Summary-week+3+discussion


 * Summary Week 3 **


 * Skateboarder Motivation **

//Moderators: Karen Fox, Kris Street, Beige Biggins, Rob Heppner //

This week we were asked to read an article titled “Lessons from Skateboarders” and comment on its relation to constructivism and motivation.

A similarity of personal stories seemed to run through this week’s posts. This topic and reading seemed to have sparked many of us to recall our connection with times of struggle, failure, triumph, and success.

Discussion was really focused around the ideas of motivation, community, and strong need for a sense of belonging.

 Roxanne commented on the importance of community in the classrooms. // Cool Quote: // //“As students take an active role in co-constructing learning environments and criteria, providing meaningful feedback, teaching peers (everyone, not just the "strong" kids), assessing their own progress, and offering encouragement, the community grows strong together.” //
 * Roxanne Bitner-Motivated by the topic! **

Cheryl shared a story about a struggling student who found his talent in tech and electronics. //Cool Quote: // //“He struggled with academics, which heightened his acting out, until he found a way to connect to learning “his way”. We aren't all going to be mathematicians, or doctors, etc., but when kids have a passion, this needs to be incorporated into their learning so that they can feel successful and become engaged in learning.” //
 * Cheryl Anderson-Identifying Students’ Motivation to Learn **

Lianne shared a story about three struggling boys who seemed to have no motivation towards success. They were not confident and felt no sense of belonging, turning to negative behaviours to satisfy their need to be heard. //Cool Quote // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Everybody needs a place where they feel safe, valued and connected but not all people fit into our structured view of what a classroom needs to look like.” //
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Lianne Kenyon-Motivating the Unmotivated **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Rick shared with us a personal story form his teaching career. Rick shared about Kevin a young man who struggled initially in school but with help, motivation, and belonging was able to experience success. //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Cool Quote // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“We all feel the need to belong. Without it, we are lost. It is tough to excel without a sense of connectedness.” //
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Rick Heise-In Search of a Place to Belong **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ian connected to a TED talk video that outlined an actual skateboarder, Rodney Mullen talking about the act of creating a new trick. Ian connected to the constructivist thinking through context and content. //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Cool Quote // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> “…their contribution back in to the community guarantees their continual acceptance.” //
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ian Hecht-Skateboarders as Engineers **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Michelle shared with us the importance of motivation, community, and involvement when putting together a drama production, she shared about students who may not be confident in all areas discovering hidden gifts they may not have known they had. //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Cool Quote: // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Putting on a play is like the ultimate team sport. Each person’s involvement is an important and valued part of the cast community.” //
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Michelle Davis-The Powerful Play Goes On… **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sarah related this week to Olympian Clara Hughes and her struggle to the Gold. How something like sport could overcome negative influences in her life. //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Cool Quote // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Thanks to the help of phenomenal teachers, she was able to find satisfaction and meaning in one area of her life, which then went on to positively influence all aspects of her life.” //
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sarah Stack-A Musician Must Make Music. **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Greg focused on the connection between self-efficacy and motivation. //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Cool Quote // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“We have the power to instill positive self-talk that may be unraveled through connecting with skaters in our daily relationships.” //
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Greg Woitas-The Power of Self Talk **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Rebekah shared a personal story of a time she opened herself up in her classroom to a situation where she felt inadequate as a teacher but later discovered it was her ability to open up and be vulnerable that allowed for learning to take place. //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Cool Quote // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Maybe in some ways, embracing a constructivist approach means opening yourself up to this kind of vulnerability as a teacher -- it's terrifying to lose that control! But wow, what a payoff.” //
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Rebekah Bennetch-The terrifying allure of constructivism **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Stacey discussed life-long learning being an all-around belief or if life-long learning occurs only it what we are interested in. Constructivist and Motivation //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Cool Quote // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“…once they've built some confidence with some small successes they are much more motivated to learn and try new things with their students and are generally more satisfied with their overall experiences with technology.” //
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Stacey Monette-Computers just aren’t my thing… hmmm **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Randall discussed belonging this week with an absolutely gut wrenching and elating personal story about “Anna”. //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Cool Quote // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“By working with a group of individuals with similar goals and interest provides a person with a strong sense of belonging. Their peers generate desired attention, provide relevant encouragement and support which then boosts their confidence in their ability, generating an intrinsic satisfaction.” //
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Randall White-Stand up Stand Together Stand Strong **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">David brings up this week the connection between having your needs met and being able to be successful. //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Cool Quote // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“It's so important to meet Maslow's basic needs, because if your mind is solely focused on those aspects, it's hard to motivate yourself to want any more than those basic necessities. Who knows how many other students out there have hidden talents that they aren't expressing because they're more worried about what they're going to eat for supper than practicing a skill of some sort?” //
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">David Morin-The Blind Side **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Marilyn’s post was centered on constructivism, belonging, and achievement motivation. //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Cool Quote // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“He was intrinsically motivated because of the basic satisfaction experienced when he mastered a skill to become a role model.” //
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Marilyn Black-Skaters **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Elenna’s post talked about how a change in the presentation of grades could cause motivation in students to do better or be successful in what before seemed unattainable. //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Cool Quote // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“The final mark only ever increases and is representative of the students increase in knowledge as they progress through the materials. The current mark could be viewed as punishing the student in the example as it decreases even though the student has obtained more knowledge: it does not reflect this accomplishment.” After my reading, I believe that using the final mark could help students to set learning goals since it reflects that amount of learning that has taken place.” //
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Elenna Nickel-Grading and Motivation **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Janine shared a personal story about her experience teaching in a small school. One students struggle to find her place among her peers, //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Cool Quote // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“I continue to try and create a sense of belonging in the class and during the time that they are in my class I hope that they feel welcome and accepted.” //
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Janine Smits-Small School **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Jonathan used a sports analogy to discuss the fear of failure in our society and its effects of our ability to learn as well as the need for strong community to experience success. //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Cool Quote // //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“I need to create clear and relevant evidence so my students can see how they are getting better at say literature analysis, without failure and with support.” //
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Jonathan Scott-Evidence. Failure, and Karate **

Corinne talks about her efforts to create community. Community allows students to feel success and be motivated as learners. Community increases students ability to work together to make decisions and tackle tough issues. //Cool Quote// //“I feel a few effective strategies helped build their sense of belonging and helped others view them as valuable members of the group.”//
 * Corinne Dutka-Stainbrook-Belonging**

Karen asked about the impact of the extra help and encouragement we give to struggling learners, specifically those on individual program plans and with learning disabilities. Does the frequent encouragement help them, or does it make them seem "less desirable" as partners and group members among their peers?
 * Karen Fox - When Help Hinders**