Danielle Jenkins
Dr. Chandler
Eng. 3029
17 December 13
Using Language to Motivate 8th
Grade Students and to Create a Positive Social Environment from a Teacher’s
Perspective
Introduction
The role of having a classroom where student can thrive student
cannot be understated. Teachers are charged with delivering the district’s
curriculum and with creating an environment where students promotes confidence
and fosters academic, emotional, and social growth. Teachers have the
responsibility to create this environment and to continue to create an environment
where students can thrive, however, this can be a challenge for some teachers.
O Students need to feel that their learning environment is filled with
potential, positive thinking, and motivation, and that the classroom is a safe
place to be motivated to challenge themselves. Teacher-student and
teacher-classroom interaction is crucial to creating a classroom environment
where the student can feel motivated to perform and achieve. How a teacher
interacts with their students can come in many forms. This research explores
motivating language as a form of literacy to motivate students for achievement
and creating a positive classroom environment.
Literature Review
Researchers Allison M. Ryan and Helen Patrick from the
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Northern Illinois, respectively, provided
a backdrop for my research. They wanted to examine the role that teachers have in motivating
students and creating a positive social environment in the classroom. They
hypothesized that prior motivation and engagement were strong predictors of
subsequent motivation in students. However, student efficacy numbers indicated
that teacher support, teacher interaction, and displaying mutual respect between
teacher and student, were positive indicators for student motivation and
engagement, and it reduced disruptive behavior. On the other hand, performance
goals were negative indicators of student motivation and engagement.
(Allisonand Ryan 1).
They examined student efficacy rates (the impact that a teacher
or a subject has on the student) between the teacher and student within the
classroom environment. The study presented 233 students from three ethnicity
diverse middle schools within two Midwestern school districts. (45% European
American and 55% African American). The students represented working class
families with about 40% of them eligible for free or subsidized lunch. Fifteen
math teachers took part in the study. (Ryan and Patrick 444).
The
study concluded that there are several factors that impact the teacher’s
ability to motivate students and to create a positive classroom environment. One
factor revolved around the notion that the student believed that teacher cared
and supported them is one factor. This contributes to student self-confidence
and self-regulated behavior. Another factor involved the teacher promoting peer
interaction. This is important because many teachers are hesitant to allow
students to talk and this created more focused learning and less distracted and
disruptive behavior. (Ryan and Patrick 454-455).
With
Ryan’s and Patrick’s research as my backdrop, I wanted to investigate how
teachers can motivate students as a form of literacy. Language can have a large
impact on how a student perceives the student-teacher interaction. However, how effective is the teacher in
using language to motivate his or her students? The following research
addresses this issue from a teacher’s perspective. It concludes that although
it is possible to motivate some students, there are obstacles that a teacher
will face in helping to motivate some students.
Methods
As part of my research I complied
some data for the middle school where my research was conducted. It is as
follows:
Student level
Diversity is the theme
and the South Orange middle school in New Jersey. In almost any class you may
experience inclusion classes. Inclusion classes reflects the no Child left
behind law and then race to the top to receive additional federal funds for
education, many districts incorporate
special learning students into mainstream classes. An example of an inclusion
class may be 27 mainstream students along with several students that need
classroom support.
School district
This north New
Jersey area is a middle class
neighborhood. According to www.greatschools.org the student population is comprised
of 51% Black or African American and 41% white or Caucasian.
Economics
This north New Jersey
median home purchases are about $400,000. As a result the district has many
resources for its mainstream and special learning students.
I
recorded an interview with an eighth grade Science teacher in an urban school
system in New Jersey. The initial interview was 11 minutes and 53 seconds.
Three days later I approached the interviewee with a follow-up question, and
that interview was recorded for 6 minutes and 46 seconds. The student body make
of this middle school is 51% Black or African-American, and 41% White or
Caucasian. The teacher discussed several language methods that he uses to
motivate students to do their best in his science class. Some of the literacy
includes the following:
“I
am here for you”
“treat
the boys with respect”
“kids
need to know that you care and that you treat them like family”
“middle
school boys need to be treated with respect”
“the
Windows are opening and you can create opportunities for yourself but this is
the time when Windows can start opening and Windows can start closing if you
have dreams of owning
a
sports car or going to a good college those Windows can open up for you now and
if you want to go to school you have only two options”.
Analysis
The
comments suggest that the teacher shows deep care and concern for the student’s
education and their personal well-being. “I am here for you” suggests the
teacher being available to provide academic and possible emotional support for
his students. That statement is further emphasized with “kids need to know that
you care and that you treat them like family”. Respect for teachers are
required from all students, but by the statement, “ treat the boys with respect”
denotes that teachers are encouraged to respect male student. (although girls are not mentioned, I
have observed the respect that he has shown to girls as well. The comment is
meant in the context of that socially boys look to be respected from other male
persons)
Observations
Ryan and
Patrick suggests that in order to encourage motivation and approval a positive
classroom environment that teachers should display such characteristics as
caring friendliness understanding and dedication ( Ryan and Patrick page 440).
As a form of literacy, motivational language can come in many forms and this
science teacher in the transcript has provided an example of the literacy that
he uses to motivate his students. Ryan and Patrick go on to suggest that
motivating students in creating this positive classroom environment as a
stronger impact on increase grades then encouraging’s performance from the
students. Performance goals for certain emphasis on competition and comparisons
among students in the classroom. They suggest this approach to students is
particularly harmful because of the adolescents heighten sensitivity and
increase self-consciousness. (Ryan and Patrick page 442).
The
science teacher has provided the language that he uses to promote motivation in
the classroom environment however I would like to add some of his observations.
The teacher provides an open door policy for the students to approach him with
questions related to science including other classes and personal questions if
needed. The teacher shown his effort to make the students accountable for his
or her work by emphasizing that he is not interested in calling parents to
discuss missing or effortless assignments by the students. He constantly
reminds them that he would rather work through any academic problems with the
student since this is the students work and the students education not the
parents however if needed,
he will call the parent for
a conference. In this way the teacher promotes what Brian and Patrick suggest
that mutual respect between the teacher and the student and communicating that
respect contributes to the students feeling of psychological safety and comfort
including low anxiety and the low threat of making mistakes. The Science
indicates in the transcript that students have a lot of fear at this grade
level and part of his role as the teacher is to help them get rid of some of
those fears including testing quizzes fear that their parents will be
disappointed. By promoting mutual respect and communicating that respect to the
students the teacher is able to promote the mutual respect that Ryan and
Patrick suggests (Ryan and Patrick page 441, 442).
The
teacher shares his form of literacy for motivating students and creating a
positive social classroom environment, but when asked about the effectiveness
of this literacy, he reveals an obstacle that he and possibly other teachers may
face in motivating their students.
In excerpt two of the interview I asked about the
effectiveness of this literacy in motivating students and creating this
classroom environment, the teacher was forthcoming in his response.
Me: I have a
follow-up question for you. Do you think you have been effective in creating a
positive classroom environment and motivating students?
teacher: ah.
Over the last few years I have not felt very effective. With all the new
guidelines. Regulations that they want us to follow. Feel like we’re putting
kids on a factory line where being directed at how to assemble them so you’re
getting the same model of production with each kid. Instead of treating the
kids as if they’re different, but when you look around this room we used to
pride ourselves on diversity but, we’re still getting the top kids with the top
kids get and were giving the bottom kids with the bottom kids get the parents
is still getting what they want in terms of what they think is right for their
kid there isn’t much collaboration going on with the teachers and the
administrators. I was taught that that’s a local thing
He revealed he felt ineffective in creating
this environment and motivating a small student population. He felt that he was
an effective in motivating the students that receive classroom support and that
are the special learners because he feels the district makes it quite difficult
for those students to be motivated to achieve. In his transcript he pointed out
that the students are forced to follow a curriculum that does not support their
learning needs and as a result it is difficult for them thrive in his
predominantly mainstream science classroom. He suggests that the district
should tailor a curriculum for the students to survive in the world and that
the district is doing them a disservice by not preparing this curriculum.
Conclusion
Teachers have to juggle
multiple roles. But middle-class school teachers have even more challenging
roles. Adolescents struggle with social issues, maturity levels, academic
growth and middle school teachers are challenged to deliver the curriculum and
to motivate the students to achieve and to pick themselves up when they’re
struggling. The difficult job but when you also challenged to teach students
that you know that cannot maintain academic readiness in your classroom the
challenge could he be even more difficult. The Science teacher suggests that
districts should modify curriculum to adjust to the needs of those students
that are not mainstream in the classroom. Using language and other devices to
motivate them may be an ineffective because of their learning challenges. I
have experienced this very point almost each day with two students who I
provide classroom support and assistance to. One student is constantly
disappointed in himself and frustrated that he is not excelling in his classes
in spite of the classroom support. Since being and middle school student has
struggled year after year with trying to perform academically with his peers,
his mainstream peers, with very little success. This teacher may have a valid
point. Part of me feels that inclusion classes are
helpful to address the
social issues among students, however the academic issues remain. Do you modify
the curriculum to introduce academically challenged students to more vocational
learning and if you do what message do we send about going to college for those
students since going to college is the primary goal and many high school
students?
Works Cited
Ryan, Allison, M. Helen
Patrick. The Classroom Social Environment and Changes in Adolesccent’
Motivation and Engagement During Middle School. (will
complete citing for final
Submission)
Student diversity
http://www.trulia.com/schools/NJ-South_Orange/South_Orange_Middle_School/
Gender:
http://www.greatschools.org/new-jersey/south-orange/1865-South-Orange-Middle-School/?tab=ratings
