TITLE:  Motivation - Using You Best Means of Communication

AUTHOR:  Chris Schorr, Raton, NM

GRADE LEVEL/SUBJECT: all

OVERVIEW:  Student motivation at Raton Middle school seems
to be at an all time low.  Teachers struggle constantly to
challenge students to strive for a higher level of
performance often time with little success.  Responsibility
for ones performance is also a concern. Students seem to
blame others for their inability to achieve satisfactory
grades.

PURPOSE:
1.   Challenge students to express their creativity in a
     medium that is comfortable, rewarding, attractive, and
     most importantly, nonthreatening.
2.   Allow students to accept responsibility for their
     performance.

OBJECTIVE:  Students demonstrate understanding of the lesson
taught, (book read) in the medium of their choice.

ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:  After a lesson (chapter, unit,
book read) has been presented, students demonstrate their
understanding of the material in a variety of ways.
  1.  conventional test or book report
  2.  an artistic interpretation of material (individual or
      group) - poetry and illustrations or clay (or other
      medium) interpretation
  3.  theatrical presentation (short skit)
  4.  oral presentation and demonstration

When students complete their assignments, they will grade
their projects based on the following criteria.
      a.  completeness   25 points
      b.  neatness       25 points
      c.  effort         25 points
      d.  accuracy       25 points
This is turned in to the teacher with the project.  My
personal choice is to not look at the students grade before
I grade the project.  The two grades are compared, discussed
and then averaged for the final grade.

TYING IT ALL TOGETHER:  It has been my experience that this
type of assignment gives students the flexibility they need
to demonstrate their understanding of material presented in
a way that better suits their abilities.  Allowing students
to express themselves in ways other than words often
motivates them far beyond their own self-expectations.  When
the students have ownership int he grade achieved it often
allows them to take responsibility for their performance.