Synopses & Reviews
Any child can be motivated to learn.
"If he only would apply himself..."
"She can do it if she puts her mind to it."
"He just doesn't seem to care."
"She's just not trying."
Motivation is the key to learning. But very few parents and teachers have an effective arsenal of techniques at their disposal. Enter educator and acclaimed author Rick Lavoie, who arms all those who deal with children with proven, effective tools and strategies they can use to encourage any child to learn and achieve success.
Lavoie's practical, innovative approach begins with a quiz that helps a parent or teacher identify -- using six different possible models -- a child's motivational style.
- Is she motivated by power?
- Does he need prestige?
- Does praise mean a lot to this child?
- Does contact with other people inspire this child?
- Does he like to do projects?
- Does she enjoy receiving prizes?
He then explores each motivational style in depth, presenting proven techniques, strategies, and scripts that can be used in the classroom and at home to break through a child's apathy and discouragement and inspire him to succeed and achieve.
Along the way, Lavoie explodes some common myths about motivation: for instance, he demonstrates that rewards, punishment, and competition are not effective motivational tools. He gives specific advice throughout for parents and teachers of children with learning disabilities and provides detailed instructions for how to create a motivated classroom. He outlines the parent's role, the teacher's role, and suggests ways in which they can work together to encourage children to reach their potential. The book's final chapter, "What Does Madison Avenue Know...That Maple Street Elementary School Doesn't," reveals what parents and teachers can learn from some of the most powerful motivators in our children's world: advertisers.
With empathy and understanding, backed by decades of experience in the classroom, Rick Lavoie gives parents and teachers the key to unlock any child's enthusiasm and responsiveness. The Motivation Breakthrough will revolutionize the way parents, teachers, and professionals reach out to and motivate all children.
Review
"Rick's experiences as an educator, father, and consultant shine through as he describes obstacles to motivation and eloquently articulates interventions that will be most effective in sparking the interest and joy of kids, especially given their different needs." -- Robert Brooks, Ph.D., author of The Self-Esteem Teacher and coauthor of Raising Resilient Children
Review
"Sheer genius! Lavoie's gift for creatively motivating even the most difficult students is unrivaled. A must-read for educators who want to learn from a master teacher!" -- Chris A. Zeigler Dendy, M.S., author of Teaching Teens with ADD and ADHD and coauthor of A Bird's-Eye View of Life with ADD and ADHD
Review
"Rick succeeds in emphasizing how important it is for adults to know what motivates children. The Motivation Breakthrough is a valuable resource for all of us who are searching for ways to inspire and discover that elusive motivational spark in our children." -- Richard L. Goldman, M.Ed., director, Schools Attuned, Los Angeles; assistant director, Center for Teaching and Learning, California State University, Northridge
Review
"Rick Lavoie reminds us on every page that we all possess the power to shape a child's future. The Motivation Breakthrough offers concrete strategies and reveals the most powerful and effective secrets for boosting a child's confidence, self-esteem, and motivation." -- Donna Goldberg, author of The Organized Student
Review
"Richard Lavoie's work has become a centerpiece in teacher preparation curriculum across the United States. The principles espoused by Lavoie in this book are testimony to what many effective educators have known for a long time: in learning, often the journey is just as important as the destination. This is a must-read for anyone connected with the field of education." -- Michael E. Spagna, Ph.D., professor and executive director, the Center for Teaching and Learning, Michael D. Eisner College of Education, California State University, Northridge
Synopsis
The Motivation Breakthrough explores proven techniques and strategies—based on six possible motivational styles—that will revolutionize the way teachers and parents inspire kids with learning disabilities to succeed and achieve.
Backed by decades of experience in the classroom, educator and acclaimed author Rick Lavoie explodes common myths and gives specific advice for motivating children with learning disabilities. He outlines parents’ and teachers’ roles, suggesting ways in which they can work together to encourage any child to reach his or her potential. Finally, he reveals what we can learn from some of the most powerful motivators in the world: advertisers. With empathy and understanding, Lavoie offers parents and teachers the key to unlocking enthusiasm and responsiveness, proving any child can be motivated to learn.
About the Author
Richard Lavoie, M.A., M.Ed., has worked as a teacher and headmaster at residential special education facilities for the past thirty years. He holds three degrees in special education and serves as a consultant to several agencies and organizations. The father of three adult children, he lives with his wife in Barnstable, Massachusetts. He welcomes visitors to his website at <>
Table of Contents
Contents Preface xiii
Part I
Understanding and Fostering Student Motivation
1. Student Motivation: What It Is and What It Is Not 3
2. The Motivating Classroom 51
3. One Size Does Not Fit All: The Eight Forces of Motivation 97
4. The Child Motivated by Praise 117
5. The Child Motivated by Power 141
6. The Child Motivated by Projects 173
7. The Child Motivated by Prestige 187
8. The Child Motivated by Prizes 209
9. The People-Oriented Child 229
10. Implementing the 6 P's in the Classroom 251
Part II
It Takes a Village to Motivate a Child
11. The Role of the Parent in Student Motivation 259
12. The Parent's Involvement in Academic Issues 287
13. Explaining Learning Disabilities to Your Child 309
14. Household Chores and Work Ethic 321
15. The Teacher's Role in Facilitating Parental Involvement 331
16. What Does Madison Avenue Know...
That Maple Street Elementary School Doesn't? 343
Afterword 371
Recommended Reading 377