PECentralArticle:MotivatingMiddleSchoolStudentsinPEClass8/27/10

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ArticleByCharlesSilberman.EmailCharlesatcharles.silberman@pgcps.orgtoaskadditionalquestions.PublishedonPECentral:8­27­10.

Question:IteachMiddleSchoolphysicaleducation,andIamhavingahardtimemotivatingmystudentstoparticipateinclassactivities.HowcanIbetterengagemystudentstoparticipateandcomeprepared?‐UnmotivatedTeacher‐Answer:

DearUnmotivatedTeacher:

Isympathizewithyourstruggle.IadmirethestrengthittakesanyMiddleSchoolTeachertoworkwithstudentswhoarechangingbiologicallyeveryday.Itcancreateaveryuniquesituation.Iamconfident,however,thatwithsomethoughtandelbowgrease,youcanturnthissituationaround.

IremembermyfirstexperienceteachingMiddleSchool.Ihadaneighthgradeclass,andwespentthefirstfewclassesonrulesandprocedures.Irememberhavingthestudentsinsquads,andIwenttositonatableintheroomtogiveaspeech.Onegirlgotexcitedandsaid,“Howcool,wehaveneverhadateacherwhositsonatable.”Ihadyettoplanthefirstunitoftheyear,andthiscommentmademewonderwhatIhadgottenmyselfinto.Ithought,“Whogetsexcitedaboutanadultsittingonatable?”IwasinaCatholicSchool,andIwasreplacingaveteranof18yearsattheschoolwhostarteditsphysicaleducationprogram.ImusthavespenthoursonmycomputerstartingtotypeupideasanddeletingthembecauseIwantedtheperfectunit.Aftermuchthoughtandresearch,includingconsultingwiththepreviousteacher,whotoldmetohavethempushacanwithastick,IdecidedonBadminton.Ithoughtitwouldbedifferent,fun,andbuildconfidence.Iwas,however,afraidthatthekidswouldbetoocoolforthisanditwouldnotwork.Tomysurprise,theylovedit!Whowouldhavethoughtthatthesesometimesmoodyandawkwardstudents,ofwhomIwasscared,wouldlikehittinganobjectcalleda“Birdie”onaracket!Inretrospect,andwithexperiencetodrawon,Iamabletoseewhythatwassuchasuccessfulunit,andhow,withsomeluck,Ididmanythingsrightthatmadethatfirstexperiencegowell,andmotivatedtheeighthgraderstoparticipatewithoutissue.Iwillsharethoselessonsinthiscolumn,andIhopetheytranslatetohelpyoumasteryoursituation.

Withthatantidoteinmind,Iwantyoutoconsiderthatmotivationisatwo‐prongedapproach:Intrinsicandextrinsic.Extrinsicmotivationisalltheexternalfactorsthatateachercancontrolormanipulateandinfluencesthedesirestudentshavetolearn.Intrinsicmotivationinvolvespersonalfactorswithinthestudentthattranslatetoadriveforacquiringknowledge.Youwillhavetobecomealittlebitofadetectiveandresearchbothareastohelpeffectivelysolveyourquandary.Extrinsic:

TeachingStyle/Learner’sStyle–Takealookathowyouareteaching.Areyouusingdirectinstructionandrunningonandonaboutasubject,orareyouinvolvingstudentsinlearningthroughvariousmethods?Ifyouarejuststandingandtalking,youarelikelytolosethestudents’interest.Youwillneedtousemultiplewaystoteachthesubject.Youdothisbylearningthewayyourstudentslearnandteachingtothosestylesoflearning.YoumayuseGardner’sMultipleIntelligencesasaguidetohelpyou.Additionally,youmayneedtouseagettingtoknowyouworksheettogagestudentinterest.Eitherwayaccomplishesthesamegoal:Youlearnhowyourstudentslearnandwhattheylikeandteachtothat.

PECentralArticle:MotivatingMiddleSchoolStudentsinPEClass8/27/10

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LessonPlanning‐Areyoujustwingingit,orareyoudevelopingunitplansalignedwithcurriculumstandardsandthendevelopingdetailedlessonplansfromthat?Oneofthewaystoensurestudentengagementistoplanthoroughly.Yes,sometimesthebest‐laidplansfail.However,ifthestudentsgetthesensethatyouhavetakenthetimetobereallyreadyforthem,theywillbemorewillingtoparticipate.Studentsgenerallythriveonstructurebecauseitallowsthemtofeelsafeandinformed.Planningfacilitatesthis.Inaddition,planningwillallowyoutothinkoutstrategiesforhowtoteachthelessonthebestway,handlepotentialchallengesthatmaycomeup,andthinkabouttheassessmentstrategiesyouwilluse.Bythinkingthelessonoutaheadoftime,youleavelittletochance,keepthingsmoving,andcanplanengagingactivities.Learnerswilltendtofeelmorewillingtobeinvolvedwhenyourplanrunssmoothlyandarefunbecauseyouthoughtitoutaheadoftime.

Thereareotherconsiderationstotakeintoaccountwhenplanningyourlessonthatmaymakestudentsmoremotivated.Theyinclude:makingactivitiessuccessoriented,developmentallyappropriate,givingstudentsachoice,differentiatinginstruction,usingtasksheets,incorporatingpeertutors,incorporatingcooperativelearning,usingstationsorlearningcenters,includingtechnologyinlearning,andimplementingchilddesignedactivities.Allofthesestrategieswillhelpmovestudentstowardfullengagement.

ClassroomManagement–Areyoulaidbackanddoyoujustletthingsflow,ordoyoudemandperfectionandjumponeverylittlethingthestudentsdowrong?Knowinghowyouhandledisciplinewillhelpcreateasafeandorderlyenvironmentinwhichstudentswanttobeapart.Thisincludesestablishingrulesandproceduresfromdayoneandbeingconsistentwiththem.Also,itrequirescreatingasafeandwarmenvironmentwherestudentscantrydifferentthingsandnotfeeljudged,especiallyinMiddleSchoolwhenpeerpressurecandrivestudentstodothewrongthing.Ifyoucancreateasafe,warm,andorderlyenvironmentwherethestudentswillfeelliketheyareapartofsomething,youwillmostlikelyseeanincreaseinparticipation.Childrenwillnotwanttobeapartofchaos,andthatiswhatyougetwithoutawell‐runclassroom.Moreover,thiscaninvolvesettingupincentives,rewards,andothermanagementstrategiesfortheyoungscholarstoworkwithandstrivetoward.Forexample,someothermanagementstrategiestoconsiderincludegoalsettingandteachingstudents’self‐responsibilityandhowtomonitortheirownmotivation.

ExpectationsandModeling–Doyouhavehighstandardsforyourstudentsandbelievetheycanachieve,orareyouofthemindsetthatsomestudentshavebuiltinglassceilings?Studentspickuponourexpectationsandbeliefsaboutthemandrisetomeetourpropheciesofthem.Ifyoushowyoubelieveineachofyourstudentsandhaveclear,highexpectations,thentheywillrisetomeetthoseexpectations.Additionally,modeltheexpectationsandbehavioryouwantfromyourclass.Iflearnersseeapersonalmodelofsuccess,andtheybelievetheycanachievesuccess,theywillputforthmoreefforttoworktowardthatgoal.

Irecommendtwogreatresourcesonclassroommanagementandteachingpersonalresponsibilitythroughphysicaleducation.Thefirstbookiscalled“ConsciousClassroomManagement”byRickSmith.Thisbookfocusesonwhatteacherswithgreatmanagementdothatwedon’tsee.Thesecondbookiscalled“TeachingResponsibilityThroughPhysicalEducation”byDonHellison.ThisdiscussesamodelforteachingpersonalresponsibilityinP.E.

Thiscoverssomeofthemajorlocusofcontrolyouasateacherhavethatyoucanlookintoandthataffecttheengagementlevelofyourclass.Thereareotherareasyoumayconsiderasyoureflectonsomeofthis.Iencourageyoutojournalaboutlessonsafterwardstoreflectonwhatworkedanddid

PECentralArticle:MotivatingMiddleSchoolStudentsinPEClass8/27/10

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notwork.Also,Iwouldaskacolleagueyoutrusttovideotapeyouorobserveyourlessontohelpyouidentifythingsyoucanchangetoincreaseengagement.Thismaytakesometimeandwork.Intheendyouwillbethankfulyoumadetheseefforts.

Intrinsic:

Let’sassumeyouhavedonesomereflection,madesomechanges,andareseeinganincreaseinmotivationfromstudents,butyoustillhaveafewpeoplethatarestillunmotivated.AtthispointIwouldsuggestthatyoudosomefurtherresearch.Somestudentsarehardertomotivateformanyreasons.Infact,youcannotreachinsidetheheadofyourstudentsandmakethemwanttodoanything.Atsomepoint,thestudentshavetohavetheinnerdesiretowanttodosomething.Thislackofdesireisnotsomethingtogetdeterredbyormakeyoudecidetoquitonachild.However,itmaytakesomediggingforyoutohelpsomestudentsparticipate.

Therearesomanyfactorsthatmakeupateenager’sexistence.Theycanrunthegamutfromacademicissuestohomeorsocialissues.Manymoviesandbookshavebeenmadedetailingthelifeofateenagerandhowcomplicateditcanseem,whichcanconsumeateenager’smind.Therefore,inthecaseofstudentswhoarejustconsistentlyunmotivated,Iwouldsuggesttakingthetimetolearnmoreaboutthemandwhatisgoingonintheirlives.Thiswillhelpyougainanunderstandingforwhythestudentsarechoosingnottoparticipate,anditwillgiveyoubasefromwhichtostarttohelpthestudentsworktowardstheirsuccess.

Therearesomanyreasonsateenagermaypresentasunmotivated.Itcouldbeassimpleasthatfactthattheydidnoteatbreakfastandarehungry.Sometimeswhenachild’sbasicneedsarenotmeet,theymaystruggletostayfocused.Or,forexample,thestudentcouldhavegotteninafightwithafriendorwithaparentathomebeforeschoolorclass.Thiswillcertainlydistracthimorherfromwantingtolearn.Takethetimetoknowyourstudentsonapersonallevel.Speaktootherteacherstheyhave,aswellasparents,togetalargerpictureofthewholeindividual.Involvetheguidancecounselorandadministrationifyouthinktheycanprovideusefulinsight.Thiswillhelpyoumeettheneedsofthechild,buildarelationshipwiththestudent,andgainhisorhertrust.Onceyouhaveagreaterunderstandingofthelearner,youcanbetterhelpmotivatehimorher.

Icanrecountthemanytimesstudentscametomyclassandjuststoodofftotheside.Aftergettingtheactivitystarted,Iwouldcomeoverandaskwhatwasgoingon.Rarelydidthestudentsnotwanttoparticipatebecauseofatotaldisdainforphysicalactivity.Mostofthetimeitwasaninterpersonalissuewithafriend,gettingyelledatbyanotherteacher,apoorgrade,orsomeotherconcernthatwascausingthemtoseemdistant.OncethestudentssawIcaredandunderstoodtheirposition,Iwasabletogetthemparticipatinginsomeformorfashionsotheyshowedmethattheymettheday’sobjectiveandearnedtheirgrade.

Iknowinthebusyworldofeducationitcanbehardtofindtimeoutsideofclasstogettoknowourstudents.Itispossible.Ilovetouselunchandbreakfastastimetogettoknowmystudents.Thereareothercreativewaystofindtimewithyourstudents,includingwatchingtheirgamesandconcerts,visitingtheirclubs,sponsoringactivities,andsomuchmore.It’sworththeinvestment.Onceyouknowyourclass,youcanmovemountainswiththem.

Intheend,however,ifnoneofthishelpsyourunmotivatedlearners,rememberthatpartofyourjobistoteach.Ifyouhavedoneeverythingyoucantohelpastudentbesuccessful,andtheyarenotresponding,andyouhavetofailthem,thenyouarestillteachingthemalesson.Youareteaching

PECentralArticle:MotivatingMiddleSchoolStudentsinPEClass8/27/10

PECentral<pecentral.org>,pec@pecentral.org,540‐953‐10431995SMain,Ste.902,Blacksburg,VA24060

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thatthereareconsequencesfortheiractions.Ifstudentsdon’tfollowprotocolandparticipate,thentheyareresponsiblefortheconsequences.Thisisaninvaluablelessonthatyoungpeopleneedtolearn.

WhenIlookbackonmyexperienceteachingMiddleSchoolforthefirsttime,IrealizeIdidmanyofthethingsIhavediscussed.Iplannedthoroughly,createdtherightenvironmentforsuccess,andImetmylearnerswheretheywerebygettingtoknowthem.Reflectingback,itisamazingthatittooksomuchthoughtandworktoallowthestudentstoreachsuchalevelofengagementinwhichtheywereoverlydelightedtohitarubbertippedobjectwitharacket.

Tosummarize,motivationisnotblackandwhite.Itinvolvesthingswe,asteachers,controlanditinvolvesfactorsoutofourcontrolthatmustcomefromwithinouryouth.However,whenwestoptoreflectonourownpractices,makeappropriatechanges,andteachtotheneedsofourstudentsbygettingtoknowthem,wecanmotivatemoldablemindstoachieveamazingresults.

ArticleByCharlesSilberman.EmailCharlesatcharles.silberman@pgcps.orgtoaskadditionalquestions.PublishedonPECentral:8­27­10.