Classroom environment matters

A classrooms environment and feel plays a role in students performance, achievement, motivation and self confidence. When students start a new school year they have a class of new/ old classmates, students will have to learn the new rules, and expectations too. The classmates, teacher and school will all have work together to create an environment where students have a bond to their friends, class and school. The social bonds the students make are are motivated to learn, and are performing at their highest. Newman (1992) identified clarity of purpose, fairness, personal teacher support, and successful experiences are four key aspects that teachers must model and support in order for a community to be formed in the class ( Motivation for Achievement; Alderman, Kay).

Clarity of purpose-
Students need to be aware of the purpose for the expectations in the class. Explain the opposite to students; what if there was no purpose and random rules where just made up because..... From personal experience I notice students take more responsibility for their learning and behavior when they understand the purpose.

Fairness-
It is important that teachers are fair at ll times, all students must have equal access. If there is a sense if unfairness felt students will fell left out and unequal to the other members in their class.

Teacher support-
Personal teacher support is essential, without support the student will lack motivation and not perform as well. Support is needed for students when they are having a difficult time, as well as someone to believe in them. The classroom needs someone to implement the "tone' for a social and positive class.

Successful Experiences-
Successful experiences in my opinion are very powerful to students. Students need to experience achievement and success often. The feeling of achievement reassures students of their capabilities, self efficacy and motivates the for more challenging tasks. If students do not experience achievement they lack the understanding about the purpose of working hard and effort.

When a community is established in the class students will feel equal, not intimidated or embarrassed about their mistakes, and are motivated about their learning. In order for a teacher and school to maintain a positive, safe community teachers must monitor groupings and make sure groups are fluid and diverse so students have a chance to work with everyone's abilities. When students create rules and consequences they feel more in charge and that they have a voice. Teachers need to provide students many opportunities where they have the freedom and competence to make choices. Without a positive social context in the class safe, healthy, and equal relationships will be lacking. The "feel" in a classroom is a good predictor whether or not their is a sense of community and motivation. Rafe (discussion/ week 5 Teach Like Your Hair is on Fire) is a teacher who models great strategies that promote a positive social complex in the class. Rafe is on YOU TUBE, which I recommend all teachers to view.

Goal Setting

Goal setting is what pushes people to be better and increases ones motivation as well. It's easy for us to say we have a goal, but in order to accomplish a goal one really needs to think about their goal and plan out the steps for achievement. As a teacher it is my goal for students to be reading at or above their grade level by the end of the year. In order for my students to accomplish the goal, they must be aware and participate in the goal. When setting a goal one must know how to set a goal that is purposeful and attainable in order to achieve. Strategy 4.2 in Motivation for Achievement (Alderman, Kay. Pg. 122) provides a model that teaches young children how to set a goal through drawing, story telling and thinking. Concrete examples need to be modeled to students in order for them understand how set an appropriate goal.
Students need to be aware of the work, efforts and time involved in order for them to achieve their goal. If students are not aware of the work involved in working towards a goal they may easily become discouraged. It is important for teachers to provide work, task, and instruction that is just above the child's learning potential and not too hard. Teachers and students must meet and discuss the progress of the students goal on a weekly basis. Teachers need to provide feedback that is meaningful, purposeful and not harmful. For goals to be effective, individuals need to know where they are in relation to their goal (Motivation for Achievement, page 118). Feedback will help students with self correcting and keep track of their progress. As students see their progress they will motivated to do more and take on more.
Goal setting involves a process, the process is ongoing and takes thought. In order for one to achieve their goal they must first learn the steps involved in setting a goal. It is important for teachers to teach students how to set goals that are attainable.

Self efficacy and ZPD

. In my opinion “optimal self efficacy” and Bandura’s Zone of Proximal Development are very similar if not pretty much the same idea. Bandura suggests the most useful efficacy judgments are those that are slightly above what a person perform on a task. (Motivation for Achievement, page 71). The Zone of Proximal Development is when a person is working and challenged slightly of their ability. Bandura also believes that students learn best, perform better and stay motivated when they are challenged at their ZPD level. Therefore students who have valuable self efficacy judgments and are challenged at a slightly higher level will most likely achieve their goal. Teachers must do their best to scaffold students at the appropriate level too when teaching a new idea if they want students to learn and stay motivated. When Scaffolding teachers must provide assistance also at a slightly higher level than the child’s independent level. Teachers need to remember to check in and observe students current self efficacy judgments, and encourage positive thinking.

Self Efficacy judgements

Self efficacy judgments;


Prior task accomplishments that were successful can help one’s self efficacy with a new task. When people are presented with a new concept/ task and they use prior tasks that they were successful in order to accomplish a new goal will more likely make their goal. Personal experience is the most influential source of self efficacy (Motivation for Achievement; Alderman, Kay.)

Running a half marathon- I have ran the Bolder Boulder a few times, I run a couple times a month, but I do not consider myself a runner. However, a friend of mine last year mentioned that we should run the Colfax ½ marathon. At that moment, with the run being 6 months away I agreed to the run and registered. Before I knew it, there was only 2 months until the ½ marathon. I had been excising, doing yoga, and running occasionally but not “training”. I started to worry and doubt myself, I did not want to let my friend down and mostly I did not want to feel like a “slacker”. With the little time that was left before the race I started running more often, tracking my miles and speed etc. I also knew that I have finished the Bolder Boulder every time, running the entire way. I remember the great feeling of accomplishment after the race too. I used my previous running experiences and feelings of accomplishment when it came down to self efficacy and running the race. I believe using past experiences is an effective strategy to use motivate when learning a new idea/ concept “next step”.

Vicarious experiences are another source of self efficacy. People will base their self efficacy judgments on what they see others doing. Self efficacy through vicarious experiences will help a person to observe, notice strategies, and make note of others performance, as well as determine their self efficacy.

Water Skiing- I downhill ski and snowboard, but had never water skied. Two years ago I had the opportunity to try water skiing for the first time. I was a little anxious but not too bad, I knew water skiing couldn’t be that hard. Even though I had never got on a pair of water-skis, I was confident because I have seen others water-ski several times. Once we were on the water my cousin who had never water skied was the first one to try. Within a few tries and a couple falls my cousin was up and water-skiing. After I saw my cousin who is not a skier or snowboarder was able to water-ski I knew I could do it. Then it was my turn to try. Sure enough, after a few a attempts I was able to get up and water-ski! I knew I could do it, just by watching others and using my skiing and snowboarding as a self-efficacy tool helped too.

Verbal persuasion- “You can do it!”. According the test Motivation for Achievement; verbal persuasion is most effective when people already have some degree of evidence that shows they are capable. Verbal persuasion is widely used, but may not be as effective. It is also important to be aware of the feedback/ persuasion we provide, because it can have a detrimental effect to a person with little self efficacy.

Running- Sometimes when I run I am tired, out of breath and want to quit. However, I do not want to quit because I dislike the feeling of quitting or not finishing something. When the thought “I am so tired, maybe I should walk’” interferes with my running, it is verbal persuasion I use in order to get myself through a run. I tell myself “I can do it, I have run this before.” I also keep myself motivated by thinking about the feeling of accomplishment when my run is finally over.

Psychological State helps us read our self-efficacy and judgments. The physiological responses (i.e. sweats, heart rate, voice, twitching) one’s body gives is a good way to provide self efficacy judgment (Schunk, 1989). According to Motivation for Achievement, anxiety can interfere with self efficacy perception and performance.

Speech- When I was in college I had to give a speech in front of 300 of classmates, I was so nervous and freaking out. I practiced and practiced, I told myself I could do it and knew regardless I had to give the speech. No matter what I told myself and how much I practiced, I was still very anxious. When I gave my speech I could feel my heart pounding, my face was turning red, and my voice sounded shaky. I am sure all the physiological responses I was experiencing had to do with my self efficacy, which was lacking.

helping the helpless

I am a first grade teacher, teaching in an inner-city school, 92% students receive free/ reduced meals. It is sad to say but I already observe many students who have learned to be helpless in new or difficult situations. My students that demonstrate learned helplessness rarely attempt a task independently before asking for help. However, there is a rule in my class which is I will not help a student with something until I have seen that they have at least tried. There are many times I will help after the student independently tried the task, and the student is close to the right answer. I always recognize the student for trying and show where they were right in their work verses the mistakes made. Using the strategy of telling students to independently try first (have them tell you what strategies they tried), and then I will assist seems to work well with my first grade students. Motivation for Achievement recommends strategies teachers and parents can use to help helpless students. Strategy 2.3 recommends teachers establishing an attribution that all students can learn; explain to students that learning does involve effort and using strategies. It is important for teachers and parents cautious of their feedback whether it’s negative or positive because it can effect the individuals self efficacy.
Each time we complete a task that requires some type of effort we relate the attributions for our performance to something whether positive or negative. There are five common attribute biases that individuals relate their performance to. The self centered bias is an attribution that regardless of success or failure one will accept personal responsibility. The “Self Centered Bias person” is aware of their performance, whether its stable or unstable, and relate their performance to something realistic.

Motivational theories/ part 1

The Self-Efficacy Theory and and Attribution Theory are the two motivational theories that my opinion relates with the most. From my teaching experience I observe students are efficacious, they are the students that can handle challenge, they are more self motivating, and they are usually the students that will attempt a new task before giving into "learned helplessness". I notice that students who are not very efficacious are the students that want the "okay" as they are working, because they are worried that they are working incorrectly or; "Can't do it"!

The Attribution Theory relates to a persons reaction/ outcome. In my opinion the Attribution Theory gives people who are looking on the outside in (especial teachers, parents, etc) a good idea how motivated one is. After reading Understanding Student Motivation, by Timothy Seifert the article made me reflect on students I have taught in the past and the different attitudes and reactions they demonstrated regarding their outcome on assignements, spelling test report cards etc. I do see how how students reactions also has a relation with motivation and performance. For example students who usually succeed and seem most motivated are students that find their mistakes, take their time, and ask questions when they are struggling.