Motivation Matters
Motivation Matters covered what works, and what doesn’t work, to motivate students to do better in school. This blog is no longer being updated, but you can continue to explore these issues on edweek.org by visiting our related topic pages: student motivation & engagement.
Education
The Stock Market Game
Here is an example of the way that schools are using the current financial crisis to teach students about the stock market and the importance of saving and investing at a young age. The program, called The Stock Market Game, allows students to use up to $100,000 of hypothetical money to buy, sell, and trade stocks over the course of a semester.
Science
Girls and The Math Stigma
Last night after work, I still had Sean Cavanagh's Education Week story about how American culture discourages girls from cultivating high-level math skills up on my computer screen when my roommates—who are, notably, both women—came in to check their e-mail and catch me up on the day's events. As my first roommate began to log on to her account, she read the headline of Sean's story (American Culture Seen to Thwart Girls' Math Development) and to my surprise exclaimed, "That's so true!" which sparked a long discussion about their associations with math and gender.
Recruitment & Retention
Pay Day for Students
Students in cash-incentive programs in both Washington and Chicago got paid last week, according to this AP article. It'll be awhile until we know whether or not these plans are actually working, although teachers in Washington say that they've seen less tardiness since the program has been in place.
Education
After School Program Aims to Boost Reading Skills
My colleague Kathleen Kennedy Manzo recently wrote an article about Freedom Schools, run by the Children's Defense Fund or CDF, which have after-school and summer programs in disadvantaged communities in six states. The program aims to provide after-school homework help and boost children's reading skills and is rooted in community involvement. The tutors are university students who are trained to help kids and often take place in churches, community centers, and schools. So far, research suggests that the program has helped improved reading skills of those students who have participated.
Education
PBS Site Focuses Preschool Reading
PBS has launched a new Web site called Ready to Learn that provides resources for educators, parents, and caregivers to help children between the ages of about 2 to 5 learn how to read (or get ready to learn how to read).
Education
The Financial Crisis: A Teachable Moment
Back in September, Kevin wondered whether recent economic failures in the U.S. would provide an opportunity to raise discussions about the teaching of economic literacy. Since then, many other events have shaken up the economy in the U.S. and around the world, reinforcing the importance of teaching kids financial responsibility and economics.
Education
Motivating the Community
It's not always just students who need to be motivated to be involved with school—sometimes parents and community members need a little motivation, too. As we've seen over and over again, community involvement is a key part of student engagement and success. That's why I think this program, which encourages community leaders to spend a day shadowing a principal in their school district, is really important. Seeing the ins and outs of how the school operates as well as what students are doing in class can really make the importance of community involvement tangible for leaders.
Education
iPod Motivation Tactic Hits Policy Barrier
This first person account on teachermagazine.org of a teacher who was able to get her class on task when she allowed them 30 minutes every Friday to listen to their iPods raises a couple of interesting points, some of which relate directly to issues covered on the Digital Education blog about technology's role in the classroom. Apparently, that half hour of listening time once a week was enough of a reward that teacher Jennifer McDaniel's 9th grade students would spend that time working diligently. However, when McDaniel shared her new technique with her colleagues, she was informed that allowing students to listen to personal electronic devices during school time was prohibited, effectively stopping the Friday tradition in its tracks.
Education
Election Learning Fueled by Digital Tools
Quite some time ago, I wrote a blog post wondering how the election might increase motivation levels in the classroom. And according to this story, it looks like my colleague Kathleen Kennedy Manzo has done my homework for me.
Education
A "What Works" Example
If you've read the tag line for Motivation Matters, you know that our goal here is to document what works and what doesn't work to motivate students. And today we have an example of what works, sent in by Principal Paul M. Brennan of the Riverside Elementary West School in Taylor, Pa.
Recruitment & Retention
What Do Rewards Teach?
In light of the recent wave of schools trying cash-incentive programs to motivate students, it's only fair to point back to a commentary written by Alfie Kohn, an outspoken critic of these kinds of programs and of testing in general.
Recruitment & Retention
Jumping on the Cash-Incentive Bandwagon
Following suit with programs in Chicago and New York, it looks like a group of schools in Washington has now jumped on the cash-incentive bandwagon, according to this Washington Post article. About 3,000 students could earn as much as $1,500 per academic year for good behavior, getting to class on time, and earning high grades. The program, called Capital Gains, is the brainchild of Roland Fryer, who crafted similar programs in New York and Chicago.
College & Workforce Readiness
N.H. Pushes Personalized Learning, Real-World Lessons
Education Week's Stephen Sawchuk has written an interesting story about a massive reform effort going on in New Hampshire designed to personalize students' learning--allowing them more access to alternative education, distance-learning opportunities, and learning opportunities outside of school, like internships and apprenticeships. Educators hope that tying in curriculum to real-world applications will increase student engagement and ultimately boost graduation rates, says the article.
Recruitment & Retention
No More Sweet Rewards
This story in The Washington Post is an interesting (though not totally unexpected) twist in the debate over rewarding kids in schools. Apparently schools in the greater Washington area are rethinking the way food is used as a reward for good behavior. Giving students sweets for doing well sends students the wrong message about nutrition, says the article. Instead, teachers are turning to other methods of rewarding students--like allowing them to be first in line to recess, said one teacher.