In the assigned readings for this blog, we learned about various types of motivation. For instance whether it is intrinsic (motivated by internal forces such as your own feeling of accomplishment) or extrinsic (motivated by outside forces such as praise etc). In addition to this we discovered traits for the helpless orientation and the performance orientation. All of these are identified so that we can work with students to improve motivation, help to spur learning and also help to build character and confidence in students.
In my own life I found that there are examples of these orientations and wondered why we, as students, tend to fit into certain categories at one time and others at another time. For example, in my math classes I have come across many trials and tribulations that have geared me toward the 'helpless orientation'. Because of the challenges that I faced such as getting bad marks on tests, refusing to answer/ask question in class for fear of getting the wrong answer, I began to think that no matter what I did I was unable to achieve high marks on my tests. This lead me to be really hard on myself because my motivation for the duration of the course was from an intrinsic source and now I was unable to perform to my own satisfaction.
Another example would be in my college level Japanese class, I became more concerned with the outcome such as grades, speaking accurately and such, that I could not appreciate the process which was being presented and often missed out on much of the context for fear of not getting content. In addition to this (as is usually the case with me) I found that I was not on par with my own standards since my motivation came from an intrinsic force and I slowly became discouraged. Although I was able to combat these feelings of inadequacy, I had to make a decision to stop thinking negatively about myself and become active in my learning by taking extra time to complete tasks, beginning some tasks earlier than required, spending more time after class than some other students, etc.
By reading this chapter on motivation, I am able to better understand the feelings that I have when going through a course, whether it is a course that I enjoy doing or not. It is helpful to reflect and evaluate they way in which you are motivated so that you can adjust accordingly if you find yourself slipping into one of the orientations mentioned above.
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Saturday, June 26, 2010
InquiryProject2:Assessment2
For the second assessment I pretty much stayed in line with with the same kinds of questions that I asked for the first one. Although in this interview I tried to pull out more detailed examples so that I would not have to simply rely on feelings. I did ask more about how she felt while taking the class and what she thought helped to keep her motivated. I also tried to include some scenarios such as; if the teacher assigns reading material for the week, when and how do you go about doing the readings? And other questions of that nature.
I thought about the different types of learners there were, the Satisfied Sam and such and tried to see which traits my learner displayed. I also asked questions about other areas such as the job she worked before going back to school and so forth to get an idea of whether or not this type of motivation was something that was reserved for the classroom setting or something that was used across boundaries.
From the first interview I became curious about these things and so structured a different set of questions (in addition to the same type that I asked the last time) in order to get a better idea of exactly what type of motivation (intrinsic/extrinsic) was used to help get through the course. I also became curious to know if the motivation ended there, at the conclusion of the course, or if it followed the learner from the classroom into her everyday life.
I thought about the different types of learners there were, the Satisfied Sam and such and tried to see which traits my learner displayed. I also asked questions about other areas such as the job she worked before going back to school and so forth to get an idea of whether or not this type of motivation was something that was reserved for the classroom setting or something that was used across boundaries.
From the first interview I became curious about these things and so structured a different set of questions (in addition to the same type that I asked the last time) in order to get a better idea of exactly what type of motivation (intrinsic/extrinsic) was used to help get through the course. I also became curious to know if the motivation ended there, at the conclusion of the course, or if it followed the learner from the classroom into her everyday life.
InquiryProject2:Assessment1
In the first assessment of how a student can be motivated, I picked the person that I wanted to use for the module. At first I thought that I would use the same person that I did in the first inquiry project, but then I began to talk to my mom (as per usual) and found out some interesting things about her summer classes which lead me to switch learners for this project.
A little background info: The class I am using for this project is a technology course. My mom is 50 years old. This is the first time she has taken a course of this type since the 1980's. I knew right away that I wanted to do an inquiry into extrinsic and intrinsic properties of motivation.
Interview Process: For the first interview I wanted the atmosphere to be relaxed and easy going. I knew that my mom would participate either way, but she would be more willing to give examples and to talk freely if the situation was similar to how we talked anyway. I asked a series of questions as 'guides' and then pretty much just sat back and listened to what she had to say. Right away I began to receive the kind of info that I wanted so I didn't have to adjust what type of questions or lead my mom to answer the questions in a way that would work for this assessment.
What I learned about my Learner: I learned that it's really easy to interview my mom! In addition to this I really learned to appreciate the amount of motivation needed to perform in an area that you have little to no knowledge or command over. The reason that I chose intrinsic/extrinsic motivation was because I was interested in whether or not one has outside forces motivating them in this situation or inside forces. How does one continue to STAY motivated in this area? Is this something that can be transferred from a classroom to an everyday setting?
A little background info: The class I am using for this project is a technology course. My mom is 50 years old. This is the first time she has taken a course of this type since the 1980's. I knew right away that I wanted to do an inquiry into extrinsic and intrinsic properties of motivation.
Interview Process: For the first interview I wanted the atmosphere to be relaxed and easy going. I knew that my mom would participate either way, but she would be more willing to give examples and to talk freely if the situation was similar to how we talked anyway. I asked a series of questions as 'guides' and then pretty much just sat back and listened to what she had to say. Right away I began to receive the kind of info that I wanted so I didn't have to adjust what type of questions or lead my mom to answer the questions in a way that would work for this assessment.
What I learned about my Learner: I learned that it's really easy to interview my mom! In addition to this I really learned to appreciate the amount of motivation needed to perform in an area that you have little to no knowledge or command over. The reason that I chose intrinsic/extrinsic motivation was because I was interested in whether or not one has outside forces motivating them in this situation or inside forces. How does one continue to STAY motivated in this area? Is this something that can be transferred from a classroom to an everyday setting?
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Ecological Environments: Is Learning Seen As Such?
The definition of ecological is the science of relationships between organisms and there environments according to the free dictionary.com. In summary of this definition, and in the context of the reading, we can say that it is the study of how minorities and immigrant students learn in an environment (ie:school). While reading this article, I discovered that a lot of the imformation presented in the study echoed what many of us, especially if you are a minority or from an immigrant family, felt while we we in the 'middle childhood' stages of life. I can remember times when if I did not have a strong sense of self which I gained from my parents and from having a stable childhood with support from many adults, I would have become overwhelmed with the amount of racism and inequality that I experienced.
For example, I did not realize that often our school was at a huge disadvantage when it can to the type of equipment and programs that were offered as compared to more affluent, majority white schools. I knew we were not inferior and could not learn, but it seemed to be the view that was supported by the mainstream. Because of the location that the school was in, because it was geared toward mostly black students, our school did not get the funding that other schools did (test score probably had a lot to do with this) and therefore our school was not able to afford new equipment or money for new textbooks and such. While I do think that we had a high standard for the teachers that were employed at the school, a recent visit back seems to show that the standards for the teachers have become lower.
Of course this may not be the norm. There are always more factors that go into a matter other than what you are able to see just by looking directly at an issue. I would like to think that the way a child develops has nothing to do with the type of environments that they grow up in. We all have the potential to do all things. But, I know that this is not the case. I know because I have seen classmates give into the stereotypes of the society around them. I have seen people and continue to see people surrender to the pressures of the media, the mainstream way of thought etc. This type of disparity however, is definitely something we as a people need to address.
For example, I did not realize that often our school was at a huge disadvantage when it can to the type of equipment and programs that were offered as compared to more affluent, majority white schools. I knew we were not inferior and could not learn, but it seemed to be the view that was supported by the mainstream. Because of the location that the school was in, because it was geared toward mostly black students, our school did not get the funding that other schools did (test score probably had a lot to do with this) and therefore our school was not able to afford new equipment or money for new textbooks and such. While I do think that we had a high standard for the teachers that were employed at the school, a recent visit back seems to show that the standards for the teachers have become lower.
Of course this may not be the norm. There are always more factors that go into a matter other than what you are able to see just by looking directly at an issue. I would like to think that the way a child develops has nothing to do with the type of environments that they grow up in. We all have the potential to do all things. But, I know that this is not the case. I know because I have seen classmates give into the stereotypes of the society around them. I have seen people and continue to see people surrender to the pressures of the media, the mainstream way of thought etc. This type of disparity however, is definitely something we as a people need to address.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
2 Million Minutes
Personally, I would be inclined to believe the majority of the findings in this documentary. I do feel that as Americans, our children are not coming out of schools equipped to deal with the "real" world. For example, in most U.S. schools, a second language is not taught until one gets to middle school. Even then, it is something that is just dabbled with, by no means do most typical students become fluent in the two semesters of a foreign language that are required. This is only one example, I am sure that there are many more as the documentary points out.
I do feel that we are not as serious about academics as other people in other countries that have been more oppressed in that area. We are often not as concerned, it seems, with our futures because in America, we are allowed to...how should I put this...remake ourselves at any time. In other countries, where people may not be so free to decide their own fate, academics play a very important role in who will become what. The real question is, how do you tell your students this without causing massive need for panic?
I think that we have to deal with it logically. We need to address the problem on many levels, such as the parent-child level, the teacher-child level and many more. We have to teach them to become more responsible, more able to stand up to the world and its expectations. We have to make everyone see that we as Americans are not stupid or lazy or...whatever. We can do just as much, just as well, if not better, than any one any where else.
I do feel that we are not as serious about academics as other people in other countries that have been more oppressed in that area. We are often not as concerned, it seems, with our futures because in America, we are allowed to...how should I put this...remake ourselves at any time. In other countries, where people may not be so free to decide their own fate, academics play a very important role in who will become what. The real question is, how do you tell your students this without causing massive need for panic?
I think that we have to deal with it logically. We need to address the problem on many levels, such as the parent-child level, the teacher-child level and many more. We have to teach them to become more responsible, more able to stand up to the world and its expectations. We have to make everyone see that we as Americans are not stupid or lazy or...whatever. We can do just as much, just as well, if not better, than any one any where else.
Urban Teaching in a Diverse Setting
Honestly I have not given a lot of thought to the matter of exactly who I want to teach. I suppose I was thinking that I would just teach, not about who I would be teaching. I guess I wanted to teach younger children who are still at the age when things like race and ethnicity don't matter unless someone tells them it does. I wanted to mold the minds of impressionable children who still looked at the world through innocent eyes, not try to teach people to re-think what they learned in years previous from parents or tv or their personal background. In short, I wanted to try to catch the minds of the children before they got to the point where they were jaded and/or to the point that they felt they couldn't be helped.
I suppose I don't want to teach in an urban setting. I have always favored more open areas, where I could feel the wind and smell the grass or whatever. I just don't picture myself in an area that is surrounded by tall, imposing buildings where there is more smog than actual air. In relation to this, I guess I would be teaching children who are different from me. More than likely, I will be teaching majority White and or Asian children as they are typically the people who live in more suburban areas. And although I hope to find a very diverse place to teach, I know that the likely-hood of that happening in the setting that I envision is...slim.
I have not really given much thought to the ethnicity of the children I will be teaching. In my mind, although you do see things like skin color and other characteristics that stand out naturally, they are still children to me. Are they really all that different from a Black child or any other kid?
I suppose I don't want to teach in an urban setting. I have always favored more open areas, where I could feel the wind and smell the grass or whatever. I just don't picture myself in an area that is surrounded by tall, imposing buildings where there is more smog than actual air. In relation to this, I guess I would be teaching children who are different from me. More than likely, I will be teaching majority White and or Asian children as they are typically the people who live in more suburban areas. And although I hope to find a very diverse place to teach, I know that the likely-hood of that happening in the setting that I envision is...slim.
I have not really given much thought to the ethnicity of the children I will be teaching. In my mind, although you do see things like skin color and other characteristics that stand out naturally, they are still children to me. Are they really all that different from a Black child or any other kid?
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Praise Tokens and Grades
Extrinsic rewards such as praise for doing well, stickers, and even grades are often used while teaching. I'm sure that we have all had experience with some type of praise mentioned above. I can remember getting smiley faced stickers and star stickers for doing well on penmanship assignments in kindergarten. I'm sure we are all familiar with the grading process, the better you do the better grade you get with an A usually being the thing to aim for. The thing is, is this the way that we as educators should go about getting our students motivated?
The problem with extrinsic rewards is that you can never be sure why a student is doing something. Do they just want to be able to brag about getting high scores? Does praise give them a sense of self worth? There are many more questions that came be asked when it comes to the reward system. What type of things can we do to make sure that the motivation for doing well is encouraged without creating a false sense of self worth etc?
Why do we continue to use these things if they are so controversial? The answer is that it is simply easier to motivate students to do things for reward rather than just the sake of doing it to gain knowledge. We as the teachers have to come up with ways that incorporate both extrinsic rewards and intrinsic rewards in the same system. For example, why not take the grade out of the picture for a certain project? Let the students discover something related to a topic being taught that interests them and explore it to their hearts content. If we do projects that are geared toward the experience of the process instead of geared toward grades, would that not be a way to change the motivation of students?
The problem with extrinsic rewards is that you can never be sure why a student is doing something. Do they just want to be able to brag about getting high scores? Does praise give them a sense of self worth? There are many more questions that came be asked when it comes to the reward system. What type of things can we do to make sure that the motivation for doing well is encouraged without creating a false sense of self worth etc?
Why do we continue to use these things if they are so controversial? The answer is that it is simply easier to motivate students to do things for reward rather than just the sake of doing it to gain knowledge. We as the teachers have to come up with ways that incorporate both extrinsic rewards and intrinsic rewards in the same system. For example, why not take the grade out of the picture for a certain project? Let the students discover something related to a topic being taught that interests them and explore it to their hearts content. If we do projects that are geared toward the experience of the process instead of geared toward grades, would that not be a way to change the motivation of students?
experience vs. understanding
What is the difference between having an experience and having understanding of something? I have been thinking about the answer to this for a while. It seems that there are many things that can make one have a conceptual understanding of something. For instance if you understand the concept of music, you do not need to keep learning over and over that music is a series of sounds that is usually pleasant to the ear. You can then build upon the concept and learn that there are many other things that go into the process of making music music. You can then begin to learn about timing and different sounds from instruments etc.
On the other hand, the difference between having an experience is usually far more helpful in learning about a subject that interests you. For example, I have been interested in Japanese culture and language for many years. I have been studying the language here at MSU and also I did some self studying before entering college. I thought that I had a really good understanding of what the culture is and how to interact with people etc. However, I found that when I actually visited Japan, the experience of physically being in another country and interacting with the people whom I had admired for so long, was completely different from what I thought I knew conceptually.
I found that having an experience can open your conceptual thinking on another level. Through experience, you can begin to understand different ideas within a field or interest area. You can learn more about the concepts that you think you grasp fully. By traveling to Japan and staying there for a short time, I was able to increase my conceptual understanding of the culture and the language that I love so much through experience. I now know that conceptual understanding and experience work hand in hand to enhance what is being taught.
On the other hand, the difference between having an experience is usually far more helpful in learning about a subject that interests you. For example, I have been interested in Japanese culture and language for many years. I have been studying the language here at MSU and also I did some self studying before entering college. I thought that I had a really good understanding of what the culture is and how to interact with people etc. However, I found that when I actually visited Japan, the experience of physically being in another country and interacting with the people whom I had admired for so long, was completely different from what I thought I knew conceptually.
I found that having an experience can open your conceptual thinking on another level. Through experience, you can begin to understand different ideas within a field or interest area. You can learn more about the concepts that you think you grasp fully. By traveling to Japan and staying there for a short time, I was able to increase my conceptual understanding of the culture and the language that I love so much through experience. I now know that conceptual understanding and experience work hand in hand to enhance what is being taught.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Motivation: Getting to the Core of a Student's Issues
For years I had been the type of student that tried her hardest and could usually get a good grade without putting in too much effort. I knew that if you just paid attention in class and reviewed your notes, you didn't really have to put in any special effort to excel in any subject. After reading the assignment on the motivation modules, I thought I was most closely related to Satisfied Sam. I knew I could get better grades if I wanted, I was by no means stupid, in fact I was above average in terms of iq. However, things in the classroom did not interest me and I often found myself more involved in what I wanted to do such as drawing, writing short stories and or poems or just reading a novel that wasn't a part of the school's curriculum.
I usually just wanted the day to be finished with so that I could concentrate on the things that I felt were important. This rarely coincided with what we were supposed to be learning in the classroom, but as long as I did not get below a b average, I was pretty satisfied. I only took up a serious interest in subjects like Spanish and English because they were in line with what I loved to do anyway. I have always had a love for language, so naturally, I did well in Spanish often scoring far above my peers. Add in the fact that I love to write and English wasn't much of a challenge either. However, when it came to subjects such as math, I had a hard time understanding the complexities of it. After getting good grades all throughout high school regardless of my health issues, math had me stumped. I would try and try and still get a bad grade. I knew it wasn't because I was dumb, it just had to be something I was missing. This fear changed me from a Satisfied Sam, to an Anxious Amy. I refused to answer questions in class, afraid that I would get them wrong, I failed test after test and only survived by doing well on the homework assignments. At the time, I did not realize what was going on. In retrospect, I now now that the time I spent away from class in the hospital and at home ill helped to contribute to the lack of understanding that I have in math.
These days, I still have a fear of answering questions out-loud for fear of the wrong answer, the difference is that I try to take the time and ask about what I do not understand. I ask for help from whoever is willing to give it to me. I try very hard not to become discouraged and give up. While I still have a hard time in math classes, I have found that if I do not give up, I can overcome this aspect of life too!
I usually just wanted the day to be finished with so that I could concentrate on the things that I felt were important. This rarely coincided with what we were supposed to be learning in the classroom, but as long as I did not get below a b average, I was pretty satisfied. I only took up a serious interest in subjects like Spanish and English because they were in line with what I loved to do anyway. I have always had a love for language, so naturally, I did well in Spanish often scoring far above my peers. Add in the fact that I love to write and English wasn't much of a challenge either. However, when it came to subjects such as math, I had a hard time understanding the complexities of it. After getting good grades all throughout high school regardless of my health issues, math had me stumped. I would try and try and still get a bad grade. I knew it wasn't because I was dumb, it just had to be something I was missing. This fear changed me from a Satisfied Sam, to an Anxious Amy. I refused to answer questions in class, afraid that I would get them wrong, I failed test after test and only survived by doing well on the homework assignments. At the time, I did not realize what was going on. In retrospect, I now now that the time I spent away from class in the hospital and at home ill helped to contribute to the lack of understanding that I have in math.
These days, I still have a fear of answering questions out-loud for fear of the wrong answer, the difference is that I try to take the time and ask about what I do not understand. I ask for help from whoever is willing to give it to me. I try very hard not to become discouraged and give up. While I still have a hard time in math classes, I have found that if I do not give up, I can overcome this aspect of life too!
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