Module 5

Analyzing key factors behind our student's motivational levels will be beneficial in our classroom instruction. Within traditional educational guidelines, it is essential that we create grading and performance scales for our students. Doing so, can self-handicap a student's motivational outcomes. Within Chapter 12, self-handicapping is discussed as a factor that limits a child's performance because he or she believes they lack the ability to understand the concepts. Us teachers need to realize these occurrences and provide our students with evidence that their effort will pay off and that they can improve on previously failed concepts. Focusing on motivation, teachers need to guide their instructions on intrinsic and extrinsic rewards. My research paper focused on this topic and I sided with external rewards to help keep elementary students motivated. I stated that school is not necessarily a choice in a child's life, so teachers may be discouraged if a child does not have the inherent need to learn. Providing rewards and goals for the students can help brighten up the environment and keep the ball rolling. The chapter accompanies some motivational classroom difficulties to anxiety. I am very happy the chapter touched on this subject because anxiety and other mental capabilities are coming to light in our world. In traditional settings all students were expected to behave and get their work done. In new age, we need to understand that there are factors in the classroom that we cannot necessarily control. As teachers we need to learn about these instances as much as possible and do whatever means that are necessary for the child to grow in a welcoming classroom environment.

Having classroom group discussions can be a difficult task for planning. It will really depend on the teacher's specific classroom and students. The grade level and class will serve as a variance as well. Within group discussion chapter 14 states that it can be unpredictable and may cause issues that were not expected to happen. Group discussions can inspire students to collaborate with others as a team and to focus on the end goal. This type of communication is used in professions all over the world, so getting students to practice at it can be vital to their futures. Teachers need to consider their students and understand that some students may be weary or not as confident to speak up in a group. This doesn't serve as an indicator that the child is not progressing or knows the material. It can just illustrate that the child is not comfortable or excited in that setting and doesn't wish to participate.

Chapter 15's emphasis on standardized testing was a little daunting. I believe standardized testing contains way too many variables and the results are not valid. I believe the educational departments across the country use these standards because it gives them a form of quantitive data that they can manipulate and help them answer the big questions in their board meetings. Having such a emphasis on standardized testing limits the students educational careers because some teachers may just be focusing on this one test and that is it. I have this extreme bias because I remember my AP English class from Junior year of high school. It felt like a bootcamp and it was a miserable experience. The class could have offered education on higher English learning concepts but we focused on the ACT day in and day out.