Interesting model of instruction and motivation that you shared in your comment. Do I understand correctly that the aim in testing the lower group was to create a sense of motivation through their higher level of achievement on the exam?
Curious method of motivating students. Here in the states we allow for multiple ability levels and motivational strategies throughout the K-12 system. Often as students progress to the 7-12 level different courses are offered that essentially track the achievment levels of students and place them in courses by their tracked ability. Ironically the label, “tracking” is not looked upon favorably so we use other labels like “honors” and “GATE” (gifted and talented education) to allow students the opportunity to join in courses where they might be challenged by both the course content and their peers.

Motivation though continues to remain a mystery to most teachers. “How do we hook their interest and hold it?” can be heard from the lips of many veteran teachers, yet the students express their interest on a daily basis through their conversation and movement. Curriculum, instruction and current system wide restraints create a series of screens that hide students’ interests and serve instead to dismiss these interests as offtask behaviors or excessive talking.

Sir Ken Robinson in his TED talk presentation speaks to the topic of motivation and creativity. His words strike at the heart of how our current system squanders the talents and essentially the interests of our children.

– Joe Bruzzese

Will keep visiting your blog.

Thanreja

He visualises “The good audiences were all the same. They leaned forward. They made eye contact. They mirrored my energy right back to me. When the talk (five minutes) was over they were filled with questions.

The audience members that hadn’t learned the skill were all different. Some made no eye contact. Some found distractions to keep them busy. Some were focused on filling out the form that proved that they had been paying attention.” - Seth Godin

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2007/03/how_to_be_a_gre.html" rel="nofollow">How to be a great audience>/A>
Fully agree with the post, I endorse that the eye contact is indeed very important.
I recollect the mandate of Swami Vivekananda, the great Indian Philosopher and Arya Samaji Saint, regarding student commandeering. What he advised was to make a superior eye contact with the student, becaause it is only through the eyes that the teacher can influence the child most.
Infact Swami Vivekanada inspires one to be able to influence the student unto the deepest ‘core’. ‘Through Eyes one can touch (reach)the soul.’

In the modern parlance however the systems are provided with more of control features. Will the student not close the eyes and stop the teacher from providing the due motivation? After all, standardised procedures are available to return the response of a form: ” All the lines in this route are busy, please try after some time’.

Thank you for your comment on my recent blog post. Yes, it seems we share a common view on the connection between teachers and students. The motivation from both ends grows far stronger when each sees the benefit of the other. I appreciate your thoughtful approach to seeing learning through the eyes of students and teachers.