CASE STUDY IN MOTIVATION 1

EDU 615, Motivational Theory and Class Management

Case Study in Motivation
April 26, 2013
Dotty Peters
University of New England











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I. Introducti on
Kenny is a seventeen-year-old young man enrolled in my English 10 class for the
second year. He is very quiet and most of the time, keeps to himself by sitting at a
worktable in the back of my classroom. I think what most people would see right away is
that he wears his hair very long in front. It makes it difficult to see his eyes and when you
can see them he mostly avoids direct eye contact. He lives with his mother and according
to her, he very rarely sees his father and has no ongoing relationship with him.
Kennys skills with technology are outstanding, however he constantly needs to
be redirected from his games, music, and social networking. I believe he feels much more
comfortable communicating via computer than in person so if we are using our laptops in
class, he warrants a close eye so he doesnt wander from class work to amusement.
Kenny is an avid reader (believe or not, he is actually reading Dantes Inferno for a free
choice book) so he very competently has completed class readings. The catch is
completing the assessments. Generally, if I give a quiz or writing assignment that is to be
completed in class, Kenny does fine. The hitch comes when I give something that needs
to be completed for homework. I think Kennys mantra is, I dont do homework, for it
is never turned in. Sometimes he makes excuses and says he forgot it at home or he asks
to go to his locker and comes back saying he cant find it, but he does not turn anything
in. During the year I have checked into Kennys records. I found that in elementary

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school he had done exceptionally well. Then, sadly, middle school came and something
went radically wrong. He passed very few classes during that three-year span but social
promotion moved him to the high school. This is his third year of high school and he has
only earned 7 of the 24 credits he needs to graduate. Two of them were through summer
PLATO recovery. Presently he is failing four of his six courses which is why I called for
a Student Assistance Team meeting with his teachers and mom. His mom appears to be
exasperated with him and Im not sure he gets a lot of positive direction or stability at
home. He seems to be left to his own devices most of the time. He is thinking about
transferring to Alternative Ed. But I fear his time is running out. Also, they have a very
strict attendance policy and he has had some difficulty with absences. I came away from
the meeting as frustrated as when it started. It felt as though no one-teachers, Kenny or
mom expected anything to change. Kenny gave all the right answers but wasnt very
convincing.
I also reviewed the formal standardized testing he has done while in high school.
Kennys scores are outstanding. His Northwest Educational Assessment scores have met
or exceeded the standard in math, English, and science all three years. His PSAT scores
have exceeded school standards by more than twenty points both times he took it. (Our
school administers PSATs to sophomores and juniors.) So where is the disconnect?
Anderman and Anderman (2010) discuss Goal Orientation Theory (p. 6) and
how in contrast to setting a performance-approach goal to demonstrate ones ability, a

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student might set a performance-avoidance goal to avoid being perceived as incompetent.
I believe at some point Kenny was not successful in middle school and to avoid feeling
dumb or not being on the same level with his peers, he adopted the performance-
avoidance route and stopped participating. According to a study done by Daniel
McCollum and Lawrence Kajs, students with performance-avoidance tend to lack
intrinsic motivation, have feelings of incompetence and fear of failure. Thats my Kenny.
II. Observations
Upon beginning a new unit, I decided to have Kenny be my aide as he had been
through the entire unit before. Becoming the facilitator rather than the student enabled
Kenny to assume the role of motivator. Kenny sat with a group of three students and led
them through a list of fundamentals for the unit. He interacted in an encouraging way
helping the group understand the materials and reading. He had mastered the lesson
during his sophomore year and although he had done the required assignments, he did
know and understand the material. It was a successful, productive class for him.
Our music teacher was getting ready for an evaluation and because I was his
mentor when he first joined our staff, he asked me to do an observation on something
new he wanted to try. I dropped in to visit and was very surprised to find Kenny there. I
discovered that Kenny and taken guitar lessons as a freshman and had done quite well.
Even though the music teacher had asked him to continue the next year, Kenny had
declined. However, according to Mr. P., Kenny has been coming to the band room on a

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regular basis and joining inhes not enrolled in the class (its Kennys study hall) and
he not gaining any credit. He plays very well and seemed to enjoy the period.
Kennys science teacher had mentioned a contract she had established with Kenny
so I went to her room one afternoon to see what it looked like in the classroom. Kenny
was sitting apart from the group, much as he does in my room. She and Kenny had
developed a list of goals that he needed to meet to pass the class. They had also worked
on different ways he could show or demonstrate his successful completion. It seemed like
the answer but Im sorry to say that of late Kenny has been falling behind, not even
meeting the ones he set.
The last observation Ill share I have written about before. Im using it because it
left such a strong, lasting impression on me. I discussed it in my case check-in. My
District has developed a prompt that all tenth grade students are to write on. A basic 5-
paragraph persuasive essay is required. When he had nothing for me at the end of class, I
insisted he stay and complete it. He became very defensive but seemed to get down to
work. The update is when I read his essay (the prompt was about Is it ever ok to lie,) he
didnt choose a side. He half defended both sides and didnt come to a conclusion. I
really believe that this is just another example of his personal conflict.
III. Effective Strategies
I had originally thought that the learning contract discussed in Tomlinsons book
on differentiated instruction (p. 76) was the answer for Kenny, however his lack of self-
management and appropriate time management would surely create a problem. I was
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disappointed that he wasnt keeping up with the science contract. The product
possibilities (p. 89) along with the Independent Projects (p. 99) might be an option but I
think Kenny
may need more than that. I believe he feels out of control and he needs a way to regain
confidence in himself and his abilities confidence in himself and his abilities.
After my Hall-Dale visit I am really leaning toward the MCL approach. They
have Educate open to students and parents; learning targets and rubrics are available to
all. Students see what they need to accomplish at the very beginning of their high school
careers and some go at it like a checklist, systematically showing their proficiencies by
completing tasks they have designed. Kenny might have had a better chance at success
with customized learning.
IV. Conclusion
Because at this juncture Kenny is being flooded with requests to set performance
goals and attain a passing grade, he tends to shut down and become more reticent
(Anderman & Anderman, ( p.171). I fear he will consider dropping out. I regret that I
didnt understand some of the factors as well before I took this course. So many ifsif
we had been further along in our MCL initiativeif I had had some of the knowledge
and understanding that I acquired during this courseif we had more time
Also, technology has not been Kennys friend. Its become an intrusive distraction
that causes him to waste time and energy. I have friends who instruct at Full Sail

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University in Orlando so I tried to link them up with Kenny to give him a new direction
in his games and video. They made contact but he wouldnt respond. I guess I just need
to make sure Im available when hes ready to take responsibility and check out his
options. He cant let them all slip away.
































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Anderman, E. M. & Anderman, L. H. (2010). Classroom motivation. Upper Saddle

River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.


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Schwahn, C., & McGarvey, B. (201). Inevitable: Mass customized learning. CreateSpace.

Tomlinson, C. A. (2001). How to differentiate instruction in mixed ability
classrooms. (2nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: ASCD.