Module 5 Chapter 12, 14, 15 (Educational Psychology)

Chapter twelve covers, Motivation Learning and Teaching. Motivation is a very important factor in the learning process. I believe that a motivating learning environment supports the education process. It is the key factor in getting students involved in the learning process and in keeping them engaged at their level of academic performance. Most educators believe that motivating is a difficult. We learned motivational ideas that are useful in the classroom. Woolfolk’s definition regarding motivation is an internal condition that arouses, directs and maintains behaviour (462). According to psychologists, motivation is an attribute that instigate movements, energy, direction, the reason for our behaviour and “what” and “why” we do something. Motivation is a persuasive feeling that always provides positivism to students to accomplish a task or activity to the end and succeed in it no matter how hard and tough it is (464). It can also give a  feeling of ways to go down and obtain anxiety and tension . He talks about the different forms of anxiety that the student smay bring to the classroom. I’ve seen this type of anxiety when the students had to take the NWEA at the end of the year. We are not suppose to have to type of conversation with the students but just monitor. Even though we motivated them and grew their mindset. When it came to having the test in front of them, some became very anxious. I wanted to say one word of encouragement or even tap them on the shoulder to assure them, everything was going to be ok but it was so difficult. The only thing I could do is give them a smile. They would crack nockels, move, played with the mouse and look at me. Once they say me smile at them it they would smile back and proceed with the test. I have to say they did pretty good with their scores. Students’ can be motivated directly through the use of attractive, satisfying and stimulating learning material. 

Chapter 14 covers teaching every student, and it also it focuses on teachers. Working in a school gives me a chance to observe many teachers. I have observed the teachers lessons characteristics: Clarity, warmth and knowledge (p.552).  Barack after conducting 50 studies came to the conclusion that clarity was the most encouraging behavior for effective teaching. I agree with this, at home with my boys I had to give them specific and clear direction when I wanted them to do something. Same way in the classroom I assist, I would have to give a few of them a step by step directions, even after the teacher had already explain it.  There is nothing like becoming an expert teacher who develops solutions to classroom problems. One thing that modern teacher are doing know is the rich system of knowledge: recognized several types of wrong answers, the misunderstanding or lack of information behind each kind of mistake, the best way to reach and correct the misunderstanding, material and activities that have worked in the past, and several ways to test whether the reteaching was successful. I encourage teachers to match instruction to students differences (pedagogical content knowledge).  Most students want to obtain different types of knowledge because it opens up so many other opportunities further down their paths in life.  I believe that teaching strategies, planning, learning targets, goals, and flexible and creative plans, feedback, Bloom's taxonomy systems, differentiated instruction and the teacher enjoying her job lead to a more academically equipped students.  An effective teacher has to takes the time to deliver information no matter how her students learn. 

Chapter 15, covers the classroom assessments, grading, and standardized testing and their effects it has on students. Woolfolk, examined measurement, assessment, formative , interim, and summative assessment. These help provide learning and feedback. Additionally, testing supports the measure of learning goals. Standardized testing is something all students and teachers dread. I have seen teachers stressing about their jobs who are dependable on students success. Students also worry about being able to pass the test to move on to the next grade, giving the state a bad impression about their teachers.  I am a strong believer that standardized testing should not be held so high in students’ lives. These students already have enough on their plates, worried with their parents going through divorce, learning how to juggle after-school activities, homework, peer-pressure,  and other personal issues they have to face everyday. The tests are overestimated and because of this they provide the dangerous cycle of anxiety, depression and self-doubt. I understand that these test These test numbers/scores define anyone, and let you determine what you can do or can’t do. If your score was below a certain number, you were not proficient, or in other words, not intelligent enough. I do understand, that standardized test are beneficial from tracking students’ progress over the years. These test sets expectations high for students and it does hold them accountable for the same standards, which may lead to achievement gains. By looking at the students’ performance, they will be able to determine how well they retain information or how well you taught.  Unfortunately , techers start to teach based on the tests and little less creativity of the students.