• After reading the chapter and the Dweck article, discuss one question or confusion that you had about the material.
- I do not really understand why research has shown that students feel dumb whenever they are given tasks and praised for them. I do not feel that the self-esteem method should be completely shut down but maybe toned down a bit. Rather than praising a student for every little thing, a teacher should pick and choose the appropriate time to praise. I believe that one’s performance depends greatly on their self-esteem and I feel it is better for a teacher to praise too much rather than not at all.
• When are extrinsic forms of motivation most beneficial or appropriate, compared to other forms? What do they offer?
-I feel that an extrinsic form of motivation is most beneficial and appropriate when a student is not competing with others but with themselves. The fact that the reinforcement they are receiving is from an external behavior makes the student more motivated. Self-motivation is great because students do not feel pressure to be better than any of their classmates or even siblings. Module 15 talks about how a child’s motivation can be affected by their home environment. I know that some of my friends would get a reward such as money when they received an A or B on tests or their report. I do not necessarily believe that is the best way to motivate a student because they do not want to do well for themselves but more for a reward or to please their parents. Extrinsic forms of motivation offer students motivation to improve their performance academically.
• When do you think that extrinsic forms MIGHT be the wrong choice? (Look to the Dweck article where she discusses how praise can be dangerous) Discuss some form of extrinsic motivation and why IT might also be 'dangerous'.
-Extrinsic forms may be the wrong choice or dangerous when a student is simply trying to get better grades or improve in a certain area simply to receive a “good” grade or a reward such as money. At a certain point the parents are going to stop rewarding their child and in a child’s mind they may form the question “why do I need to learn and receive an A or B in this class if I am not getting anything in return?” In the real world people do not get rewarded when they do something right and giving students this false impression can be dangerous for their future.
I agree with you that praise can be VERY important in giving someone confidence. It's also important to understand WHY praise can be dangerous in particular situations and whether they apply to your situation. In areas like dance or singing, a lot of people are uncomfortable performing in front of others, so I think you make a good point. They need that comfort before they can begin to practice the skill.
ReplyDeleteYour other points also show that when the reward is not the GOAL of activity, there's a mismatch. If your goal is to understand algebra, then the grade or another reward may or may not be motivating.... particularly if that reward isn't given every time the student does algebra in their lives! If your goal is simply to pass the class (not caring about algebra), then the passing grade is a pretty motivating reward (it IS the goal). Because most students would choose to be in a dance class, I think you'll have to worry a lot less about extrinsic motivators.
I agree with you in regards to the fact that the self-esteem movement shouldn't be completely thrown out. I tend to think that students may not immediately feel like they are being belittled for doing well on a simple task, but perhaps the feeling of being dumb sinks in over time? It seems like there is a very fine line between praising too much and too little. I never knew that so much went into the thought behind praising and rewarding students. Especially during childhood, it's important to give students confidence in their skills and abilities; however, we need to learn how to properly do that. I don't think that teachers should not praise their students at all, but they do need to learn when and how to praise appropriately.
ReplyDelete