Literature Review
As I began
to research the reasons some of my inner-city students are highly motivated
toward writing and successful in writing, I read books and journal
articles by other teachers which address motivation.
I have found that the specific themes which connect to my question include
fostering intrinsic and extrinsic motivation; encouraging parental
involvement; and connecting to the student's world through writing.
Motivating Resistant Learners
First of
all, Mary Mercer Krogness, Nancie Atwell and William Glasser had some insights
which were helpful in considering what it is that motivates students.
According to Krogness, "...unless we find ways to engage" learners "they
will shut down" (1). She is a teacher in an inner-city school which
is similar to mine. She teaches "resistant" (1) learners and throughout
her book, Just Teach Me, Mrs. K, Krogness illustrates many ways
to engage learners, ranging from the use of improvisational skits done
in class to bringing in famous authors to speak to her students.
She has successfully taken unmotivated adolescents and found ways to motivate
them. I found numerous situations described in her book which
mirrored experiences I had with my own students.
All Human Beings Are Motivated!
In
The
Quality School by William Glasser, Glasser states that "the fact that
students choose not to do schoolwork does not mean they lack motivation"
(42). "No human being is unmotivated," Glasser asserts. He
goes on to explain that for students to be motivated they must see a benefit
to themselves. I can really see how this applies to my writing club
students. They are all able to focus on their futures, as they have
shown through discussions and writing about their career goals. I
think that they are all motivated to succeed, and they see their writing
as beneficial. Additionally, when I give a writing assignment which
ties into a career goal or which focuses on their future, I often see an
extra spark of interest as they read and listen to one anothers drafts.
These students all have concrete goals for the future, and anything which
can be connected to those goals they see as beneficial.
Peers Help Motivate Each
Other
In addition,
Nancie Atwell touched upon an important factor in motivation when she stated
that when lower ability students work with higher ability students the
lower ability students "can catch fire with the enthusiasm generated by
the other kids" (80). In my writing club, this is an interesting
area to explore. I have a few students who are in the club primarily
because their friends are in the club. These members definitely are
not as motivated as most of the club members, and they do have lower level
writing skills. However, in observing them during group activities,
they become enthusiastic when the more motivated students comment on their
work. A positive comment or a curious question from one of the other
students often elicits a joyful smile and an exuberant reaction from the
lesser motivated student.
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