Motivated Minds

How do we show our children the great joys of learning? How do we get them to want more?

In the past, parents and educators have offered rewards and threatened punishment. More recently, they have focused on building self-esteem, but the latest research shows that this effort hasn't had a measurable impact in the classroom -- and can even discourage children from learning. Combining years of experience in schools with a thorough survey of current research, Deborah Stipek and Kathy Seal offer this fresh and practical guide to what really works. Packed with strategies for parents of toddlers and elementary school students, Motivated Minds explains how close relationships with adults and feelings of competency and autonomy make children want to learn.

Always engaging and insightful, the authors describe how to create an intellectually enriching home environment for children that will enhance their school experience. They offer practical advice on promoting enthusiasm, academic risk-taking, and persistence, and they give down-to-earth tips for managing difficult issues -- praise, grades, rewards, competition, and performance pressure -- that inevitably arise for schoolchildren and parents. Motivated Minds is a must for any parent wanting to raise a curious, creative, ambitious, and independent child.