Getting the Bumps Off the Log Motivational Strategies Setting Up EVERY Student for Success

Warm-up Describe a motivational strategy you use that is effective for your students.

Pre-Assessment  Review / skim the “Pre-Assessment Strategies” document.  Create a pre-test that could be used for the lesson you brought to class 2 weeks ago OR an upcoming lesson.  Read “The Benefits of Pre-Testing.”  Make a list of reasons why pre-tests are important. Differentiation  Review / skim the “Differentiation Strategies” document.  Reflect on the lesson you brought to class 2 weeks ago. Evaluate whether or not you have effectively differentiated the instruction. Add differentiation where appropriate.  Read the “Differentiation Strategies” document.  Choose 2 strategies to try in your class within the next week. Explain how you plan to use each one. Extension Menu  Review / skim the “Pre-Assessment and Extension Menus” document.  Create an extension menu for the lesson you brought to class 2 weeks ago OR an upcoming lesson.  Read the “Pre-Assessment and Extension Menus” document.  Create an extension menu using the template for the lesson you brought to class 2 weeks ago OR an upcoming lesson.

Dear Journal, You wouldn’t believe my classes today! Karina told me the class was boring, and boring, and more boring. Tim hadn’t done any of the homework and he couldn’t participate in the reading discussion. Arthur’s behavior was intolerable; he wouldn’t even pick up the book. I had to shake MacKenzie’s desk to wake her up. Then she said, “Sorry miss…” … I’m not sure the students even know my name! I spend so much time planning my lessons, and then they sit there like bumps on a log…

Personal Goal Identify specific students in your classes who you feel are unmotivated. Write their names on the lily pad.

Objectives

Top 6 characteristics that emerge as major contributors to student motivation: Instructor Enthusiasm Relevance of the Material Active involvement of students Variety Rapport between teacher and students Use of concrete, and understandable examples Davis, Barbara Gross. (1999). “Motivating Students.” Berkeley, California. From Tools for Teaching: Jossey-Bass.

Personal Goal Contributors to Motivation: Instructor's enthusiasm Relevance of the material Active involvement of students Variety Rapport between teacher and students Use of appropriate, concrete, and understandable examples Look at your lily pads. Which of the contributors do you hope to learn more about in order to improve your students’ motivation?

Why I love What I Teach…. With your RIBBIT partner, discuss why you love the subject area you teach…

Teacher Enthusiasm Demonstrate the joys of your curriculum… talk about why you love it… Get into character (Language Arts)

Homeowner’s Insurance Policy Read the scenario about the homeowner’s insurance policy. Find the person who has a different frog that you do. Engage in discussion about the scenario and it’s relevance to student motivation.

Relevance of the Material Cue student to relevance – “The next topic is something we will use again and again. It contains valuable ideas that we’ll use throughout the later sections of the course.” –“As you work through the notes section, I think that you’ll be pleasantly surprised how relevant it is.” –“A lot of you have asked me about X. Well, finally we’re going to find out why that’s so.”

BCR Madness

Variety is the Spice of Life What do you do to “stop the madness?”

Rapport between Teacher and Student I want teachers who are real people, who recognize me as a human being -- teachers who care about me -- not just my test performance. -- High School Student AaAa a

Develop Teacher-Student Rapport Send letters home before school or a new semester starts Discover one bit of positive information about the person and comment on it.

Origami Frog Using the origami paper provided, follow the directions to make an origami frog Fold in half along a diagonal and open again Fold the other diagonal Fold the corners to the top Fold the points down Fold the two points to the sides Open the mouth, turn over, and you’re done! What were your feelings as you attempted to create your origami frog? What were you thinking while working? This is a silent activity.

Appropriate, clear, and concise examples Diagrams Model responses

Closure Think about the students you selected for your lily pad. Write a reflection in your binder about how you can motivate this/these students, based on what you’ve learned today.

Turn to your neighbor and tell him or her, “Thanks for taking the leap with me!” Have an awesome day and thanks for sharing!

Plan a co-taught lesson with co-teacher using the planning form. After implementing the lesson, write a reflective journal entry about the lesson. (focus should be on aligning curriculum and students’ IEP goals) To submit: Reflective journal entry (minimum of one page typed- AND completed, co-teaching form in week 7 of Wiki For next class…