV

34. Contact Information • Cheryl L. Bricken • Education Specialist • Education Service Center, Region XV • cheryl.bricken@netxv.net • Office: 325-481-4053 Cheryl L. Bricken, Education Specialist, Education Service Center, Region XV