Do students need Motivation?

Chapter 9

Question 2) State at least 5 general principles that are implications for teaching from motivation theory.

Teachers should change up the way that they teach a class. Instead of using one type of teaching like command they should use guided teaching or a self check style teaching.

Teachers should also make sure that they set their lessons up to have all of their students succeed and also allow for improvement. I student that fails over and over at a task will not have the motivation to keep trying. If the task allows for change to make it easier the student can still succeed.


The tasks that are being taught also need to be proven meaningful to the student. The teacher needs to show them that the skill is needed and important for other reasons than to get a grade.

One thing that is really big is using external forms of motivations like prizes for the most improved or use a reward of being able to be a captain for next class. If the rewards are used correctly they can create higher motivation from the students in the class.

Another thing that to have a fun learning environment. If the kids have fun in what they are doing and make them laugh they will be motivated and have fun.

Question 3) Describe nine ways that teachers can promote the personal growth of students through personal interaction. 

1. Being enthusiastic about what you are teaching I feel is the most important. Because it will get the student more involved in the lesson being taught.

2. Teachers should also show that they care about their students and make sure that the students see that. They can show that by not allowing off-task behaviors to occur and to bring the students back from off-task behaviors in a positive way.

3. If teachers can learn the names of their students instead of just yelling hey you it make it more personal when you can complement them on doing something well by calling them by their name. It lets them know that the teacher has noticed them enough that they know the students name.

4. A way that can help with personal growth can also be used for motivation is to have different ways a skill can be practiced.

5. Another way teachers can promote personal growth can also be used also in motivation is to change the type of learning environment from command to guided learning and self-check type learning

6. Teachers should also link their lessons to either the students or their own life, to show that the skills being learned can be use after they get out of school.

7. Allow students to see their own development by having them assess their own skill through out the unit. Or have them score themselves at the beginning and end of the unit and show them the growth that they have gone through.

8. During the unit make sure to give feedback to every kind of student in your class. Do not just pick out your best students to give feedback to or just your worst. You want to show all of the student attention so they do not drift off and become unmotivated.

9. A really big thing is to have really good planning of your classes. With having good planning it allows you to have more fun and create a better learning environment for your students. It also shows the students that you are actually taking time to plan out what is going to be going on during class and not just throwing it together at the last minute.