Summary:

          This week's reading was very much centered on motivational tactics and the different types of motivation. The essay primarily covered the relationship between two students and how the three types of motivation played a role in the tutoring process they underwent. These three types of motivation are: amotivation, intrinsic motivation, and extrinsic motivation. Starting with amotivation, this is everything that discourages someone from performing a particular action. Such is defined as the belief that adapted strategies will not produce a desired outcome, that a particular skill level is not high enough, and other such amotivational ideas. On the other side of the spectrum is intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. These types of motivation are exactly what they sound like; intrinsic motivation is focused on internal aspects, such as doing something because you want to do it, whereas extrinsic motivation is focused on external aspects, like doing something for a particular reward or to avoid any kind of punishment.
This chapter also covered a small amount of the importance of brainstorming and how this, along with the tutor taking an interest in the tutee's life and research, helped the tutee significantly in the tutoring process.
Comments:

  This chapter gave a good perspective on the usefulness of the methods we are being taught in class, and how they can be put to use in the writing center. By demonstrating the effectiveness of positive brainstorming, taking an interest in research and daily activities, and what different types of motivation look like, we as tutors can better understand how to provide these forms of assistance to others. My only question then would be how to provide motivation to someone with an especially high amount of amotivation? Are there any particular strategies, or would it merely take the usual technique as described in the chapter?

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