Standard 5: Motivation and Management
Description: “The teacher uses an understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.”
Reflection: I believe classroom management is a key factor for classroom success. In order for students to learn and for teachers to teach, they must be in an environment which is conducive to these activities. A firm set of rules should be set forth and agreed on by the students. Also it should be an environment which is open for students to ask questions and give their opinions with out being ridiculed. All of which should be started on Day 1. I am a proponent that rules can be relaxed over time much easier than having to tighten down the rules. In my experience when things start out with relaxed rules and then they get stricter over time this results in a power struggle between the authority and the students. This is not conducive to teaching.
Evidence: Since college I have been in a number a roles which required me to motivate and manage adolescents and students. I helped coach the womens volleyball team in college. I also have help run a church summer camp the past 4 years. My roles at the camp has continued to expand. For helping run activies and watching campers to being responsible for planning and overseeing the teen portion of the camp this coming season. Also I substiute at an interactive science facility for a few months before starting work on my Masters of Ed. At this facility I worked with a group of around 8-12 students at stations for 1 and a half hours with the only other adult in the room usually a parent. So it was my responibility to make sure students stayed on task and completed their work before they had to leave to go back to school.
