Week 3A- Motivation as the road to engagement [Sept. 18, 2011, 7:48 p.m.]
Motivation is a tricky science. We are often committed to methods of motivation that are contrary to all studies on what motivates people. I believe it is because we have been culturally trained to behave in certain ways that seem to us "common sense" and yet turn out to be inaccurate.
Below are a selection of activities and readings. Choose at least one activity 
to carry out and choose at least one article 
to read. Use the comment feature to discuss 
your thinking below.
Take a look at this video of Daniel Pink, the writer of Drive for thoughts on what does and does not motivate. What do you think of his ideas being implemented in the classroom?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrkrvAUbU9Y
Alfie Kohn is another leading speaker on motivation in the classroom. His book, Punished by Rewards, challenges educators to reconsider the use of rewards and punishments in the classroom. Are his ideas workable in a classroom environment? So is this teacher doing what Alfie and Daniel advise against? Todd Whitaker speaking both on punishment and its relationship to good teaching versus poor teaching. Do you agree with his assessment? Can you implement his ideas on motivation? How?Is this contrary to what Pink, Kohn, and Whitaker advocate?