Current Issues in Middle Level Education - Vol 24 - Issue 1 - Article 2 - Keynote - Motivation: Theory into Practice

Oct 15, 2026

“Keynote. Motivation: Theory into Practice” presents a middle-level education keynote focused on motivating the “unmotivated kid.” The presentation links classroom motivation to actionable strategies organized into five categories: Enthusiasm, Empowerment, Encouragement, Emotions, and Expectations. It also outlines six practical lessons drawn from personal experience, including lessons from cheer/sport contexts, and explains how student motivation depends on both expectancy and value within educational psychology.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages4

Reading Time10 min

AccessFree to download

Motivation: Theory into Practice

Five categories of motivation

Six practical lessons

Expectancy times value and expectations

Current Issues in Middle Level Education | Volume 24 | Issue 1 | Article 2 | | --- | --- | | 2019
Keynote. Motivation: Theory into Practice
David Vawter
[vawterd@winthrop.edu](vawterd@winthrop.edu)
Follow this and additional works at: [https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/cimle](https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/cimle)
Part of the Curriculum and Instruction Commons, and the Junior High, Intermediate, Middle School Education and Teaching Commons | | Recommended Citation Vawter, David (2019) "Keynote. Motivation: Theory into Practice," Current Issues in Middle Level Education: Vol. 24 : Iss. 1 , Article 2. Available at: [https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/cimle/vol24/iss1/2](https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/cimle/vol24/iss1/2) This best practices is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at Digital Commons@Georgia Southern. It has been accepted for inclusion in Current Issues in Middle Level Education by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons@Georgia Southern. For more information, [please contact](please contact digitalcommons@georgiasouthern.edu)[ digitalcommons@georgiasouthern.edu](please contact digitalcommons@georgiasouthern.edu). Vawter: Keynote 1 Motivation: Theory into Practice Keynote Presentation for Southeast Professors of Middle Level Education Collaboration in the Middle: Middle grades to higher education promoting, advocating, igniting support for middle schools May 18, 2018 Greenville, S. C. David H. Vawter Winthrop University A question asked by many teachers, is “How do we motivate the unmotivated kid?” They are many theories about motivation in the classroom and in order for these theories to work, they must become actionable strategies. These theories can be organized into five different categories: Enthusiasm, Empowerment, Encouragement, Emotions and Expectations. There are six practical lessons from my experience that relate to these theories. Any person who adds enthusiasm to teaching will be successful. John Wooden (2009) included enthusiasm as one of the blocks in his Pyramid of Success and stated that,“A leader lacking enthusiasm will infect the group with the same malady”(p. 40) . Coaches like Jimmy Valvano believed that enthusiasm is the key to success. A second way to motivate students is to empower them by allowing them choice and some control over their education. One of the greatest ways that human beings feel empowered is when they have ownership over their own lives. Stated simply, people defend that which they help create. This works in every part of life from the classroom to careers to interpersonal relations. Most students are so starved for encouragement, they will accept it even if it is structured. Having students give each other high-fives or turn to each other and tell each other how smart or successful they are will add energy to the classroom. Filling students’ emotional bank accounts will help motivate students. Discovering their emotional language or giving each student attention helps fill their emotional needs. The metaphor of a bank account is applicable because a small bank account will generate little monetary interest; similarly, a low or empty emotional bank account will generate little or no interest in the lesson. Finally, educational psychology has shown time and time again that students rise to the level of expectations. Expectancy times value (Expectancy x value) is the formula for student success (Weinstein, & Novodvorsky, 2015) . Each side of the equation is important. If students have high expectations of success their motivation will be high. Conversely, if they think they will not be successful then there will be little motivation. On the other side of the equation is the value that students attach to the learning. Mathematically if either side of the equation Published by Digital Commons@Georgia Southern, 2019 1

FAQs

What five categories does the keynote use to organize motivation theories?

The keynote organizes motivation theories into five categories: Enthusiasm, Empowerment, Encouragement, Emotions, and Expectations.

How does the presentation describe empowerment as a motivation strategy?

Empowerment is described as giving students choice and some control, emphasizing that people defend what they help create.

What formula does the keynote cite for student success and motivation?

It cites Expectancy times value (Expectancy x value) as a formula for student success, explaining that both sides must be addressed by teachers.

Oct 15, 2026

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