I'm still trying to figure out how to get you guys motivated to use this blog more, but I seem to be having trouble with that. Oh well, I'll just keep trying.
Only 2 questions this week:
1. It's unlikely that this class will meet more than once a week.
2. Does having a conversation about school and how it affects their futures also work (or help) to motivate students? I'm going to say it depends on the kids. I'm sure there are some that would be greatly motivated by this. However, as always, you'll have those who either really don't care.... or have to act like they don't care because they don't think they have a chance in life anyhow.
What do you guy think?
1. Should this class twice a week? If so, what would you like to have happen on the second day?
2. Do you think the 'talk to the kids about the importance of education for their futures" would work?
I hear it's supposed to rain..... keep dry. Don't forget to do your assignment for Friday's class.
Diann
4 comments:
Diann,
Didn't you see my slide in class for motivation where it said, "last resort... bribe!" Haha, just kidding. I just wanted to give my opinion on the class meeting twice a week. I think if the class was changed to do that, it would have to become a 3-credit hour class. I already feel like I do that amount of work for this class, plus the field experience anyways. Other than that, I think meeting once a week is fine.
As far as the talk for kids about their future, I think you are right. It would only help some students. I think you could show the class their options for the future and what they can do now to start preparing, but the majority of middle schoolers aren't thinking about college. I think the talk might be more effective if it was a 1-on-1 talk with any given student, because it would be more personal and probably have a greater effect.
Elaine DiCesare
I would like to see this class meet two days a week. It seems like we cover so much material very quikly and that we are always squeezing in as much as possible in one day. I would think that they would also make it a three credit class if that were to happen.
I think that before talking to students about the importance of their education, you need to find out what they want to become as an adult. Students are more likely to listen and understand what they need to do to become a professional if it realtes specifically to them. I know if my high school guidence counselors would have told be better class options that would help prepare me for college and my profession, I would have listened and taken different calsses. Overall, I think that the importance of their education for their future talk is not very personal if you try to tell an entire class that has different life desires.
Regina Buzzard
I definitely think that this class could meet twice a week. I feel like there is so much information to gain that fifty minutes a week just doesn't cut it. As for the second day during the week, I feel like there is so much information to be learned about becoming a teacher, that there will never be a void!
For the talk with kids about their future, I feel like it depends upon the student. For me, it worked. I wanted to be a teacher, so I understood the importance of education. But some kids are just hard to get through to. Like Regina said, I feel like you must know a little about what their interests are and what they plan on doing. You can't preach to them about going to college if they aspire to be a mechanic. And you also have to be careful to not poke fun at jobs that don't require a college degree.
Michelle Smith
10:30
Hello!
I think it would be a great idea if this class met twice a week. We could learn new material one day and have a discussion the next. It seems like we always have great, interesting discussions, but most of the time, we have to cut them short. I feel like there is a great deal of pressure to get everything done in just 50 minutes, and it would be more beneficial to us if we had more time to learn.
I think talking to kids about the importance of education for their futures might work, but only for a few kids. Younger students definitely would not care about their future. Junior high school students, on the other hand, may be concerned about high school and would be more likely to look toward their future. It also might help if you put something in context of their future. A teacher might say, "Ryan, I know you want to be a doctor. Better pay attention, this information is going to be very useful to you." This motivation strategy worked for me. I think that for many students, though, if it is not affecting a student right there and now, they probably won't think twice about it.
Kerry Flahie
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