An ASCD Study Guide for The Motivated Student: Unlocking the Enthusiasm for Learning

You can use the study guide before or after you have read the book, or as you finish each chapter. The study questions provided are not meant to cover all aspects of the book, but, rather, to address specific ideas that might warrant further reflection.

Most of the questions contained in this study guide are ones you can think about on your own, but you might consider pairing with a colleague or forming a study group with others who have read (or are reading) The Motivated Student: Unlocking the Enthusiasm for Learning.

Chapter 1

1. Sam Lewiston states, "My job is to make sure kids learn as much as possible. To do that, I need to engender a healthy fear. … Fear is a great motivator; without injecting it into my classroom, I wouldn't be doing my job." Do you agree or disagree with Mr. Lewiston? Is there such a thing as "healthy fear"? Can students be inspired in a classroom characterized by fear?
2. The author suggests that we are unaware of many of our fear-driven practices because they have become so habitual. With a trusted colleague, discuss how you may unknowingly introduce fear into the classroom. What alternative practices can you adopt to eliminate the damaging consequences of fear?
3. The author makes a distinction between fear and a healthy respect for authority. Discuss how to distinguish between the two, ensuring students respect you without introducing fear in the classroom.

Chapter 2

1. Ms. Lugo believes that teachers who give students too many choices "feed into their penchant for disorganization." Do you agree? Are freedom and organization mutually exclusive, as Ms. Lugo suggests? How can teachers provide more choices to their students without unintentionally promoting disorganization?
2. Ms. Lugo says, "I've learned over the years that students only work as hard as we make them work. While there may be a few internally motivated students, the vast majority will do as little as possible." Discuss Ms. Lugo's position with your colleagues. Do you believe that students are unmotivated? Does our use of coercion foster noncompliance masked as laziness?
3. Students like Aaron are willing to receive a lower grade to assert their autonomy. Discuss how to support our students' need to be autonomous without sacrificing academic achievement.

Chapter 3

1. The author states, "Regardless of their intent, external rewards unintentionally communicate that learning and the acquisition of academic competence are not inherently valuable." Discuss whether you believe external rewards unintentionally intimate that learning is not its own reward.
2. Carrie says math is her favorite subject "because you can get more points in math than anything else." Is Carrie driven to earn (points) or learn (math)? Discuss how external rewards drive students to earn rather than learn.
3. The author says there is a "monumental difference between rewarding and affirming." Describe the difference and identify ways to affirm more often and reward less often.

Chapter 4

1. The author states, "While a model based upon fear, coercion, and external rewards can be effective to a point, it cannot inspire large numbers of students to do high-quality work. To improve our schools in any appreciable way, we need to implement the internal control psychology that more accurately explains human behavior." Do you agree that the reward/punishment model has taken us about as far as it can? Discuss why it's time to adopt a new way of structuring our classrooms and managing our students or why you believe our current practices are adequate.
2. Identify the basic needs common to all students and discuss how some needs are stronger than others for some students. How can an understanding of "need strength" help you effectively differentiate instruction for your students?
3. Do you believe in freedom? Responsibility? Personal accountability? If so, discuss how to implement internal control psychology more effectively on both a personal and professional level.

Chapter 5

1. Chad is given conflicting instructions from two of his teachers. Do you think this is a problem or should students anticipate different instructions from different teachers? In your school, would more consistent expectations be helpful? If so, how can you create the consistency you want?
2. Discuss how to ensure that your classroom is characterized by sufficient predictability so that students feel safe enough to take risks.
3. Create a list of the common procedures performed in your class (e.g., collecting materials, transitioning from one activity to another, etc). Do your students know exactly what is expected of them during these times? How can you teach these procedures efficiently so that you save precious academic time throughout the course of the school year?

Chapter 6

1. Like many students, Carla says, "If you want to teach me anything, I need to feel like it matters to you." Discuss specific ways you communicate passion for your subject matter to your students. Is it essential that teachers be enthusiastic to inspire the majority of their students?
2. Lenny Blair quotes a colleague saying, "I teach. Those who want to, learn. Those who don't, fail. It's called responsibility and accountability." Do teachers have a responsibility to try to inspire students, or is it enough to simply teach and let students decide if they want to learn the material? Does your answer depend upon the age and developmental level of the students you teach?
3. Discuss with your colleagues why you decided to become a teacher and why you teach the grade(s) or subject(s) you teach. Engaging in such conversations will help you retain (or rediscover) your enthusiasm for your chosen profession.

Chapter 7

1. The author states, "We need to develop a positive relationship with our students if we want them to engage in the highest-quality academic work." Do you agree? Discuss with your colleagues the characteristics of a positive teacher/student relationship.
2. Do you agree with the author that "the inappropriate behavior we sometimes witness in the classroom is perfectly appropriate from a developmental perspective"? Discuss some examples of unacceptable behavior that is developmentally typical and ways to manage these situations effectively.
3. The author states, "Positive relationships create an environment that fosters high achievement." Discuss with your colleagues specific strategies you can implement to build and maintain positive relationships with your students, even if their behavior suggests they "don't deserve it."

Chapter 8

1. Trish Ortiz states that it's easy to introduce things into her lessons to make them interesting and relevant. Do you agree? Identify some simple strategies to help students see your class as interesting and personally relevant.
2. According to Trish Ortiz, relevance is only valuable if it fosters student achievement. Do you believe that relevance promotes achievement? Why or why not?
3. Research suggests that students put forth more effort and learn more when they perceive lessons as relevant. With colleagues who teach the same subject(s), identify specific ways to help students see the relevance of what you are teaching.

Chapter 9

1. How do students typically behave when they believe they are destined to fail even if they try? With your colleagues, discuss how to identify that instructional "zone" for each student that both challenges and provides the opportunity for success with reasonable effort.
2. The author suggests that it is demoralizing to tell less competent students to "just do your best." Do you agree? Identify some strategies to keep less able students from being discouraged.
3. The author suggests that we provide separate grades in the areas of work ethic and responsibility rather than include them in the content grade issued to the student. Discuss the merits of this proposal. If you and your colleagues decide it has merit, how can you initiate this practice in your school?

Chapter 10

1. The author believes that teachers need to create lesson plans that are need-satisfying if they want all students to be fully engaged and productive. Do you think it is our responsibility to ensure that lessons are "need-satisfying"? Why or why not?
2. Are there more disciplinary infractions and office referrals at your school later in the school day (from lunch period until dismissal)? If so, do you think this is related to students being unable to satisfy their needs by doing what they are asked to do? Would intentionally planning with the students' needs in mind lead to a reduction of inappropriate behavior?
3. Do the following with a trusted colleague: both of you choose a lesson you plan to teach in the next day or two. Follow the process outlined in Chapter 10 to assess if students will be able to meet their needs for belonging, freedom, and fun by doing what you ask. Adjust your plans if necessary before teaching the lesson. Then meet with your colleague and discuss if planning with the students' needs in mind helped make it a more successful lesson. Do this every day for at least two weeks.

Chapter 11

1. Krista Guerekis asks her students to create their own academic goals before beginning a unit of instruction. With your colleagues, discuss how this practice engages them and fosters higher achievement.
2. Krista Guerekis states, "Visualization and recognition of the positive feelings that come with hard work and success helps them hang in there when it's tempting to give up." Have your students visualize themselves being academically successful as a result of sustained effort. With your colleagues, discuss ways to help students make the connection between working hard and feeling good about themselves.
3. Krista Guerekis states, "Asking kids to assess their work without giving them a model or rubric is patently unfair." Do you always give your students what they need to effectively self-evaluate? With colleagues who teach the same subject(s), create a bank of rubrics and models that will help your students engage in productive self-evaluation.

Chapter 12

1. Think of a student you have dealt with recently who was angry, upset, frustrated, or suffering from some other unpleasant feeling. With a colleague, identify the concurrent thoughts, actions, and physiology. Brainstorm other actions or thoughts the student could have engaged in to minimize or eliminate the unpleasant feelings.
2. Do the same as #1 with a situation where you are experiencing an unpleasant feeling. What actions can you take and what thoughts can you choose that will alleviate the unpleasant feeling?
3. At the start of a unit of instruction, ask your students how they want to feel when the unit is over and they have been evaluated. Take them through the total behavior process outlined in Chapter 12. At the conclusion of the unit, determine if the students did better than they usually do. Discuss your findings with your colleagues.

Chapter 13

1. The author suggests that students will only learn on a superficial level if all they do is "pay attention," suggesting they need time to process and internalize in order to "own" the new learning. Discuss the complementary states of "paying attention" and "making meaning" and ways to ensure that you give your students adequate time to reflect and make meaning of the concepts you teach.
2. With others who teach the same subject(s) in your school or district, examine and discuss all the things that you are required to "cover" in your course. Decide what concepts are "essential to know," which ones are "important to know," and which are "nice to know." Collectively make a commitment to dedicate more time to those concepts you agree are "essential," giving your students the opportunity to deepen their understanding of essential concepts.

Chapter 14

1. Have a conversation with a colleague about what you want from yourself as an educator. Put your personal mission statement in writing and refer to it regularly. Ask yourself the following question: "If I were handling things like the teacher I would like to be, what would I do next?"

The Motivated Student: Unlocking the Enthusiasm for Learning was written by Bob Sullo. This 182-page, 6" x 9" book (Stock #109028; ISBN-13: 978-1-4166-0810-3) is available from ASCD for $18.95 (ASCD member) or $23.95 (nonmember). Copyright © 2009 by ASCD. To order a copy, call ASCD at 1-800-933-2723 (in Virginia: 1-703-578-9600) and press 2 for the Service Center. Or, buy the book from ASCD's Online Store.