Middle School Classroom Research

The key to orienting their attention in the classroom is to make learning meaningful and relevant to their lives. At the same time, learning can be hindered if a student’s basic needs are not being satisfied. If students are in a position that they feel endangers their ability to fulfill their basic needs, it is likely that their learning will be compromised. During the adolescent years, the process of building self efficacy is accelerated. Therefore, it is essential that young people foster relationships with dependable mentors who can guide them and support them in their development.

Another way to build student motivation and engagement is to give them real world problems to solve. By doing this, natural conflict arises, and students have to work together in order to resolve the conflict and continue developing a solution to the problem. When this happens, students learn so much about the problem they are trying to solve, but they also learn skills that will help them become successful in life.

I observed a sixth grade classroom (eleven to twelve years of age) at a middle school in Ringgold, Georgia. The classroom seemed to be fairly even in regards to how many children of each sex were in the classroom. The majority of the students were white with a few african american and hispanic children among the mix. The sixth grade classes did not have enough employees to only teach one subject therefore, the teacher that I observed taught language arts and mathematics. The first thing you notice when you walk into the classroom is the mathematical shapes all along the upper wall like a wallpaper border. These shapes were projects from her students in the years before. The next thing that you’ll notice is the way the desks were set up. They were set up in three separate groups. One group of around twelve desks faced the

“…apart from the prime and given responsibility of teaching selected content and skills, middle school teachers must be about the business of helping students believe in themselves, form their character, discover their interests, nurture their potential, gain a sound perspective on their physical development and related health issues, and develop those universally and critically important humanitarian and social skills—all while daring them to be their best selves, to breath deeply, and to live well at the moment.”

Choice is a powerful motivator in education (Turner 1995). When students are given the freedom to choose what interests them, they become more engaged in their learning. They will take more personal responsibility in what they are learning. This lesson design allows

One of the most essential aspects of the educational process is to know how to motivate students for learning. A challenging part of being a teacher is to know and learn how to motivate students. First of all, a good definition for motivation is as Byrnes quote “Motivation is construct

The U.S. Department of Education provides supplemental funding to local school districts to meet the needs of at-risk and low-income students. This funding is known as Title 1 funding and the schools that receive a portion of this funding are referred to as Title 1 schools. Teachers in Title 1 schools encounter students facing life struggles that many of us cannot imagine. Encouraging these students to focus in school can be difficult, but it is essential to overcome the challenge in order for students to achieve academically. Finding ways to engage Title 1 students can be a daunting task due to the fact that they face daily struggles just to survive. However, teachers must use student motivation techniques to engage these students. These techniques will assist in the students’ success in the classroom. “In education, student engagement refers to the degree of attention, curiosity, interest, optimism, and passion that students show when they are learning or being taught, which extends to the level of motivation they have to learn and progress in their education” (Hidden Curriculum, 2014).

Intrinsic motivation is a key aspect of student success in school. Van den Broeck, Vansteenkiste, and De Witte (2013) define intrinsic motivation as, “the engagement in an activity for its own sake, that is, for the satisfaction and enjoyment experienced during the course of the activity itself” (p. 4). Educators encourage intrinsic motivation within their students as it boosts

After working very well on his math packet for the first half hour, one student did not want to work on our project of the day, a lenticular print made from folded paper. Even though the first step was only drawing two pictures to use for the project, this student did not want to participate. This confused me; he had been focused on his math, but as soon as the material became what I assumed to be more “fun” and engaging, he lost interest. I tried a few different methods to motivate him, as did some of the staff, but we were unable to get him to really engage in the project. I noticed that I value participation and effort more than how many questions a student gets correct. Grades are definitely important, but I would rather have engaged students who try their best and get a range of grades, because I know that engaged students will improve greatly if they are taught well. I also saw this in my previous job. Students who were not motivated did not progress quickly, while students who were, even those who were years behind, made fast progress. Thus, I think one of my most important tasks as a teacher will be learning to motivate students and help them to engage with

The key to advancing the learning of individuals, small groups and whole classes is motivation. Our

Childhood and adolescence are times of crucial growth in developing their sense of self and learning about the world. If the average American teenager spends about 7 hours in a classroom environment per day, then teachers are in a prime position to impact their students. As a teacher, I can ensure that my students receive the encouragement, compassion, and respect that is so important in becoming an able and confident member of society. Not every student receives academic support at home. Therefore, my classroom should also offer resources, classroom assistance, and a positive learning environment. I should invest time and effort into my students. I can help them realize their own potential and

One major problem in the student body today is the lack of motivation kids have in their schoolwork. The most effective way to keep them motivated is an inner motivation within themselves, or an interior motivation, rather than parents and teachers pushing them to do their best, or an exterior motivation. The best ways to do this is to make learning fun and interesting (not boring), and to help them understand why they will need the skills they are learning are for.

them to the head teacher of the classroom. Another puzzle that I have is not being able to inspire children with creative ideas, or have a long conversation with a child instead we inspire the children by the actions we do or say through story. As the teachers, they keep very quiet and only whisper to each other and the children if they need to say something. In the classroom we do not speak across the room to communicate to each other. If there is a conflict between children, only the lead teacher handles it no one else. In Waldorf classrooms it is always different depending on what the lead teachers personality is like. I have observed another kindergarten classroom in the same building and she is more laid back working with her assistant

There are different things a teacher can do to trigger this type of motivation in students. “Some examples of

A second way to intrinsically motivate students is to “understand the children” (Specific Classroom Management Methods). Originality and creativity should be encouraged in all students. Make a point to give students opportunities to express themselves in different ways. Each child is unique and self-expression is a great way to learn about each and every student. When starting the year, “Knowing what background your students bring to class and starting the course at an appropriate level can increase a students success and…positive feelings they have about your