The Motivated Student

Research has shown time and again that the traditional reward-punishment model does nothing to boost student achievement. In The Motivated Student: Unlocking the Enthusiasm for Learning, veteran educator Bob Sullo suggests a different approach: cultivating students’ inner drive to learn by addressing their essential psychological needs. Drawing from in-depth interviews with successful educators, counselors, and administrators and a careful analysis of the research on classroom motivation, Sullo provides an indispensable blueprint for ensuring that students in grades 4–12 are engaged in the classroom. He offers practical, clear-cut strategies for getting students focused and ready to learn by • Eliminating external rewards for learning, • Building positive relationships with students, • Creating realistic expectations for your students, • Developing lesson plans that are relevant to students’ lives, and • Planning with students’ psychological needs in mind. As every teacher knows, students learn best when they actually want to learn. Whether at the elementary or high school level, this book will make you think about who your students really are and help you develop a culture of inquiry, trust, and engagement that will release each child's enthusiasm for learning.