The document summarizes a presentation for parents on motivation, enthusiasm, and underachievement. It discusses how engaged preschoolers can become underachieving adolescents due to mixed messages received as they grow up. Common causes of underachievement like health issues, family events, relationships, and school experiences are explored. Six practical steps for developing motivation are outlined: creating an achievement environment, avoiding power struggles, building relationships, providing challenges and support, setting goals, and focusing on success. The presentation emphasizes adopting a growth mindset and recognizing effort over outcomes to foster motivation.

1. GE Parent Monthly Forum #3
Every child has the right
to engage in new learning every day.
January 12, 2016
6:30-7:30 pm
Presenters: Kris Happe, Erika Lohn & Julie Pink
Motivation, Enthusiasm, and
Underachievement

2. ● Welcome Back!
● Motivation
● Four Basic Needs That Matter
● Six Practical Steps
● Fostering a Growth Mindset and other
strategies

3. Motivation? A Problem?

4. What Happened?
Engaged Preschooler
• excited for school
• willing to try anything
• loves to work hard at
learning
• has 100’s of questions
• intensely curious
• enthusiastic
• interested in many ideas
•
Underachieving Adolescent
• disengaged
• depressed
• angry
• defiant
• split persona
• impulsive
• imposter syndrome

5. Many Paths to Underachievement
and Loss of Motivation

6. Mixed Messages...
When they are younger….
Slow Down…
Wait….
Be a kid….
Don’t worry~ that’s a
grownup problem….
We’re not studying that today
Next week we will learn
about that…
Not working hard is fine for
you….
And seeds are being
planted...
When they get older….
Why are you trying?
You aren’t living up to your
potential….
Why won’t you try?
Why are you so frustrated?
Don’t just follow the crowd...

7. Sometimes…...
● Health-illness, stress, learning disability
● Family-events, sibling issues, divorce,
alcoholism, abuse
● Relationships- friends, with parents
● School--mixed messages...focus on the
other 97% of students… ability can be met
with anti-intellectualism, ‘more is better
bias’
● the only way for them to protest, is to go
on strike

8. Paths continued….
Other underachievement/motivation issues arise…
● attempts to fit in
● work not interesting or relevant
● expression of independence
● gaining of power by taking control from the adults
● expresses anger by gong on strike
● easier to drop out that submit to others’ demands
● success? too much pressure
● sees lack of respect for what they need/want to learn

9. Do any of those reasons sound like
your child?
Do they sound like you?

10. Rarely are gifted children just NOT
motivated.
They simply are not motivated
in areas others think they
should be…..

11. Start with….
treating the ...DISCOURAGEMENT…..
● helping them feel connected
● helping them feel understood
● must disengage from the power
struggle…(you=adult)
● then...uncover reasons why they might
want to learn (again)

12. Begin with…
What does the child see as important?
• After school activities? Time with friends? YES.
• Chemistry? NO?! What?
Modify and redirect the motivation.
• Use the motivation that already exists and
create an “If then scenerio.”
• There is limited success with rewards or
punishments
• Use sticks and carrots.

13. Sticks:
‘If you have any missing work on Friday after school when we
look at Campus Portal together, then you will lose social
events and your phone until Monday.’
Carrots:
Example with a ‘selective consumer’....
‘If you earn an A, you earn $20, if you earn a B, you earn
nothing… if you earn a C or lower, the whole deal is void…”

14. Sticks and Carrots
Advantages:
• Gets you OFF the
emotional rollercoaster
• Turns you into a more
empathetic,
understanding
person….
• Lets you be less
demanding.

15. Then move to...Six Practical Steps
● Create an environment that
promotes achievement and
motivation.
● Avoid power struggles.
● Develop a positive
relationship.
● Provide stimulation, interest
and challenges.
● Establish appropriate goals
● Focus and build on gradual
success.

16. 1. Create an environment that
promotes achievement and
motivation.
● out-of-school activities
○ sense of enthusiasm for achievement
○ develop a capacity for sustained work
○ develop positive self-management skills
○ friends who support achievement
● At home - listen, understand, and convey
confidence

17. 2. Avoid power struggles.
● adult seen as the enemy
● announce your withdrawal
● spend energy working together

18. 3. Work to develop a positive
relationship.
You teach what you are;you must model what
you want.
Don’t give up.

19. 4. Challenge, but provide support.
● don’t jeopardize relationship by pushing to
hard
● connect task to child’s interest
● raise expectations

20. 5. Establish appropriate goals.
● Effort need for long term goals must be
learned
● “Goal Vaulting”
● Plan sub-goals
● Values
● “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will do”
● Parent values

21. 6. Build on success.
● Support small steps
● Catch the child doing something right -
frequently
● Use “expectant praise”

22. Other Thoughts, Strategies….
for your toolbox...

23. What is Your Mindset?
http://www.usnews.
com/news/articles/2015/11/23
/teachers-parents-often-
misuse-growth-mindset-
research-carol-dweck-says
https://www.google.com/webhp?
sourceid=chrome-
instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-
8#q=The+Power+of+Belief+ted+t
alk
http://mindsetonline.com/

25. Research shows that ….
1) Mindset, beliefs about
intelligence and abilities, greatly
affects our success.
2) Our brains are malleable. Our
intelligence and abilities can
change.
3) Our mindset can change.

26. Strategies
Effort
Attitude…
You need them ALL for success!

27. FOCUS on Effort,
Process, Strategies.
Ask not: “Did you get an A?”
Rather ask: “Did you focus, work hard?”

28. Recognize Accomplishments
Avoid focus on the one negative…..The “B”
This may negate the positive or promote perfectionist thinking!

29. Be sensitive, and when
appropriate, specific.
Is it developmentally appropriate, helpful?
*Avoid generalizations, “You are so…….. ,
(Beware of the “IMPOSTER SYNDROME).
*Instead, “ I noticed that you tried ……….”
or ask
“What strategy worked, or could you
try…...?” “Did you challenge yourself?

30. Participate in Joint Efforts
(Walk the Talk!)

31. Seek mentoring opportunities.
Much can be learned from others.

32. Find the Balance
Achievement
Versus
Nurturing Emotional Development.

35. Goal:
Happy,
healthy
family.

36. Thank you for being here tonight.

37. Next Time…..
GE Parent Monthly Forum #4
Idealism, Unhappiness and Depression
Every child has the right
to engage in new learning every day.
February 9th, 2016

38. SUPPORT RESOURCES