Larry Ferlazzo - Helping Students Motivate Themselves

Larry Ferlazzo discusses motivation in education, contrasting intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. He emphasizes creating conditions for intrinsic motivation through autonomy, competence, relatedness, and relevance. Practical strategies and examples are provided to enhance student motivation. The importance of building relationships and making learning relevant is highlighted. Ferlazzo concludes by advocating for empowering students and teachers by sharing power.

What key lesson did Larry Ferlazzo learn from his experience at the soup kitchen?

• The significance of authority

• The need for strict rules

• The value of being effective

• The importance of being right

Why is extrinsic motivation considered ineffective for higher-level tasks?

• It can be destructive to creative thinking

• It is too time-consuming

• It only works for creative tasks

• It is too expensive

Which of the following is NOT one of the four elements of intrinsic motivation?

• Competence

• Relevance

• Autonomy

• Punishment

How can teachers promote competence in students?

• By encouraging effort and growth

• By praising natural intelligence

• By focusing on test scores

• By giving more homework

What is the role of relatedness in student motivation?

• It helps students feel isolated

• It fosters close relationships and respect

• It reduces the need for teacher involvement

• It creates competition among students

How can relevance enhance student learning?

• By making lessons more challenging

• By connecting lessons to students' interests

• By focusing solely on academic content

• By reducing the number of assignments

What is the concept of 'transfer of knowledge' in education?

• Focusing on one subject at a time

• Memorizing facts for exams

• Learning through repetition

• Applying learned concepts to new situations

What does Larry suggest about power in teaching?

• Power should be centralized with the teacher

• Sharing power can create more opportunities

• Power should be avoided in classrooms

• Power is irrelevant to student success

What example does Larry give to illustrate the importance of relevance?

• A student writing about a natural disaster

• A student writing about their favorite NFL team

• A student solving math problems

• A student reading a novel

What is the main challenge for teachers according to Larry?

• Reducing classroom size

• Focusing on test scores

• Giving up some power to create possibilities

• Maintaining strict discipline