Chapter 11
Consider the theories of motivation that you read. Which theories of motivation are most helpful and instructive for you? How can they enhance motivation and affect your students? Please give at least one example of how a theory of motivation could be used in your future classroom.
It's very important to reflect and observe on what students assume are the reasons for their successes and failures. One of the theories had to do with the locus of control which can make or break a student in many cases. If the student thinks that control lies outside their domain, they may not make an effort to improve their studying habits or reexamine what works for them in the academic world as they may find it pointless to do so. Assuming that the locus of control is external really works against the student. However, if the student is aware of their own agency and labels the locus of control as internal, they may be able to motivate themselves to work harder in order to achieve goals and recognize their own part in failures. Other factors are related to this concept - stability and controllability, and helping students know how to recognize and identify these factors can help them be more confident and able to self-motivate.
The concept of anxiety as both a motivator and the antithesis of a motivator was interesting to come across. I have had personal experiences where the teacher kept reminding the class not to be stressed out and in fact DEMANDED that no one be stressed out and as a result no one knew what was due when and people had little motivation to do well in the class. It's necessary for a teacher to showcase the value of the work being done and remind the students that they should be concerned about their work.
Leading into that, the chapter spoke about forming productive expectations. This is important in a Special Education classroom because of the need to be aware of all achievement levels contained within the classroom. The productive expectations for each student may be different and so it's necessary to carefully consider what will motivate each individual in the best way. This could include modifying goals or prioritizing some goals over others. Discussing the process of creating expectations with the student will help them become aware of their own agency and motivation possibilities.
It's very important to reflect and observe on what students assume are the reasons for their successes and failures. One of the theories had to do with the locus of control which can make or break a student in many cases. If the student thinks that control lies outside their domain, they may not make an effort to improve their studying habits or reexamine what works for them in the academic world as they may find it pointless to do so. Assuming that the locus of control is external really works against the student. However, if the student is aware of their own agency and labels the locus of control as internal, they may be able to motivate themselves to work harder in order to achieve goals and recognize their own part in failures. Other factors are related to this concept - stability and controllability, and helping students know how to recognize and identify these factors can help them be more confident and able to self-motivate.
The concept of anxiety as both a motivator and the antithesis of a motivator was interesting to come across. I have had personal experiences where the teacher kept reminding the class not to be stressed out and in fact DEMANDED that no one be stressed out and as a result no one knew what was due when and people had little motivation to do well in the class. It's necessary for a teacher to showcase the value of the work being done and remind the students that they should be concerned about their work.
Leading into that, the chapter spoke about forming productive expectations. This is important in a Special Education classroom because of the need to be aware of all achievement levels contained within the classroom. The productive expectations for each student may be different and so it's necessary to carefully consider what will motivate each individual in the best way. This could include modifying goals or prioritizing some goals over others. Discussing the process of creating expectations with the student will help them become aware of their own agency and motivation possibilities.
Rebekah in Ed Psych 201 we spent a lot of time discussing locus of control, and how a student's own perception can and does have a dramatic affect on their performance. Without a doubt, placing a concerted effort into ensuring each and every student feels that they themselves have the opportunity to succeed, and that they are not "predestined" for any specific outcome is a huge part of our job as educators. In terms of productive expectations, I agree that this would be especially important in a Special Education classroom. Some students may respond better to intrinsic reward, while others may do well using a combination of both intrinsic and extrinsic. Thanks for your post.
ReplyDeleteI really like how you started out your post with, "It's very important to reflect and observe on what students assume are the reasons for their successes and failures". It is important for us to know a student's reflection of themselves, to help them improve confidence in various areas. You provided a good example of the teacher demanding a "no stress" environment and how this had a negative impact on the students. Students need to have some level of stress, but healthy stress. Stress can serve as a motivating factor to produce great work.
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