Motivation Integration

Amy K. Ferris
Outside Classroom Assignment
Summer Institute 2003

Lesson Plan 

Motivation Integration – “You can’t motivate people, but everybody is highly motivated.” Mark Speckman

In this lesson idea, it is my goal to learn about my students with regards to areas in their lives in which they need motivation and what it is that motivates them in those situations. I plan to try this lesson at the beginning of the school year. During his presentation, Mark Speckman shared many significant pieces of information that were useful in developing this plan. For instance, a 35 year study of high risk kids found that kids who were successful had three things: hope, a mentor, and passion (for something). Of those who failed, many had negative coaches or negative parents. My goal is to mentor students into identifying their necessary tools in creating success in my classroom. I hope to revisit this lesson plan throughout the school year and have the students re-identify the areas where they feel that they need motivation, as well as, the tools by which they feel that they will receive the motivation. 

Anticipatory Set: 52-card shuffle
The students will be placed in groups of four by using the 52-card shuffle technique that Rob Ohashi presented.

Procedures:

1. (20 min) The students will be handed a large piece of butcher paper for this project on which they will be instructed to create a chart like the example following. The students will be instructed to work collectively, choose 5 areas in their lives that they can all connect with, and complete the chart.

   Motivational Areas (List 5 areas in your lives where you feel you need outside/ inside motivation in order to succeed.)	What Works? (List at least two different ways that you can be motivated in this category.)	What does not work? (List at least two different motivational techniques that DO NOT work.)
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   2.
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   4.
   5.

2. (20 min) When the groups finish their posters, I will have each group send at least two people up to the front of the class to share their group’s ideas.

3. (20 min.) Next, I will share with them my desire to learn of the areas in an English classroom where they could possibly need more motivation. I will have them break their groups into two smaller components of two members each and reconfigure the same chart using elements of the English classroom as their motivational areas. They will be deciding on these elements as a pair. 

4. (20 min) Finally, I will have the students share their new posters with the class paying particular attention to the successful strategy ideas that they have. The students will then hang their posters around the classroom, and the posters will be updated throughout the year (with a repeat of the second portion of the lesson) as their motivation shifts.

5. (10 min) As a follow up, I will have the students complete an entry in their journals where they complete the chart once more on just themselves, as well as, write a paragraph in their journals identifying their personal goals in English.