The Will to Learn Audiobook

Cultivating Student Motivation Without Losing Your Own

By: Dave Stuart

Narrated by: Michael Gaines

This is an audiobook version of the paperback title published by Corwin Press.

The Will to Learn is the first of two books aimed at getting to "The Heart of the Work," aiming to get to the inner realities of motivation for both learners and educators. This book answers the question, how can teachers and schools cultivate the conditions in which students want to do the work of learning, with care?

This is the core of all the work that Dave does with teachers and in his own practice; he has been researching and working on the nature of true motivation—beyond gimmicks—and how to make intrinsic motivation a practical, doable thing that teachers can cultivate in their classrooms. The Will to Learn builds on the "5 key beliefs" established in Dave's first book, These 6 Things, going into greater depth on what each belief is, what it means for students, and how teachers can establish and grow these motivating beliefs in students in order to reach new levels of learning, equity, and in Dave's words, long-term flourishing.

The following text has been excerpted from Dave's prospectus:

"Schools exist to promote the long-term flourishing of young people by helping them to master the disciplines and the arts; in the elementary years, this looks like the attainment of foundational skills and knowledge; in the adolescent years, these skills and knowledge grow in complexity, breadth, depth, and strength. Most folks in education miss this important, freeing purpose for schools—and so we have schools and teachers trying to do a million things and too few of them well; this reinforces inequitable outcomes in our schools—students with greater resources tend to graduate with greater mastery than students with less

When schools focus on their particular role in the development of young people -- that is, in the development of the mind by way of teaching toward mastery of the disciplines and the arts—teachers have a liberating opportunity: they can get really good at teaching.

However, even the best teacher can't force a child to master something. For that to happen, the child must willingly do two things:

1) do work (practice, read, write, ask questions, problem-solve, discuss, study, collaborate), and

2) do that work with care.

Many schools unintentionally stop at #1—they focus on getting students to do work. But #2 is where the magic is—and #2 can't be coerced.

This book is all about maximizing the degree to which students care about school and want to do the work of learning. It has nothing to do with manipulation and everything to do with honoring the humanity of each one of the children we teach. No discovery in my career as a teacher, writer, or researcher has been as rewarding and freeing as the five key beliefs beneath student motivation; I am so grateful to get to share them with you in these pages.

Engagement only is a race to the bottom; Ta Nahesi Coates: "What we're competing against is video games; we can't do that; we've got to aim differently."

©2023 Dave Stuart (P)2024 Corwin