Motivation (ASU)

Since I've stopped writing rhyming poetry for a while, and have been writing slam, I've been randomly inspired to freewrite raps in one of my Monday night ASU classes, about whatever we're discussing in class that day.

One week, we talked about motivating kids:

In your classroom you need to have it, some motivation
It’s what drives your kids to mental perspiration
It’s easily built by giving them self-determination
If you don’t really care, give ‘em a choice
There’s something empowering about that little voice
When they believe the classroom is theirs
They buy into the rules they see them as more fair
If you can make ‘em believe they can do it
They’ll find within the power to get through it
They’ll be excited for the time they come to your class
They’ll jump into assignments you won’t need to harass
You can build it with candy and phone calls home
Something extrinsic to get the motivation goin
But then academics are just the means to an end
You gotta get to the point when the rewards are in their head
and in their heart
They push to the end from the start
because they want it for themselves
they don’t need the whistles and the bells
they just want it because they can
they see their future in the palm of their hand
and they see how your class is going to get them there
so it becomes no longer a burden to bear
but a place where they know someone cares
and from deep down inside they believe
the simple awesome truth – that they can achieve
so they’re game to buckle down and learn
they’ll raise their hands and wait their turn
cause you found the key to the ignition
the special ingredient cooking in your classroom kitchen
motivation