Chapter Ten

If all of those heart-wrenching motion pictures have taught us nothing but one thing is that the teacher strives to reach and motivate and inspire the hard to reach students to bring them into the educational light. I believe that this (if nothing else from those movies) is correct, just as you must strive to help the students who are flourishing in a class and keep them motivated and challenged you must help the students on the other end of the spectrum. This is done by making the assignments applicable to them and giving them choices. Yes, they must complete the work to show that knowledge has been gained but they need not do it principally in paper form. They might take off and write a song, interpretive dance or video of their own. I think that the think to be specific of here is to be sure that boundaries and expectations are set early and by both parties involved. If the options put forth are not intriguing enough to the student, allow the student(s) or class to come up with some other options which pique their interest. For some students, the pressure of a given time-line may not help matters, in this case, consider having the student set an (acceptable) guideline and see if the self-initiative this provokes helps the assignments along. If, after setting their own goals, their work is not in hold them accountable. That is what will happen in 'real' life and that is what should happen in education as well - for are we not attempting ot teach them how to get along in real life?