Thursday, January 17, 2013

Becoming a Motivational Teacher


There are so many theories out there about teaching and what is "right" or "wrong," but I, as well as many others, think that we should focus more on what has been shown to be effective with different kinds of students. As we all know, it can be difficult to effectively teach and create a group of motivated learners. In class this week, we talked about a few different theories about motivation and what we might use in our future classrooms. Below are some questions to consider with my thoughts and opinions following. 


How might you enhance motivation and affect in your students using the theories of motivation?

Every teacher wants to increase their students' motivation to become actively engaged learners, and if they don't, they might not be fulfilling their potential as the adult in the classroom. I think it is important to think about motivating each student individually, just like you would schoolwork (i.e. differentiation). What motivates one student might not motivate another; therefore, it is so important to know your students. The ultimate goal is to increase intrinsic motivation - internal drive. I think the first thing teachers should consider is arousal - keeping their students engaged and interested in the topics being covered in class. Obviously, students have preferences regarding their favorite or least favorite subjects, but if you can incorporate a lot of inquiry learning and hands on/minds on work throughout the day, you can increase the level of "fun" while still facilitating learning. When you do differentiate, you can try to tailor that to an interest that the student might have or make it relatable for them. Overall, the teacher should be modeling good behavior and excitement in the classroom to try to make sure the students follow suit. This could also relate to "self-fulfilling prophecy." Students eventually perform based on what the teacher expects. 

I also think guided choice is an important part of the classroom. Simply giving the students a choice between one activity or another can increase motivation because they are "choosing" what they do. I worked with one teacher who had allotted about 45 minutes every day for "centers," essentially. She created 5 different activities, which were placed in each child's center folder. Every day during that time, the students would work on one of the activities of their choosing. They just had to get all 5 activities completed by the end of the week. During this time, each student worked fairly quietly and there were rarely any behavioral problems. To be clear, though, structure should still be kept in place. 

I don't think external reinforcers (giving a sticker, etc.) should be used unless it is a class-wide goal that they work towards together. Overuse can reduce intrinsic motivation and self-determination. I have seen many teachers successfully use a jar full of marbles or pompoms to drive better behavior. Whenever they make it as a class to the bathroom quietly and everyone washes their hands, they receive a marble, etc. Then, when the jar is full they all receive a "prize." I have seen teachers do a class party, bring brownies, allow the students a pajama day, etc. I don't personally see any harm in this. As for teacher praise, I think it is very  important to provide a positive, encouraging environment without going too far overboard. You should also be careful about the way in which you praise your students. You should say something like, "I can see that you have been working really hard on your project!" You should try to stay away from generic phrases like, "Good job!" Students are able to develop a greater intrinsic motivation through specific and individualized praise rather than generic praise. 


Which theories of motivation are most helpful and instructive for you?

I think intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation is extremely helpful to consider (see above). I also think that Maslow's theory about the hierarchy of needs is very interesting. While you may not take it 100% literally, I think the concepts are important ideas to consider. Before a child can be a successful, active learner, they first need the basics of food, water, and sleep. Then, they need to feel that they are in a safe environment, which is up to the school and their teacher to provide. After those two needs are met, they can begin to form bonds and friendships, gain more confidence and achievement, and finally become creative and inquisitive. These are all strong considerations for a teacher. 

Image courtesy of http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c3/Maslow's_hierarchy_of_needs.png

In class, we watched a couple of videos regarding different school environments. One was about the MindUP Program, created by the Hawn Foundation. The other was about a school, here in Knoxville. Both were taking into consideration the needs of the children in order to help them rise to their full potential. I think it should be an example for all teachers to try to provide the best environment they can for their students.



This is the video on the MindUP homepage.


We also watched this video, which I found interesting, posted for your enjoyment and viewing pleasure.


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