Motivation can be intrinsic or extrinsic.
When I was a teacher, I dreaded winter’s doldrums. Something about the combination of cold weather, lack of sunlight, and a long, long stretch of school days with no holidays wore everybody down. It got more and more difficult to engage my kids in classroom discussion, and student motivation tanked. Zeros appeared in the gradebook. Students failed tests. Spring break seemed very far away.
Motivation can be intrinsic or extrinsic.
Extrinsic motivation is a prize (some might call it a bribe) or reward for accomplishments. An example of this is paying your child $50 for every A she earns. Extrinsic motivation might seem like an easy fix, but the effect wears off. The “payment” expected must continually increase for the student to remain motivated. It is unsustainable.
Intrinsic motivation is inherent satisfaction that comes from completing the task at hand. We see a challenge, we attempt it, we succeed. When that happens, our brains create dopamine. Dopamine can lead to feelings of euphoria, bliss, and enhanced motivation and concentration. It works as a transmitter in our brains. This is why escape rooms are so much fun. Winning is addictive. We form a successful cycle—attempt something new, face the challenge, succeed, receive a shot of dopamine.
Sounds like a winning combination. Problem is that the first step in the cycle is the attempting step. How do we get our students to push past that first roadblock when they have zero motivation?
Parents can help at home by setting up situations where the learning or practice occurs within the familiar confines of something your student enjoys. Does your kiddo need to practice spelling words? Does he enjoy puzzles? Print a puzzle outline over a picture. Write the spelling words on the back. For each word she spells correctly, give her a puzzle piece. She’s practicing, but playing an activity she enjoys, and will have the satisfaction of completing the puzzle when she finishes. Use answers to the times table instead. Filling in blanks on a review worksheet? Answers go on the puzzle pieces. This YouTube video will show you how to create your own puzzles on your computer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWQrefPtb4Y&t=105s
Is your child not a big fan of puzzles? Set up a scavenger hunt. When he gets his first correct answer, give him a clue to go find the next question. Part of the fun is figuring out where the clue is directing him. Once he arrives at station #2, he works the next problem. That earns him another clue. Dopamine kicks in with each accomplishment. See examples here. https://thetrendyscienceteacher.com/2018/11/01/leveling-up-learning-tip-6-create-your-own-classroom-scavenger-hunts/
Another fun game is to set up the questions as a maze. Your student starts in the top, right corner and works a math problem, or answers a review question, or recites a definition. The correct answer and an incorrect answer are available on the maze. Does she go right to the next box, or down? An incorrect answer will end up in a dead end on the maze. A correct answer will guide her to the end. You can see examples and print a template here. https://thetrendyscienceteacher.com/2018/06/29/leveling-up-learning-tip-3-add-mazes-for-engaging-review/
The more help parents can give to the teacher’s efforts at school, the more likely our students will be successful. As parents, we model and repeat the expectation of success at home, mimicking the same ideals our students see in their classrooms. You get to share in your child’s sense of accomplishment, and your pride in his efforts makes her feel valued, important, and capable.
And who knows? You may even get a little hit of dopamine yourself as you see the successful culmination of your efforts.
