Motivating Young Adolescents (Ch.2)

Abstract
In this chapter the author gives the audience some realistic advice about how to motivate adolescents in the classroom. The advice is set into a series of questions and then each question is answered and supplemented with a series of suggestions that could be use to accomplish the main goal of that particular answer.
The questions used as guidelines were: Are you interested with knowing & being with your students? Have you created a classroom where students feel safe enough to share their emotions? Are your lessons vivid? are you enthusiastic about your subject? Do you build suspense by giving them something to look forward to? Do your lessons take into account the varied learning styles of students? Can all students succeed in your classroom? Is the material relevant to your students' lives? Do your lessons maintain momentum? Do you clearly communicate instructions and expectations? Do your students know why they are learning certain concepts and skills? Are assessments authentic? Do the students play a role in the teaching and learning? Do your students have proof of your belief in their ability to learn?
These question topics serve as headlines and subject of suggestions throughout the chapter. Among the information were also a few student perspective paragraphs floating on the sides of the first couple pages. These paragraphs also handed out some good advice to activities or settings that really set students up for success and are truly memorable to them.

Reflection
I found this chapter to be incredibly helpful. At the beginning, when I was answering the questions, I found that was answering yes to the majority, but that it was things that I wanted, not that I could necessarily say that I have (considering both that I do not have an actual classroom, and that I was unsure of how to achieve the results). All of the suggestions were helpful, whether I felt them to be useful or not. These ideas brought up and encouraged a lot of my own ideas and expectations for my future classroom. I was excited to hear so many of my hopes in writing being supported by very realistic suggestions and ideas for the success of the execution of the particular strategies. I also found the student suggestions on the side of the couple of pages helpful and interesting. I am hoping those blurbs continue throughout the book because they show great support for the presentation of the authors materials in the chapter. I really enjoyed this chapter and it's helpful hints!