Chapter 11

Consider the theories of motivation that we discussed in class.   Which theories of motivation are most helpful and instructive for you?  How can they enhance motivation and affect your students? 

Motivation is something that I know is extremely important to enhance in the classroom. But how exactly to we as teachers do that? This task actually seems somewhat overwhelming because ever student is motivated differently and motivated to do different things. So it is important to know you students, what they like, how they learn, what they struggle with, etc. We discussed the two types of motivation, intrinsic verses extrinsic ( pg 364). One comment that stood out to me was that our world promotes extrinsic reward and motivation often ( example grades). Intrinsically motivated student are more willing and eager to learn. Some even lose track of time and other because they are so engaged in the activity. This is known as flow. While both types of motivation are helpful, intrinsic motivation is the motivation that will last past the classroom and help the student further their interest. So how as teachers do we intrinsically motivate our students? It seems to be an abstract thing that is so intertwined into everything that it is hard to grasp.

                Something the book mentions is the need for competence and self-worth ( 366). These are important because a students  need to feel like they have accomplished something. Competency is the ability to effectively deal with their environment. It allows them to gain mastery and know that they have so much potential. Self- worth is the general belief that they are good. If a student were to constantly feel like they were not good enough, smart enough, or unable to do something they are more likely to give up. Who wouldn’t? It is important that you avoid failure. The text suggests things such as helping students achieve success on challenging tasks, give students concrete mechanisms to track their progress, and minimize competition ( 367). These are just a few example of how to begin to get your students motivated.