Motivation not only plays a key role in everyday life but also in education. Whether we are motivated to eat because we are hungry, perform better at our jobs to get a raise, or study for a test to get an A, motivation is an active part of everyday life. Its no wonder that motivated students are more successful. As teachers it’s important to engage our students and motivate them intrinsically. Extrinsic motivation or rewards such as offering a child candy or a sticker may seem like a quick fix but intrinsic motivation will nurture a student’s engagement, allow students to enjoy the activities assigned and results in higher achievement. Chapter one of our textbook examines the engagement theory and how engaging students will motivate them intrinsically. Students who are engaged have high self-efficacy. They believe in themselves and the capability to succeed to reach their goals. Possessing high self-efficacy will allow students to persevere despite obstacles or challenges that may get in their way.
There are several ways I try to incorporate the engagement theory in my own classroom. By getting to know my students’ and their interests I provide a vast array of books in the classroom in hopes of peaking their interests and curiosity. Students are also given several choices for assessment activities, whether it’s writing a different ending to the story, creating a comic strip or drawing their favorite part of the book and then writing a paragraph about it. By offering several choices students become engaged and take a sense of pride and ownership of their work. It also caters to different learning styles and Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences.
Encouragement and teacher feedback can also play a key role in motivating students. If the teacher believes in a student’s success they will too. A perfect example of this is the famous 1968 Rosenthal study. Teachers were given a list of students who were chosen at random and were told that they were high achievers. The results were that due to the teacher's belief of their abilities those students rose to the occasion and the children with high IQ scores did not. Teachers should have high expectations and goals for all of their students. Encouraging students and believing in them will intrinsically motivate students to excel and be successful.
I was also interested in the section on motivation. In my limited experience, it has been easier to motivate students during the reading block than during math. This year I have three students with autism and several others with various learning issues. I am hoping to find some good tools and resources to keep them motivated. Have you had any successes in math?
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with your statement that extrinsic motivation is a quick fix. The student gets a momentary positive feeling but it does not last. It sounds like you are using some great strategies in your class to intrinsically motivate your students.