EDUCATIONAL BOOK REVIEW

GIOVANNI CLARESTA TATO

Helping Students Motivate Themselves: Practical Answers to Classroom

Challenges
by Larry Ferlazzo

Eye On Education/Routledge, 2011

The book confirmed many of the educational strategies

and tools and emphasized the important roles that
relationships and metacognition play in motivation and
successful classrooms.

From the beginning Ferlazzo is clear that This book is not designed as a road
map; rather, it should serve as a compass to point us and our students in the
right direction. To point readers in the right direction, the book is set up in a
format that is very easy to follow. Each section begins with a hypothetical
question or statement you might typically hear from a teacher. For example:

I work so hard at trying to get these kids motivated. Some are, but so many
arent. They just seem to want to get byif that. I try to encourage themIm
their biggest cheerleader! But it can get so tiring. I feel like Im pushing a rope
with some of my students. Why cant they just want to achieve instead of
having to be pushed into it?

Ferlazzo then offers background information and perspective that teachers

can use to develop a better pedagogical understanding of the issues behind
the statement. Readers will also find sample lesson plans and resources that
can be used with students to help develop the skills necessary to work
through the initial question or concern.
A whole-child point of view

As somebody whose educational philosophy has changed dramatically

towards a focus on educating the whole child, not just the child as a test-taker,
Ferlazzo began with a section on classroom culture and followed up with a
section on instruction.

Tips in the first section included how teachers can develop relationships with
students, how to start off the year on the right foot, and how to deal with a
disruptive student.

The vast number of resources listed in every section and the extensive
references section at the end of the book ensure that if readers want to
continue to develop background knowledge about motivating students, there
are plenty of opportunities to do so.

In summary:

Veteran teachers will find many opportunities for affirmation of current

practices as well as new ideas to help students develop metacognitive
strategies for learning and life skills.

Beginning teachers in the upper middle grades will appreciate the concrete
lesson examples that will help them maneuver through some of the trickiest
times in the school year and school day.

And anybody in education can use Helping Students Motivate Themselves

as a go-to book when were looking for good ways to respond to that sad,
familiar comment: These kids just dont want to learn! Larry Ferlazzo can
help us turn that into an action question: What can we do differently to help
these kids be more enthusiastic about their learning?