Student Well-Being Video

Student Motivation: Making Students’ Work Relevant

By Larry Ferlazzo & Emma Patti Harris — December 9, 2019 3:27

For students to feel motivated, they must see the work they are doing in the classroom as interesting, valuable, and useful to their present lives. Teachers should consider having lesson plans and discussions about topics prevalent in students’ lives, having students set academic and non-academic goals, and challenging students to write about why what they are learning is relevant. Coverage of whole-child approaches to learning is supported in part by a grant from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. Education Week retains sole editorial control over the content of this coverage.

Larry Ferlazzo is an English and social studies teacher at Luther Burbank High School in Sacramento, Calif.
Emma Patti Harris is a deputy managing editor for Education Week who oversees visuals and immersive experiences.

Sponsored by Cognia
Coverage of whole-child approaches to learning is supported in part by a grant from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, at www.chanzuckerberg.com. Education Week retains sole editorial control over the content of this coverage.

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