You've probably experienced this before, <<First Name>>.
You have students who are motivated by grades and the usual school accolades...but another group seems to care less. Do they hate learning? Or is it that they are not motivated by the system?
Music teacher, Mr. Morita offers some great insight on how more personalized opportunities to challenge student creativity and critical thinking skills positively affected one of his students. A few excerpts...
"As a music and percussion teacher, I often have students compose their own music pieces for the instruments they want to learn. The music students compose becomes something they can dedicate to a loved one or perform at a concert. This is what motivates my students—not the letter grade they’ll get at the end of the year. Grades should not be the driving motivator for students to learn. Striving to finish an assignment quickly is not a reliable indicator of a valuable learning experience."
Then to say..."The way forward is to create systems and cultures to celebrate our learners' strengths while supporting their individual needs."
-Zachary Morita, Music/Percussion Teacher, Niu Valley Middle School, Hawaii
You can read the entire article here: "Want Students Who Think for Themselves?..."
PS: Thanks for all the super kind testimonials about Buff Nuggets...also, Double High-Fives to everyone who shares these weekly tidbits with friends. Almost 400 new Nugget-Lovers have joined in on the fun. I'm still running my referral, free Buff Swag program below. I'd love to mail you a beautiful, coral colored "I Teach Things That Can't Be Googled" tee.
Also, I just published all my Super Buffanatics' names on my website, as a SUPER SHOUT OUT! Everyone who shares and refers at least one person will be commemorated here on the Buff Nuggets Signup Page.
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