how to motivate primary and middle school students
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How to motivate students(primary & middle school)
Dr Robert ShawSchool of ManagementGuangdong University of Foreign Studies
Wednesday 21 May 2014, 2 pm
Teachers’ Law of the People’s Republic of China
Article 7 Teachers shall enjoy the following rights:
(1) to conduct educational and teaching activities and carry out reform and experiment in education and teaching;
(2) to engage in scientific research and academic exchanges, join professional academic societies and fully express their views in academic activities …
Today
1. The question asked
2. Teaching-learning in the west
3. William James
4. Traditional teaching methods & motivation
5. John Dewey & China
6. Modern education & motivation
Question asked
How should teachers motivate primary and middle school students to learn English effectively?
Questions asked
The question suggests:
1. Precision: middle students, English, effectively
2. Motivation is separate aspect of pedagogy
3. A model of teaching-learning
4. A silver bullet
There are no silver bullets in education
There are no silver bullets in education
The silver bullet
1. Simple questions do not have simple answers
2. Teachers sometimes look for “tips” that will help them in the classroom tomorrow
3. China needs teachers who are both:a. Trained in practical skillsb. Educated
What de-motivates students?
1. Rote learning (drills, memorising)
2. Meaningless material
3. Learning without a goal
4. Fatigue
What de-motivates students?
1. De-motivated = bored
2. What do students find boring?
Teaching-learning in the west:two approaches to education
1. Traditional approach
2. Modern way
3. .
4. .
5. .
Teaching-learning in the west:two approaches to education
1. Traditional approach
2. Modern way
3. These ideas apply to all student grades/levels
4. Different theorists and teachers develop these two approaches in various ways
5. William James (traditional) & John Dewey (modern)
Traditional approach
1. Ideas about schooling came from the family and the army
2. Professional teachers
3. Scientific approach
4. Needs of mass education
5. William James was influential
William James
1. American
2. 1842 – 1910
3. Philosopher, psychologist, physician
4. Pragmatist
1. Comprehensive textbook
2. Operant conditioning
3. Attention
4. Motivation
Examinations
How do we motivate students? Traditional approach
1. Positive reinforcementa. Rewards for success, rubber stampsb. Kind commentsc. Stars, certificates, notes to parents
2. Negative reinforcementa. Punishmentsb. Negative comments
Two kinds of motivation
1. External motivationa. Motivation based on something external to
the task itselfb. Operant rewards & punishmentsc. Examination learning is an example
2. Internal motivationa. Motivation that comes from within the
student’s relationship to the taskb. Learning because you love to learnc. Learning incidental to some activity
Modern approach
1. New goals: thinking, creativity, originality
2. Education as a way of life
3. Humanistic approach
4. Needs of the individual
5. John Dewey was influential
John Dewey
1. American
2. 1859-1952
3. Philosopher, psychologist, educational reformer
4. Advocate for pragmatism & liberalism
1. Thinking is like breathing
2. Reflective thinking is what is important
3. We cannot require it of students
4. All we can do is set up the right conditions
The On-going Dance of John
Dewey and China: A Western
Philosopher becomes a Second
Confucius
西风东渐化孔子,今世前缘谈杜威
1919-1921
Columbia University
Student Hu Shih became a leader
in the New Culture
Movement
Arrived a few days after 4 May
1919
Effect on university leadership
John Dewey
American children are taught the list of ‘modern’ inventions that originated in China.
They are not taught, however, that China invented the boycott, the general strike and guild organization as means of controlling public affairs.
Modern approach - motivation
1. Motivation relates to curriculum, pedagogy and evaluation
2. Internal motivation best
3. Let them learn
4. Child centred
5. Encourage and support
Modern approach – in China
CurriculumWhat you teach
EvaluationHow you assess
PedagogyHow you teach
TextbookWhat you teach
ExaminationHow you assess
TeacherHow you teach
Traditional education
The three evils of teaching
1. Curriculum
2. Evaluation
3. Pedagogy
The three evils of teaching
1. CurriculumTextbooks
2. Evaluation
Examinations
3. PedagogyDesks
The harm done by textbooks
Textbooks
1. Kill student motivation
2. Stop the teacher from developing
3. Freeze the curriculum
4. Give a foreign view of what is important
Artwork by Qiu Ying 仇英 c.1540
Civil service examination candidates wait for officials to
post their marks
44
The harm done by examinations
Examinations
1. Kill long-term student motivation
2. Reinforce external motivation
3. Make education unjust for students
4. Waste time and energy
5. Focus on low order skills (next slides)
Benjamin Bloom
The harm done by desks
Desk layouts
1. Say who is in control – teacher centred
2. Limit the forms of motivation available
3. Levels the student experience
50
1. Reinforces the idea the teacher is the authority
2. Undermines student confidence
3. Make us teach classes & not individuals
4. Limit our teaching methods (tutorials)
Pedagogy for motivation
1. Be a creative thinker yourself
2. Do not teach EnglishSet up the conditions for thinking and encourage the students to work in English
3. Projects based on the students’ interests
4. Ask students to keep a personal glossary
5. Reward, reward, reward ……
Curriculum for motivation
1. Enquiries / research in English
2. The safety poster
3. The nature walk
4. Teach an elder or a friend
5. Personal communications - blog, Skype, email
Thank you
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