The Study
In this book, Professor Michael Pressley and doctoral students Sara Dolezal, Lisa Raphael, Lindsey Mohan, Alysia Roehrig, and Kristen Bogner present research-based strategies and techniques for academically motivating students in grades K–3.

Findings
The studies focused on grades 1–3 and were designed to find out how primary-grade teachers motivate their students. In all, the researchers conducted three studies of teachers in the early grades. Data gathering involved observation of teachers and students by multiple observers, as well as interviews of teachers. What the researchers found was that there were low-, moderately, and highly engaging teachers. Pressley and his co-authors noted that the highly engaging teachers were able to grab students’ attention and maintain high levels of engagement. Essentially, the highly engaging teachers flooded their classrooms with positively motivating instruction. “In fact, the teaching in these most engaging classrooms was just saturated with motivation. Hardly a minute went by when the teacher was not doing something to motivate one student or a few students or the entire class.” In addition, the engaging teachers never did anything with potential to undermine student motivation. In contrast, less engaging teachers did much less to motivate their students positively, and often used teaching behaviors with potential to turn students off (e.g., punishment). The authors then provide a list of things a teacher can do on “Monday morning.” These recommendations involve concrete behaviors that any teacher could use in her or his classroom, as well as shifts in teachers’ attitudes and beliefs. One of the messages to teachers is that motivating instruction begins the first minute of the first day, and when it does, so does engagement.

What It Means To You
How much importance do you place on teachers as academic motivators, especially in the early grades? Do teachers in your district “flood” their classrooms with motivation? This could be the difference between high engagement and concomitant achievement and students who are turned off by their primary-grades experience.

For More Information
Pressley. M., Dolezal, S.E., Raphael, L.M., Mohan, L., Roehrig, A.D. & Bogner, K. (2003). Motivating Primary-Grade Students. New York: Guilford Press.

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