#019: All About Motivation Pt 1 - Intro to Motivation with Steve Ward, BCBA

Nov 1 2022 • 30 mins

Steve Ward is a long-time friend of mine. We started hanging out with each other at the ABA conferences, bonded over our love of music (Steve plays piano, I play harmonica and ukulele), and we bonded over our love of motivation as a concept in education. One of Steve’s quotes is on the back of my book, and I even mention Steve within the book as I tell a story about how he was one of the first people to introduce me to the advanced concepts of verbal behavior. Steve’s been in the field since 1995 and is currently the co-owner of Whole Child Consulting, LLC. With his clients, Steve addresses everything from early communication and physical aggression to locational opportunities and inclusion in college courses. He’s also the author of several books and has been featured in prestigious journals.

The topic of part one in this series is motivating operations, and I believe motivation is the secret sauce to all learning. Without understanding motivation, we’re often blind to the reasons kids may not want to engage or participate with us. Steve and I discuss how the motivation for teachers to instruct their students isn't the same source as the child has when it comes to paying attention and participation, which can lead to frustrations and challenges on both sides of the relationship. We talk about the signs of motivation in kids and what they look like. Steve also addresses some of the pitfalls and dangers parents and teachers can fall into when it comes to motivation.

What’s Inside: