Motivation?

The type of motivation (and the subsequent suggestions for strengthening this motivation) that is discussed in the chapter is not, I believe, the kind of motivation with which my typical student struggles.  The exercises, advice, and anecdotes that Boice draws upon all revolved around individuals who already consider themselves “writers,” of a variety of types, and who have clearly set goals to accomplish with their writing (write a draft of a novel, meet a deadline for an article, etc).  Therefore, Boice’s task was not necessarily to motivate them “about” writing or the importance/reason(s) for writing, but to motivate them “to” write, to do the actual legwork involved in the writing process.  I feel that my students need much more encouragement and assistance with the former type of motivation, and that motivation of the second kind can only really come after the first has been established.  This is why I have really enjoyed working with my classes on the first assignment, it (hopefully) establishes this first level of motivation so that we can then move on to the kind discussed by Boice i.e. motivation to actually write.

I believe that the following YouTube video encapsulates this concept, with kittens substituted for students: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdQj2ohqCBk.  The kitten inside the box represents a student who has not yet come to see the importance or significance of writing i.e. why she should get out of the box; she does not have the proper motivation.  It is this kind of motivation that we must instill in our students initially, before we can motivate them to take up the actual writing process i.e. the work the kitten must do to get out of the box.