Second, try to get as much *motivation* as possible from the outside world. Grades are a necessary evil, but as much as possible try not to make grades the sole reason why a student wants to do something. Find activities that are rewarding by their very nature. This will encourage students to find their own reasons to engage in an activity, rather than simply working the bare minimum necessary to earn the grade they want.

Third, continue to work, as much as possible, to change the learning situation at your school. Programs such as No Child Left Behind are good in principle (nobody wants to leave a child behind), but very reductive in the way they attempt to achieve their goals. Teachers simply can’t avoid rote learning as long as the current version of NCLB continues to control their work environment. Lawmakers and administrators need to be persuaded to make accountability better match the way students actually learn.

If you can’t get people behind you to begin with, keep trying and if it’s a good idea something *will* happen.

Alternatively, you could shave your head, call yourself ‘Xavier’ and start a school for mutants.