Standard 5: Motivation and Management

Description:

The teacher uses an understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interactions, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.

Reflection:

Motivation, in any aspect of life,  is one of the key components to success. The results of strong motivation are endless, and for this reason teachers are constantly searching for ways to motivate their students. Through my experiences and education I have learned that motivation does not come by itself.  By this I mean that there are a lot of factors that should be considered when trying to promote motivation.

First and most importantly students must feel comfortable in the classroom. I believe that this is why management is grouped in the same standard as motivation. Effective classroom management can create a safe and welcoming environment. Students should feel comfortable in sharing their ideas, asking questions, and making mistakes.  Mistakes are a crucial part of learning,  and students should have the confidence to try things without the fear of ridicule.

Another aspect that contributes greatly to motivation is purpose. As a teacher we should always give a clear purpose for every assignment and activity. A good way to do this is to relate topics to the students life or the community. Without a clear purpose students will not feel motivated and may not apply themselves as much.

Finally, self-efficacy is another component that is directly related to motivation. This is to say that students need to believe in themselves. When a person truly believes that he or she can accomplish a task they will tend to push themselves until this accomplishment has been met. On the other hand if a student does not believe in himself or herself or that a goal is too far out of reach, the effort will not be there.

Evidence

For more on the relationship between self-efficacy and motivation click here.

These are just a few of the components that I plan to incorporate into my teaching. Motivation is certainly not limited to these three concepts, but I do believe that they are some of the strongest.