PE Central Article: Motivating Middle School Students in ...

PECentralArticle:MotivatingMiddleSchoolStudentsinPEClass8/27/10

ArticleByCharlesSilberman.EmailCharlesatcharles.silberman@toaskadditional questions.PublishedonPECentral:82710.

Question:IteachMiddleSchoolphysicaleducation,andIamhavingahardtimemotivatingmy studentstoparticipateinclassactivities.HowcanIbetterengagemystudentstoparticipateand comeprepared?-UnmotivatedTeacher- Answer:

DearUnmotivatedTeacher:

Isympathizewithyourstruggle.IadmirethestrengthittakesanyMiddleSchoolTeachertowork withstudentswhoarechangingbiologicallyeveryday.Itcancreateaveryuniquesituation.Iam confident,however,thatwithsomethoughtandelbowgrease,youcanturnthissituationaround.

IremembermyfirstexperienceteachingMiddleSchool.Ihadaneighthgradeclass,andwespentthe firstfewclassesonrulesandprocedures.Irememberhavingthestudentsinsquads,andIwentto sitonatableintheroomtogiveaspeech.Onegirlgotexcitedandsaid,"Howcool,wehavenever hadateacherwhositsonatable."Ihadyettoplanthefirstunitoftheyear,andthiscommentmade mewonderwhatIhadgottenmyselfinto.Ithought,"Whogetsexcitedaboutanadultsittingona table?"IwasinaCatholicSchool,andIwasreplacingaveteranof18yearsattheschoolwhostarted itsphysicaleducationprogram.Imusthavespenthoursonmycomputerstartingtotypeupideas anddeletingthembecauseIwantedtheperfectunit.Aftermuchthoughtandresearch,including consultingwiththepreviousteacher,whotoldmetohavethempushacanwithastick,Idecidedon Badminton.Ithoughtitwouldbedifferent,fun,andbuildconfidence.Iwas,however,afraidthatthe kidswouldbetoocoolforthisanditwouldnotwork.Tomysurprise,theylovedit!Whowould havethoughtthatthesesometimesmoodyandawkwardstudents,ofwhomIwasscared,wouldlike hittinganobjectcalleda"Birdie"onaracket!Inretrospect,andwithexperiencetodrawon,Iam abletoseewhythatwassuchasuccessfulunit,andhow,withsomeluck,Ididmanythingsrightthat madethatfirstexperiencegowell,andmotivatedtheeighthgraderstoparticipatewithoutissue.I willsharethoselessonsinthiscolumn,andIhopetheytranslatetohelpyoumasteryoursituation.

Withthatantidoteinmind,Iwantyoutoconsiderthatmotivationisatwo-prongedapproach: Intrinsicandextrinsic.Extrinsicmotivationisalltheexternalfactorsthatateachercancontrolor manipulateandinfluencesthedesirestudentshavetolearn.Intrinsicmotivationinvolvespersonal factorswithinthestudentthattranslatetoadriveforacquiringknowledge.Youwillhavetobecome alittlebitofadetectiveandresearchbothareastohelpeffectivelysolveyourquandary. Extrinsic:

TeachingStyle/Learner'sStyle?Takealookathowyouareteaching.Areyouusingdirect instructionandrunningonandonaboutasubject,orareyouinvolvingstudentsinlearningthrough variousmethods?Ifyouarejuststandingandtalking,youarelikelytolosethestudents'interest. Youwillneedtousemultiplewaystoteachthesubject.Youdothisbylearningthewayyour studentslearnandteachingtothosestylesoflearning.YoumayuseGardner'sMultipleIntelligences asaguidetohelpyou.Additionally,youmayneedtouseagettingtoknowyouworksheettogage studentinterest.Eitherwayaccomplishesthesamegoal:Youlearnhowyourstudentslearnand whattheylikeandteachtothat.

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LessonPlanning-Areyoujustwingingit,orareyoudevelopingunitplansalignedwithcurriculum standardsandthendevelopingdetailedlessonplansfromthat?Oneofthewaystoensurestudent engagementistoplanthoroughly.Yes,sometimesthebest-laidplansfail.However,ifthestudents getthesensethatyouhavetakenthetimetobereallyreadyforthem,theywillbemorewillingto participate.Studentsgenerallythriveonstructurebecauseitallowsthemtofeelsafeandinformed. Planningfacilitatesthis.Inaddition,planningwillallowyoutothinkoutstrategiesforhowtoteach thelessonthebestway,handlepotentialchallengesthatmaycomeup,andthinkaboutthe assessmentstrategiesyouwilluse.Bythinkingthelessonoutaheadoftime,youleavelittleto chance,keepthingsmoving,andcanplanengagingactivities.Learnerswilltendtofeelmorewilling tobeinvolvedwhenyourplanrunssmoothlyandarefunbecauseyouthoughtitoutaheadoftime.

Thereareotherconsiderationstotakeintoaccountwhenplanningyourlessonthatmaymake studentsmoremotivated.Theyinclude:makingactivitiessuccessoriented,developmentally appropriate,givingstudentsachoice,differentiatinginstruction,usingtasksheets,incorporating peertutors,incorporatingcooperativelearning,usingstationsorlearningcenters,including technologyinlearning,andimplementingchilddesignedactivities.Allofthesestrategieswillhelp movestudentstowardfullengagement.

ClassroomManagement?Areyoulaidbackanddoyoujustletthingsflow,ordoyoudemand perfectionandjumponeverylittlethingthestudentsdowrong?Knowinghowyouhandlediscipline willhelpcreateasafeandorderlyenvironmentinwhichstudentswanttobeapart.Thisincludes establishingrulesandproceduresfromdayoneandbeingconsistentwiththem.Also,itrequires creatingasafeandwarmenvironmentwherestudentscantrydifferentthingsandnotfeeljudged, especiallyinMiddleSchoolwhenpeerpressurecandrivestudentstodothewrongthing.Ifyoucan createasafe,warm,andorderlyenvironmentwherethestudentswillfeelliketheyareapartof something,youwillmostlikelyseeanincreaseinparticipation.Childrenwillnotwanttobeapartof chaos,andthatiswhatyougetwithoutawell-runclassroom.Moreover,thiscaninvolvesettingup incentives,rewards,andothermanagementstrategiesfortheyoungscholarstoworkwithandstrive toward.Forexample,someothermanagementstrategiestoconsiderincludegoalsettingand teachingstudents'self-responsibilityandhowtomonitortheirownmotivation.

ExpectationsandModeling?Doyouhavehighstandardsforyourstudentsandbelievetheycan achieve,orareyouofthemindsetthatsomestudentshavebuiltinglassceilings?Studentspickup onourexpectationsandbeliefsaboutthemandrisetomeetourpropheciesofthem.Ifyoushowyou believeineachofyourstudentsandhaveclear,highexpectations,thentheywillrisetomeetthose expectations.Additionally,modeltheexpectationsandbehavioryouwantfromyourclass.If learnersseeapersonalmodelofsuccess,andtheybelievetheycanachievesuccess,theywillput forthmoreefforttoworktowardthatgoal.

Irecommendtwogreatresourcesonclassroommanagementandteachingpersonalresponsibility throughphysicaleducation.Thefirstbookiscalled"ConsciousClassroomManagement"byRick Smith.Thisbookfocusesonwhatteacherswithgreatmanagementdothatwedon'tsee.Thesecond bookiscalled"TeachingResponsibilityThroughPhysicalEducation"byDonHellison.Thisdiscussesa modelforteachingpersonalresponsibilityinP.E.

Thiscoverssomeofthemajorlocusofcontrolyouasateacherhavethatyoucanlookintoandthat affecttheengagementlevelofyourclass.Thereareotherareasyoumayconsiderasyoureflecton someofthis.Iencourageyoutojournalaboutlessonsafterwardstoreflectonwhatworkedanddid

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notwork.Also,Iwouldaskacolleagueyoutrusttovideotapeyouorobserveyourlessontohelp youidentifythingsyoucanchangetoincreaseengagement.Thismaytakesometimeandwork.In theendyouwillbethankfulyoumadetheseefforts.

Intrinsic:

Let'sassumeyouhavedonesomereflection,madesomechanges,andareseeinganincreasein motivationfromstudents,butyoustillhaveafewpeoplethatarestillunmotivated.AtthispointI wouldsuggestthatyoudosomefurtherresearch.Somestudentsarehardertomotivateformany reasons.Infact,youcannotreachinsidetheheadofyourstudentsandmakethemwanttodo anything.Atsomepoint,thestudentshavetohavetheinnerdesiretowanttodosomething.This lackofdesireisnotsomethingtogetdeterredbyormakeyoudecidetoquitonachild.However,it maytakesomediggingforyoutohelpsomestudentsparticipate.

Therearesomanyfactorsthatmakeupateenager'sexistence.Theycanrunthegamutfrom academicissuestohomeorsocialissues.Manymoviesandbookshavebeenmadedetailingthelife ofateenagerandhowcomplicateditcanseem,whichcanconsumeateenager'smind.Therefore,in thecaseofstudentswhoarejustconsistentlyunmotivated,Iwouldsuggesttakingthetimetolearn moreaboutthemandwhatisgoingonintheirlives.Thiswillhelpyougainanunderstandingfor whythestudentsarechoosingnottoparticipate,anditwillgiveyoubasefromwhichtostarttohelp thestudentsworktowardstheirsuccess.

Therearesomanyreasonsateenagermaypresentasunmotivated.Itcouldbeassimpleasthatfact thattheydidnoteatbreakfastandarehungry.Sometimeswhenachild'sbasicneedsarenotmeet, theymaystruggletostayfocused.Or,forexample,thestudentcouldhavegotteninafightwitha friendorwithaparentathomebeforeschoolorclass.Thiswillcertainlydistracthimorherfrom wantingtolearn.Takethetimetoknowyourstudentsonapersonallevel.Speaktootherteachers theyhave,aswellasparents,togetalargerpictureofthewholeindividual.Involvetheguidance counselorandadministrationifyouthinktheycanprovideusefulinsight.Thiswillhelpyoumeetthe needsofthechild,buildarelationshipwiththestudent,andgainhisorhertrust.Onceyouhavea greaterunderstandingofthelearner,youcanbetterhelpmotivatehimorher.

Icanrecountthemanytimesstudentscametomyclassandjuststoodofftotheside.Aftergetting theactivitystarted,Iwouldcomeoverandaskwhatwasgoingon.Rarelydidthestudentsnotwant toparticipatebecauseofatotaldisdainforphysicalactivity.Mostofthetimeitwasaninterpersonal issuewithafriend,gettingyelledatbyanotherteacher,apoorgrade,orsomeotherconcernthatwas causingthemtoseemdistant.OncethestudentssawIcaredandunderstoodtheirposition,Iwas abletogetthemparticipatinginsomeformorfashionsotheyshowedmethattheymettheday's objectiveandearnedtheirgrade.

Iknowinthebusyworldofeducationitcanbehardtofindtimeoutsideofclasstogettoknowour students.Itispossible.Ilovetouselunchandbreakfastastimetogettoknowmystudents.There areothercreativewaystofindtimewithyourstudents,includingwatchingtheirgamesandconcerts, visitingtheirclubs,sponsoringactivities,andsomuchmore.It'sworththeinvestment.Onceyou knowyourclass,youcanmovemountainswiththem.

Intheend,however,ifnoneofthishelpsyourunmotivatedlearners,rememberthatpartofyourjob istoteach.Ifyouhavedoneeverythingyoucantohelpastudentbesuccessful,andtheyarenot responding,andyouhavetofailthem,thenyouarestillteachingthemalesson.Youareteaching

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thatthereareconsequencesfortheiractions.Ifstudentsdon'tfollowprotocolandparticipate,then theyareresponsiblefortheconsequences.Thisisaninvaluablelessonthatyoungpeopleneedto learn.

WhenIlookbackonmyexperienceteachingMiddleSchoolforthefirsttime,IrealizeIdidmanyof thethingsIhavediscussed.Iplannedthoroughly,createdtherightenvironmentforsuccess,andI metmylearnerswheretheywerebygettingtoknowthem.Reflectingback,itisamazingthatittook somuchthoughtandworktoallowthestudentstoreachsuchalevelofengagementinwhichthey wereoverlydelightedtohitarubbertippedobjectwitharacket.

Tosummarize,motivationisnotblackandwhite.Itinvolvesthingswe,asteachers,controlandit involvesfactorsoutofourcontrolthatmustcomefromwithinouryouth.However,whenwestopto reflectonourownpractices,makeappropriatechanges,andteachtotheneedsofourstudentsby gettingtoknowthem,wecanmotivatemoldablemindstoachieveamazingresults.

ArticleByCharlesSilberman.EmailCharlesatcharles.silberman@toaskadditional questions.PublishedonPECentral:82710.

PECentral,pec@,540-953-1043

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1995SMain,Ste.902,Blacksburg,VA24060

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