Motivating the Teenage Mind

Inspired LearningDr Eva Hoffman

www.inspiredlearning.info

The mind will only absorb

what the emotions will allow.

Heim Ginott

When attempting to motivate learners,

how important is WHAT we teach

 

and how important is HOW we teach?

 

WHATHOW

Emotionalwell-being

Life success

Learningachievement

skills

I’m bored...Why bother…

I’m rubbish at this… School is boring...

Every force meets with resistancehorse

Expand your repertoireof practical tools

- transform the attitudes of pupils

- raise pupils' achievement

- make your own work more effective

100+ activities

Part IPart IIIPart V

Seven keys to unlock

self-motivation

and teach about choices and their consequences

Give choices

Your life will be to a large extend

the result of all the choices you will make.

 

Make the best choices you can!

Your ultimate choice – the choice of attitude

learninga waste of time,can’t get jobs anyway

broadens the mindroad to successful life

Having no choice results in

• resistance against imposed tasks• rebellious attitude• anger or indifference • poor or no motivation

awaken

curiosity and interest

The art of teaching

is the art of

assisting discovery

ask rather than tell

What you can do to awaken curiosity

? ... ?

What you can do to awaken curiosity

‘spice’ up lessons with fascinating facts

What you can do to awaken curiosity

make use of ‘mystery and suspense’

What you can do to awaken curiosity

organise ‘orchestrated learning’ sessions

Lack of curiosity and interest results in

• indifference

• boredom

• disengagement of senses

• poor or no motivation

make learning relevant

WIIFM what’s in it for me???

things about ME

things I am interested in

something to help me achieve my goals

What is relevant to me?

relevance chain

what you have to do

possible immediate relevance

possible long-term relevance

possible outcomes

your goal

Seeing no relevance results in

• negative attitude

• indifference to task

• a need to rebel

• doing the absolute minimum

• poor or no motivation

inspire ambition

teach to set goals

Only those who have a dream can make their dream come true.

songs

Make use of motivational materials

filmsbooks

storiesquotes

Four kinds of goals

what I want to have what I want to achieve

how I want to feel what kind of person I want to be

Setting goals

Changing direction

Lack of goals and dreams results in

• aimless drifting

• leaving everything to chance or others

• seeing no sense in life and work

• poor or no motivation

raise confidence

There is nobody in the whole world exactly like you.

You are unique.

Learn to appreciate your uniqueness.

Discover your strengths

Having no confidence results in

• a sense of helplessness and inadequacy

• covering-up strategies such as withdrawal, aggression or fooling around

• a negative attitude (‘can’t do it anyway’)

• poor or no motivation

strengthen resilience

Life is like a roller coaster,full of ups and downs.

How you handle the ups and the downsis vital to your progress and growth.

Seven steps to successand the KITB, critical moment

1. decide

2. start

3. continue

4. continue 5. continue

6. complete

7. celebrate

KITB

Anticipating setbacks

Become an optimist

Practise focussing on peoples’ positive characteristics

Practise finding something good in challenging situations

A half-full glass

Lack of resilience results in• inability to complete any project

• no chance to experience success

• further drop in self-esteem

• poor or no motivation

Reward achievement

Four kinds of rewards

Make a habit of celebrating your achievement !

Inappropriate rewards

• make achievement more challenging• seriously test resilience• make pupils totally dependent on others

for praise• may result in poor or no motivation

How to run the programme

experiencevstheory

Suspend your judgment

Introduce

variety

Respectprivacy

sarcasm

appreciation

laughter

silence

agitation

tears giggles

withdrawalanger

care

respect

believe

notice

This programme works!

You should do this with every teenager in the country. It's brilliant!

Year 11 pupils, Exeter

An excellent opportunity to really touch pupils' lives... and my own! Hemel Hampsted, Herfordshire

Excellent materials and most inspiring workshop. Practical and useful. Frodsham, Cheshire

Working with the materials has literally transformed some pupils' lives. Thank you so much!

Cheshire

I hope I can do the activities with my pupils throughout the years they are with us! Useful for tutorials, PSHE and any time you can spare.

Stanchester, Somerset

Inspired Learningoffers

a course for teachers

Discover the secrets of motivating the teenage mind

For information please contactDr Eva Hoffman

evajhof@hotmail.comwww.inspiredlearning.info