I really enjoyed the readings this week concerning motivation. I really think that motivation is one of the most important parts on the classroom. The readings this week focused on how students ask for help and how teachers can help students ask for help. I think that before we even think about that, teacher enthusiasm should be taken into consideration. If a teacher is not enthusiastic and does not care about the content, students sense that and become apathetic to the content taught in the classroom. I remember the first year I taught. I taught texts that were available and texts that other teachers taught and had success with. I was so fortunate; I had the best mentor teacher ever (literally, she became the Utah Teacher of the Year a few years later). I thought that everything was in place for me to have a great year. That year, I tried to teach pieces of literature that I didn’t love. I think that really came through to the students. I didn’t feel a lot of success with some of the units that I tried. I was frustrated because my mentor teacher loved those pieces of literature and it seemed that her students did too. The next year, I was able to order my own set of books. I chose a book that I loved, that filled the curriculum standards and that I felt I could teach in an impactful way. That really changed everything. I could look at my kids and say “I love this book and I think that there is a lot that we can learn by reading it together.” That enthusiasm changed my classroom that year. Since that experience, I try to get enthused about everything I teach. Sometimes we are mandated to teach certain curriculum that doesn’t excite us, but we can put our own stamp on it and add our own personality.
So I guess I think that learning can best be effectuated by really motivating students with our enthusiasm. If students see that we love the things we teach, they will be more motivated to learn.
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I totally agree. I am in a comparable situation this year. I moved to a new school where they have their curriculum set. The 7th grade English teachers all work together teaching the same units, pieces, everything. I am very grateful for this as it is a very busy year but at the same time I feel stifled. The other teacher who has been in the school the longest is very open and willing to change things. I will do so next year; this one's all about survival. But it is harder doing something I am not intimated with nor had any part creating.
ReplyDeleteA positive twist happened, though. We just finished reading Rikki-tikki-tavi. I approached that piece thinking, why on earth do we have to read this? I don't even see why it's so important! Of course, I didn't say that to the kids. But, as we read, I found myself enjoying it! It is a fun story and I appreciate Kipling's writing talent. It was fun! A big part of that, too, were my students. They really got excited about the cobras and the fight between them and Rikki. They made insightful, interesting comments. It all turned out well. I still don't see why Rikki is oh-so-mandatory, but at least now I can say I like it.
I think that you hit the nail on the head with enthusiasm. I had kind of forgotten about that as I got involved with the lesson plan, but enthusiasm is pobably one of the most important factors of getting the class excited about a subject or project etc.
ReplyDeleteEnthusiasm is overlooked so often in teaching. I received a degree in teaching science but now teach math. I'll be honest, it took me a year before I could get enthusiastic about teaching math. Now that I've done it for 4 years, I get more enthusiastic about it each year. This has had a profound impact on my students.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reminding me about one of those unwritten principles that a good teacher lives by.
I know that I personally learn better from a teacher who loves their subject matter. I took a children's literature class for fun and I was amazed at the teachers love of books. To this day when ever I look at a book for my grandchildren,I always think if this teacher and what she would think of the book. I even had a algebra teacher so excited about math that I almost learned to like it.
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