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First, let's explore a time when I was a student that I was motivated to perform due to a teachers motivational strategies. I literally remember this teacher, the classroom, the rewards, etc like it was yesterday even though I was in this 2nd grade class more than 20 years ago.
Many years ago as a 2nd grade student, I was HIGHLY motivated
to perform and learn. Mrs. Powell, my teacher, created an environment that was fun, bright and encouraging. I remember her classroom; the layout was open. The colors were bright. Spaces were comfortable. And I remember that one BIG wall covered in reward options. You see, Mrs. Powell, used a ticket reward system to encourage good behavior, improvement and more. If you turned in your homework, you'd receive a ticket. If you showed improvement in your writing, you'd receive a ticket. If you shared your stuff with another student without being asked, you'd receive a ticket. Any time you did something that Mrs. Powell was happy about or made her proud, you would receive a ticket. This reward system kept me extremely motivated to do well, behave well, improve and learn. And in turn, it kept me on task which allowed me to do all the things I mentioned above. This motivational strategy, to this day, was absolutely the most motivational tool I had been subjected to as a student. I wish every teacher had done it. And it wasn't just about receiving tickets; it was about being recognized and praised for my hard work, good behavior, improvement, leadership skills, and more. It's always nice to be recognized and praised.
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On the opposite end, there was a time in my schooling when I felt so unmotivated and deflated. This was in 10th grade and it was an introduction to Biology course. The class was a basic/intro course but it was, in my opinion, incredibly boring. It was a read and memorize type course with very little teacher instruction. The teacher also lacked compassion and was not motivating and didn't recognize improvement or effort. I remember, very specifically, being 100% deflated when receiving my report card for this class and a little note added in at the bottom stated something along the lines that I didn't put in the effort needed or expected. I worked SO hard in this class. I wasn't used to getting poor grades and I did everything I could to do better and that effort wasn't recognized; it was actually put down. I remember my mom trying to help me and offering to do what she could to help; she had a conference with my teacher and I did all extra credit opportunities that were offered to our class. I literally worked my butt off in this class but at the same time I hated it. I DREADED going to this class and once it was over, I'd often be in such a bad mood the rest of the day just because of how that class made me feel. Inferior. Not good enough. Not smart enough.
How did I pull myself out of that deflation? Well, to be honest, I never gained confidence in that class and I thought I'd hate every science class after being in that one. BUT the following year, in Chemistry, I had a fantastic teacher who used multiple strategies to teach the information and he recognized effort and improvement. I gained a LOVE for science in that class and regained my confidence in my ability to learn and truly understand science concepts. It was THIS class that showed me how much I LOVED science. And I have taken so many science classes (Biology, Chemistry, Physiology and Anatomy) in college, that I earned a AA in liberal arts with an emphasis in biological and chemical engineering. I'm so glad I had the chemistry teacher I did after that horrible biology year because, if I hadn't I don't think I'd be where I am today.
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In order to keep my students motivated in my classroom, I like to keep things fun and I use instructional strategies that differentiate so that all learners in the classroom can feel equally included and understood. I will AVOID one dimensional teaching strategies that leave many students lost, frustrated and deflated. The fastest way to lose student interest is by teaching them in a way that doesn't appeal to them and/or their learning style and in a classroom full of diverse learners, it can be challenging to reach all learners in the classroom; however, I have found a lot of success in utilizing Chris Biffle's Whole Brain Teaching strategies in my classroom so that all learners are addressed and everyone is having fun while doing so! I use gestures when I'm speaking to help reinforce important words and/or concepts and it also allows ELL students the ability to understand visually even if they can't understand my language verbally quite yet. I use games where children can collaborate with one another, challenge themselves and reach new personal records. Additionally, I like the classroom to have a family like atmosphere so the children feel safe and comfortable in our classroom. All of these strategies, I believe, help keep the classroom activities fun and the students motivated.
As of right now, I'm not currently in the classroom, as I am working as a certified personal trainer, but when I do come back to the classroom at some point, I will also be utilizing the ticket reward system that my 2nd grade teacher, Mrs. Powell, utilized. It is such a HUGE motivator for many students!
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