Question 2 Exam Two

Student Motivation.


In creating a lesson rich in the student motivating principles I would choose create
Lessons that have meaning and relevance to the particular age group and lives of the students by understanding and applying Vygotsky's zone of proximal development. To do this I must first understand the age and stage of development of the students in finding out how they best learn .By using Piaget’s Stages of learning, in this case the Concrete Operations (6/7 to 11/12 years) and the Formal Operations (11/12 to adult) stages (see exam one– question one) and Rudolph Steiner's Educational Periods as seen below...

Ages 0–7
The child seeks itself and does this through experiences of bodily separation, that is time away from the mother (The end of the womb experience)

Ages 7--14
The child seeks its inner life through experiences of a soul or feeling nature, a separation through the gradual birth of a their feelings life.

Ages 14– 21
The child seeks meaning through experiences of thought/thinking activity thus creating a separation form the outer world through the development of an inner conceptual reality.

To create a rich motivated learning environment a style of teaching could be used in order to empower students to become an active participant in the lesson process as suggested by Glasser in establishing love, personal power, safety/security, a degree of student autonomy and enjoyment in the learning process.
By adopting a democratic model of classroom behavior and instigating logical consequences for student behavior, as suggested by Rudolph Dreikurs, removes obstacles to student learning.
Dreikurs identifies three main sources for inappropriate behaviour (see below). Understanding where inappropriate behaviour stems from allows a teacher to adequately diagnose the problem and then create a solution toward helping that student redirect their behaviour towards learning.

The Three Main Sources for Inappropriate Behaviour.

Originating in the home.
1. Depravation of attention and love
2. Excessive control
3. Family restructuring
4. Abuses of various types
5. Damage to self--concept

Originating in society
1. Racial and class conflicts
2. Unemployment and poverty
3. Substance abuse
4. Gang activity

Originating in the school
1. Instruction without context
2. Failure to teach problem solving skills
3. Non acceptance
4. Competitive grading

In creating a positive learning experience for students of today the use of ICT can be incorporated to a part of the lesson. By creating a network of e–learning, researching and communication and a distributed learning environment as suggested by Stephen Downes establishes ways to research information that are contemporary and relative to the lives of the students creating enjoyment and relevance for the student.
Motivation can also be engendered through using a certain degree of “teacher pushing”, the use of positive reinforcement techniques as suggested by the Behaviorist theorist Skinner. However one must choose wisely when and how to adopt this approach as a student can sense teacher coercion a mile away!

Designing lessons that cater to the different learning styles a suggested by Glasser in his multiple intelligences theory engenders an inclusive classroom environment. MI theory combined with a with a taxonomy of learning also designs lessons that have step by step learning process that is logical and gradually leads to higher or deep learning creates inclusiveness and easily identifiable stages for the learning process.
The creation of assessment rubrics that can be given to the students also empowers and creates responsibility for the students removing misunderstanding and confusion, the great blockers of motivation, for the students in how to carry out tasks.
Finally a teacher must continually reflect on the educational habits of himself or herself, the classroom and the larger school community to assess what needs to be changed in order to further enhance a student’s motivation to learn.