Motivation
Most students want to be successful in high school. I doubt your goal is to fail, but you might find yourself having a hard time in school. You don’t feel very motivated. Well, you are not alone! According to the Center on Education Policy (CEP) at George Washington University many students are thought to be unmotivated. Lack of motivation is a real problem. More than 40% of high school students are disconnected from school (2003 National Research Council Report on motivation). So if you are struggling with motivation, and you hear the constant talk by the people in charge of our educational system about raising academic standards and high-stakes standardized exams, this probably means very little to you. But there is hope. Studies suggest that the following may help you become more motivated at school:
- Feeling capable of completing the task or assignment.
- Connecting your actions to the outcome you get and you know you have some control of how you will complete it.
- Interest in the assignment or task.
- Completing the task brings a reward such as pleasing someone you care about.
According to the report, the single biggest element of academic success is student motivation.
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