Chapter 10 page 206
Here are the answers that would be predicted by most motivation researchers.
I 1. Introduce a math lesson with a comment such as “I think you’ll find today’s lesson really
interesting, and it’ll give you ideas for showing your parents how to make some home
improvements.”
I 2. After a three-week unit on the Civil War, give middle school history students the project of
writing a Civil War drama that illustrates as much about the Civil War as they know.
I 3. Give a class that has been getting near-perfect grades on quizzes a somewhat more
difficult quiz.
I 4. Allow high school English students to choose any book they like for a book report.
I 5. Let your math students take turns to lead a math lesson.
D 6. Use a program such as Pizza Hut’s “Book-It” to promote reading in your school. (The
Book-It program provides monthly free pizzas to elementary-school students as they
achieve goals they set for the number of books they read each month. Then, at the end of
the year, all the students who have met their goals each month get to have a pizza party.)
D 7. Encourage your high school students’ parents to reward students with money if they get a
3.5 average or better.
D 8. Announce honor role students over the P.A.
D 9. In art, hold a contest for the best drawing in the class.
D 10. When grouping students, group according to students’ ability.
I 11. Use group work frequently.
I 12. Allow writing students a chance to turn in a revised essay paper in after getting your
written comments.
I 13. Evaluate students on improvement as well as on absolute performance.
D 14. Grade on a curve, but a curve that isn’t strict, so that 50% of students get As.
D 15. Hold students to a tight time limit when giving tests and quizzes.
I 16. Provide many and varied club activities after school.
I 17. Ask students to write down their learning goals for the week on Monday.
I 18. Prior to a discussion, have a student who has been disruptive tell you how many times he
will make relevant contributions during the discussion.
I 19. Teach students how to memorize dates for the AP history exam.
I 20. Teach students to self-explain math problems as they are studying their math book.
The TARGET and BESS Techniques
Motivating your students to learn will help you in many ways. Obviously, it makes your class
more fun and exciting. It will often raise your students’ achievement; they will learn more if they are
academically motivated. And it will improve classroom management. Indeed, effective motivational
techniques are at the heart of effective classroom management; motivated students are much less likely to
be disruptive.