Consider the situation in your classroom in which the students are not paying attention during the lesson? Why do you think that happens? Is it our fault? Is it theirs? What motivates a student to attend to our message?
These are questions that lay on the mind of all educators. We know that without attention, there is no learning. Motivation is linked directly to that. We try,without tire,to find and deliver motivation to students as if it were the holy grail. This lesson helps explore the biology behind motivation, showing students how attention and learning are in their control not ours.
- Show Slide One: The Brain "at attention."
- Explore a time when their brain represented this state of engaged, focus, attention? (Video Games!)-you have now confirmed they are "biologically capable."
- Explore the challenge of Slide #2- The Brains state when not engaged.
- Explain that this NATURALLY happens when the brain is overwhelmed, disinterested, bored, is unable to see authenticity, purpose, connectivity.
- Big Idea: The difference between successful learners and those who are not is that successful learners know when the brain is losing attention, and they know what to do to get it back when necessary.
- Bottom Line: Students need to know the brain can not be motivated to attend 24/7. What writes on their slate of learning success is access to the strategies that employ successful learners as they get themselves "off the beach" and ready to learn.
- If we model those strategies for students, we show them how to gain access and control over their learning.
Here are the slides for the lesson, give it a whirl. I would love to hear about the conversations that followed!
