On October 25, 2016 I observed Mrs. Boer’s third grade classroom in Orange City Christian School. When I first arrived it was read aloud time, the teacher read aloud a story book while the students listened while working on unfinished work. After that they did a math lesson. When I looked around the class room I noticed it was set up in different sections, there is a project area, desk area, carpet area and a group table area. This set up allows for different types of work and even different types of group work. The classroom environment affects student motivation. From what I could tell the students in this grade three classroom are very independent and are motivated that way at the same time they also get quite a bit of guidance from Mrs. …show more content…
Mrs. Boer explained that she sets up her student’s desk in a specific way and changes it every two weeks. There does not seem to be any evidence of ability grouping or tracking, that I observed today, but later on Mrs. Boer mentioned that she did. There are two grade three classes, so students might have been grouped in that way, one may be higher and the other might not. Some collaborative activities that I observed was peer tutoring and a group investigation in math. Students actively participate a directed group investigation when they did a math lesson. With raising hands, giving suggestions and answering questions. I also noticed, while they were working on problems she said, “If you have a question ask your neighbor first.” I really liked how she used this collaboration method in math, using students to teach other …show more content…
Boer’s classroom she uses lots of group work every day, for example today her class did a poster project in pairs. She uses cooperative learning and groups her student mainly with spelling activities and groups them according to academic ability. She tends to group student with individuals with one high and one low. She also uses grouping in Social studies projects, reading language arts Staff members at OCCS have a collaborative session every Wednesday to chat about new things, changes and technology. Mrs. Boer sends out a weekly newsletter communicate with parents, she lets them know everything that they need to know about the next week, it is short and to the point and it they now what their child is doing and what they can
“Motivation is a complex part of human psychology and behavior that influences how individuals choose to invest their time, how much energy they exert in any given task, how they think and feel about the task, and how long they persist at the task” (Urdan & Schoenfelder, 2006). The biggest question educators face in today’s classroom is what motivates a student to do something and why? Virtually all students are motivated in one way or another. Research of student motivation suggests a theory that emphasizes a social-cognitive perspective. The cognition of students regarding academic work are influenced by social factors, such as messages from the teacher about the difficulty of the task, the perceived abilities of classmates, and the information about the importance of learning the material (Urdan & Schoenfelder, 2006). In this paper the focus will primarily be on those elements within the classroom that influence student motivation and engagement.
The group observation occurred at an International school. The primary school counselor was the facilitator. He meets with individual classes every month. The ages of the students range from 3-11 years old, which represented Pre-k through 5th grade. Each class is pulled out to the counselors classroom for a 45 minute session led by the school counselor. The counselors classroom has minimal distractions with lots of positive quotes. The chairs are set up in a semi-circle so that all can look at each, along with some students sitting on a carpet in the middle.
In a classroom, the class is a single unit, and teachers teach to the class’s needs, rather than to each individual students’ needs. I enjoy being able to work individually with students in order to cater my teaching toward each one’s specific needs so that I can instill them with passion for each subject.
The job of a teacher is never easy but we have seen how cooperative discipline and enabling students to feel capable, connected and contributing can improve classroom management and maybe even our own moods. If we create an environment of mutual respect and give our students legitimate power of voice and choice in the classroom we will see positive results in improved student behavior and student achievement. Because when our students believe that they can succeed, they will.
In addition to promoting collaboration in reading, writing and math, Ms. Pfeiffer promotes collaboration while providing instruction. Often times. Ms. Pfeiffer will ask the class to turn and talk to their partner about the topic at hand. This method stimulates critical thinking which will provide greater understanding. Furthermore, partner discussions help students clarify ideas and develop a higher level of thinking.
The essential aspects of a self-directed learner are someone who is fully engaged in the learning process and takes it upon themselves to demonstrate their interest in learning. They also tend to be concious of the deadlines and in control of their time management. “Even when learning is enjoyable (which, for the successful self-directed learner, it usually is), it often requires discipline. The self-directed learner knows (or learns!) how to develop and maintain discipline. (Cobb, 2017) Those that are intrinsic motivated share some of the same characteristics as the self-directed learner in the aspects of being genuinely interested in learning without having to get the external motivation to do so. Intrinsic motivation is defined as the doing
Classroom Environment A general population third grade class was observed to further understand the psychological aspect of teaching. The Title I school classroom observed has sixteen students, eight girls and eight boys, and is almost entirely made up of students from a low socioeconomic status (SES). The desks are arranged with one large horseshoe and two rows of desks inside the horseshoe shape. The teacher has made adjustments to seating assignments and layout due to student behavior and feedback.
All effective educators need to find ways to motivate their students. The kids that fill our classrooms have different strengths and weaknesses. It is critical that teachers recognize the strengths and weaknesses of their students so they can use the right classroom management strategies to motivate their kids. In this particular case, the student named Jodie is inattentive and uninterested and neither the teacher intern or classroom teacher have a clue how to handle this situation. Ms. Marcia Thomas, who is the young intern feels that Jodie is just a problem child that lacks motivation and there is nothing she can do for this particular student. Ms. Thomas and the lead teacher Ms. Egan both lack the needed classroom management strategies that are necessary to motivate and engage students in a positive learning environment.
For teachers to be effective their classrooms should be open, encouraging and safe environments, where a strong student-teacher relationship can be achieved (Marsh, 2008). Students should be treated with respect in order to meet their need for belonging (Eggen&Kauchak, 2010). The layout of the room and resources need to be well considered allowing different areas for different activities (Bennett &Smilanich, P. 1994) keeping in mind space for easy movement and creative work. Seating arrangements, noise level and room temperature all need to be taken into account when planning the classroom to maximise productive lea...
The class I visited is comprised of 24 five and six year old children, a lead teacher and a ‘Para-Pro” who assists the teacher and provides support and guidance for the children. Within the classroom itself, there are 6 tables organized in the center of the room in a grid formation. Children have their own workspace at a shared table. Around the perimeter of the room are ‘centers’ where each day, the children work on tasks such as listening, story development, gross and fine motor skills, math, reading and other important skills that are needed to develop socially and academically. In several places on the walls, there are displays or ‘brag boards’ where children can post their work that they feel best represents their efforts. The walls are brightly decorated and are filled with pictures, letters, numbers and other basic elementary school information. It is energizing and interesting without being chaotic or overstimulating.
It is first important to understand how motivation works in the classroom. There are infinite procedures teachers use to achieve desired effects from their students, but there are general patterns these motivational tools follow. In order for teachers to communicate with their students, they must identify with their needs on an individual basis (Gawel, 1997). This proposal is much akin to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, which states five basic needs that must be met in order to achieve full motivation. These needs, in ascending order, are as follows: physiological, security, love and belongingness, esteem and self-respect, and self-actualization (Gawel, 1997). Each of these needs details a very important issue in motivation inside the classroom and out.
Student motivation can be affected by several factors. These elements include parent involvement, teacher enthusiasm, rewards, peers, the learner’s environment, personal experiences, personal interests of the student, and self-esteem and self-image.
What contributing factors affect student motivation towards success in college? Motivation is a force that helps people to achieve what they yearn to be, which helps people conquer obstacles to reach a goal. Students can be physically present in the classroom, but mentally absent. Many things can play a factor in student academic success from the quality of the professors’ lecture, to sufficient and modern facilities or the effective engagement between student and professors. In many researches including the books Lives on the Boundary by Mike Ross and Academically Adrift by Richard Arum and Josipa Roksa it demonstrates factors that students face in the achievement of academic success. Those factors that coincide on student academic success are motivation, life responsibilities, and preparation.
Classroom management is a necessary component to every classroom. It includes creating a set of rules and clear expectations that all students follow. This helps unify the classroom for both the teacher and students allowing for a smooth, effective, and educational environment. When the students are aware of what is expected, they are motivated in order to attain the goals dispensed by the teacher. Some students are naturally motivated and want nothing more than to surpass goals for the sake of triumph and pleasing the teacher. Other students need extrinsic motivation in order for them to become engaged in
During the first day of school, a variety of different students enter the classroom. These students are excited and nervous, they have their parents by their sides who are observing the classroom walls and arrangement. From the minute the students enter the classroom, students are observing the classroom environment and notice the everything. Everything in the classroom needs to have a purpose, but provide a pleasant environment. When preparing and organizing the classrooms, teachers need to consider the different variables that impact the classroom. Classrooms can be disorganized if the walls are cluttered and have no meaning The organizations of the desks, the wall decorations, and the seating arrangements significantly impact the physical environments. Students are like sponges, they soak up everything that surrounds them. In the article A comparison of actual and preferred classroom environments as perceived by middle school students in the Journal of School Health stated “studies have shown that classroom environments are closely related to a number of aspects of student