Inspiring Student Motivation: Race To The Top: As "Top-Down" As It Gets

Ever wish your students were more motivated? If you’re like most of us, you have tried an array of rewards and punishments to motivate kids. There’s only one problem: it doesn’t work. At least it doesn't work well enough. People (yes, even students) aren’t motivated from the outside so rewards and punishments only work to a point. We are internally motivated. That’s why it's essential to engage and inspire students to be motivated to succeed in school (and life.)

If you’re ready to move beyond the reward/punishment model and embrace a whole new way to understand motivation, I encourage you to come back regularly. It’s time to challenge the status quo and create schools and classrooms based on what really motivates behavior.

Monday, May 23, 2011

Race To The Top: As "Top-Down" As It Gets

President Obama applauds innovation that grows "from the bottom up," saying that's the path to genuine education reform. But Race To The Top, created by Obama and Arne Duncan, requires states to agree to federally favored "innovations" in order to receive funding that is necessary to improve schools!

If that sounds like double-speak to you, read "Race To The Top: As 'Top-Down' As It Gets."

By the way, I'm not trying to engage in Obama-bashing. I voted for him and expect to again next year. I simply find myself confused by his educational policies.