ObservationsVerbal PraiseStudents love to hear that their teacher is proud of them. Through positive reinforcement and positive praise, students have stated they feel motivated to work harder so they can hear again how their hard work and appropriate behavior is appreciated. Students are said to have this be their preferred way of motivating them to strive to be their best.

Visual AppreciationVisually seeing the teacher acknowledges good behavior, and intervenes with consequences for negative behavior, stimulates a want to behave appropriately. Students have said that they are motivated because they do not want to get in trouble because they can see the consequence. This is the same for stickers and positive comments on assignments or a “wall of fame” for excellent work.

Silent RewardsSilent rewards range from bracelets, to candy, to everything in between. These incentives may serve as a way to motivate students to have good behavior and stay focused on their academic work. I called them silent rewards because the teacher is not verbally or visually motivating them, while tangible incentive item is.

Middle Childhood MotivationRachel Thrun

University of Cincinnati, CECH Middle Childhood Education Natural Science and Math

thrunrl.mail.uc.edu

ResearchArticle, Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivational Orientations in the Classroom: Age Differences and Academic Correlates suggests:

Intrinsic motivation DECLINES across the 3-8 grade levels and there is slim to none in the change of extrinsic motivation.-“The decrease in intrinsic motivation across age groups,.. is consistent with an abundance of prior research suggesting that positive academic beliefs and behaviors gradually erode as children progress through the school system” (Lepper, 2005) .-“Schools appear to tighten controls and reduce choices just as students’ autonomy needs begin to increase” (Lepper, 2005).

“In spite of this decrease in intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation changed very little across the grade levels. Indeed, the only measurable difference after third grade was a linear increase in the desire for easy work, suggesting that children may be gradually adopting a work-avoidance orientation as they progress through school” (Lepper, 2005).

QuestionIn the United states, are students in grades 4-9, more intrinsically (motivated for personal satisfaction) or extrinsically motivated (motivated to earn an award or avoid punishment) and why?

Plausibility's for Student Motivation •Students may do what is asked if they feel they have a relationship with you as the teacher.

Successful Relationships include Trust and Respect•Self Esteem can play a role in students engagement and motivation•Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

• Need For Competence and Self Worth• Need for Relatedness• Need for Affiliation• Need for Approval• Need for Achievement

•Intrinsic Motivation and Extrinsic motivation co-exist• Extrinsic rewards may ignite intrinsic motivation and reinforce

learning•Children who do well in school might come to enjoy learning, feel capable of taking on challenges, and like to master the material independently as a result of receiving high marks and positive feedback.•Children who do poorly in school are more often subjected to lectures from teachers and parents about how and why they should be doing better, thus shifting their attention to more external sources of motivation.

Cognitive and Emotional Social Development for students 11-16yrsAccording to Exploring Life Span Devleopment,

Cognitive-gains in hypothetico-

deductive reasoning and propositional thought.-Improves scientific

reasoning-more self conscious and self

focused

Emotional/Social-striving for autonomy; less time with family, more time

with friends-organized peer groups-cliques are formed by

similar values -peer pressure increases

Image retrieved from Lepper, Corpus, and Iyengar: Nov 2013

Motivation

What I mean by motivation is what it takes for a Middle School student to stay engaged and focused to want to succeed in a task. Motivation can be simplified as, “the difference between a student passing or failing” (Quest R111, PowerPoint slide 4).

Intrinsic Motivation: Self-Motivation; The student studies a topic

with a desire to learn to satisfy his or her natural curiosity.

Extrinsic Motivation:Learning for rewards rather than pure interest

-fear of punishment-need for positive recognition

-studies to satisfy a specific requirement-want to please the teacher

Internalized Motivation:When original external motives, over time, have

become incorporated into one’s personal goal or value system

“Motivating Middle School Students.”  Quest Star R111.  PowerPoint.  16 Nov 2013.<http://www.questar.org/services/rse-tasc-ii/presentations/behavior/Motivation-and-Engagement.pdf>. Berk, Laura E. Exploring Lifespan Development. 2nd ed. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon, 2010. 336-37. Print. Lepper, M. R., Iyengar, S. S., & Corpus, J. (2005). Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivational Orientations in the Classroom: Age Differences and Academic Correlates. Journal Of Educational Psychology, 97(2), 184-196. doi:10.1037/0022-0663.97.2.184 Rassuli, A. (2012). Engagement in Classroom Learning: Creating Temporal Participation Incentives for Extrinsically Motivated Students Through Bonus Credits. Journal Of Education For Business, 87(2), 86-93. doi:10.1080/08832323.2011.570808