Professional Books — Review

3 Minute Motivators

by Kathy Paterson
Pembroke Publishers, 2007
ISBN 978-1-55138-215-9
$24.95, 96 pp, adult.
www.pembrokepublishers.com

With today’s technological gadgets, students are more stimulated than ever before, and teachers need to keep them interested in the subject matter at hand. We also need to know how to refocus students whose attention is wandering, and sometimes the strategies in our repertoire might be a bit worn and overused. Well, here is something fresh and new! In this book, Kathy Paterson has done all the hard work of finding, organizing and simply showing us how we can get students to use a three minute activity to refocus, regain positive energy, practise some skills, and most of all, to have fun. The book is beautifully organized into sections—activities for calming down and using pencil and paper at their desks are in one section, and activities for burning a little energy are put under the “Up and At ‘Em” category. She’s also included activities for better communication and a few games that go beyond the three minute mark. With this book in your tool kit, both new and experienced teachers will find that you have that “touch of magic” that will help students to be alert and ready to learn. And these activities don’t only give students a much appreciated break, they are helpful when teachers need to recharge their energy or calm down as well. Highly recommended.

Reviewed by Betty Schultze

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