Reviews for Ten steps for motivating reluctant learners

The average rating for Ten steps for motivating reluctant learners based on 2 reviews is 3.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2011-07-03 00:00:00 Michelle Pembrook Eric Jensen's books are mostly terrific, though I would love some more detail in the implementation aspect. As a neurophysiologist, I know the brain stuff, what I'm looking for is how to put the whole thing in action. I would like to see a style that more parallels the book Classroom Instruction that Works, where that team uses clear and detailed examples from a class in a variety of fields and levels so you can see how to put their stuff into action. Jensen has a lot of theory, but not a lot of practical way to put it into action. SO I thought the book was good, but not stellar. He has the brain research to back up his findings, however, and he knows that material well, and he does have good ideas, it just is lacking the detail that I would like. He does cover the gamut of brain research and how it affects learning. And he does give some ideas of how to help the learning process, the recall process and ways to improve students "getting it." He's clear, and any teacher can tell you, that material learned in one arena is often only recalled in that arena, so kids can't take what they learn in math to the science class unless specifically shown the new context. He gives ways to overcome that. And that the emotional state matters (duh), and for kids in poverty or other trauma-laden home lives (abuse, alcoholism) will have more difficulty in school, and gives so practical ideas, but again, no clear and detailed examples. He speaks about the need for physical exercise and movement, and the need for a good physical environment. Good luck with that. The value system in this country is not supportive of education, and doesn't seem likely to shift anytime soon. We give it good lip service, but we don't walk our talk. He also speaks about social interactions and the need for safety and how to mitigate peer pressure. The most interesting chapters for me where the ones on motivation and engagement, and these ideas were useful. He had some intriguing ways to get the students motivated by prepping their emotions, hooking them with relevance to their lives, and giving them as much choice as possible in the curricular projects. None of this is new, but I liked the way he put it all together to show what it does on a physical brain level. I'll be writing up notes of the book if anyone is interested.

Review # 2 was written on 2019-02-27 00:00:00 David Skaar I find appreciation in the brain research on classroom and instruction. The chapters leading up to the application were focused on brain research and brain function. I was able to apply the concepts to my classroom or students especially on rewards and motivation, that was helpful. Jensen's research was thorough, more than I needed, but helpful to lay the foundation for understanding. I wish there would have been more application of the research versus depth of research. Educators read this book especially if you're interested in "getting in the minds of students" and focusing on learning.