JumpStart Be Bald & Free Day (10/17/24)

QUOTE:  ABILITY is what you're capable of doing.  MOTIVATION determines what you do.  ATTITUDE determines how well you do it."  (Lous Holtz)

MESSAGE:  I’ll never forget Jacob.  Every day, he rolled into class with seconds to spare before the bell.  He was quiet, never bothered anyone, and participated in group work.  But his grades did not reflect his potential since he rarely completed homework.  One day, as I was checking my mailbox during my prep, I saw him in the office.  He was slouched in a chair outside the nurse’s/social worker’s/AP’s offices and didn’t look up as I passed.  I sat in the chair next to him and quietly struck up a neutral conversation, finally asking him about his work.  He just shrugged a shoulder and said, “I’m never going to be a scientist. I have more important things to do.”

Everyone reading this has experienced their own version of Jacob - the unmotivated student who could shine in class if they just upped their effort a smidge.

Maybe this will ease the burden a bit:

MYTH:  We have the power to motivate other people.
TRUTH: We can create an environment that makes people want to change, but motivation/desire to do something always comes from within. Otherwise it’s forcing someone to do something against their will.

Instead, when thinking about motivation, understand that there are three basic human needs, regardless of age or anything else:  1) relatedness, 2) autonomy, and 3) competence.  And all three are realized in the context of ‘perception, not circumstance,’ meaning that people have to believe in each of them themselves.  Our students have to believe they experience relatedness, autonomy, and competence, not that we think they do.

RELATEDNESS:  The most important thing in motivation are relationships. We have to BELIEVE that our relationships with each other are strong and secure (this is trust).  Also, we need to understand how what we are doing is related to everything else (especially what is important to me and my identity).

AUTONOMY:  As humans, our life - starting at birth - is always working toward independence.  It’s why freedom is such an important concept.  We need choice, or at least BELIEVE that we have the freedom of choice.

COMPETENCE:  To avoid burnout, we need to BELIEVE that we are making a difference. Kids need to believe that what we are asking them to do is important and relevant, and that they are capable.

THIS WEEK, TRY THIS:  When a student pushes your buttons this week because they seem unmotivated, ask yourself these questions:

• How good are you at creating relationships with your UNMOTIVATED students?
• Do you give choice in your classroom?  Do students know/feel like they have choice?
• How much do you rely on carrots and sticks (rewards and consequences)?
• How much do you tie your instruction to their interests?
  

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​DAD JOKE:  Why did the art thief's van run out of gas as he drove away from the museum?  Because he had not Money to buy Degas to make the Van Gogh.