According to the author, we are all driven to fulfill five essential needs: to connect, to be competent, to make choices, to have fun, and to be safe. Studies show that when these needs are met in schools, good behavior and high achievement tend naturally to ensue. Written as a series of candid dialogues between the author and K-12 students, teachers, counselors, and administrators, covers everything you need to know to change the dynamics of learning in your classroom or school: * A comprehensive overview of the research on internal motivation; * Case studies of strategies for activating internal motivation at the elementary, middle, and high school levels; * Suggestions on how to assess degrees of student motivation; and * Guidelines for integrating the principles of internal motivation with standards-based instruction. Motivating students is not the issue—the hunger to learn is ever-present. Yet schools continue to insist on the traditional reward-punishment model, to the detriment of student achievement. Clearly it's time for change. This engaging and thought-provoking book will help you create a culture of achievement by building on the inherent drive to succeed that students bring to the classroom every day.