Module 5

Chapters 12, 14, and 15 talked about motivation in learning. Other important topics include classroom assessment and grading. My experience with motivating students have been the hardest for me as a substitute teacher. Not having the time to connect with students makes it challenging for me to motivate students to do the work that their teacher left for them. Motivating students to learn has become challenging. Teachers should look into their lessons plans and modify the lesson to have students be engaged (pg.462). One of my aha moments as a substitute teacher was when a student asked me "Am I ever going to use this math?" Students often asked me this question and it is sad to hear them ask this because that means that they haven't been able to connect their learning to real life. I find that students get motivated to do the work when they can connect the school work to real-life employments. I am a huge believer in projects that connect all learning. Grading connects to student motivation because often students do the work just for points. When students see the value of learning and how it connects to their future, they will become more responsible for their own learning. As a future business teacher, I plan to create an atmosphere that students feel that they are not on a typical classroom instead that they are working to learn new concepts to work on a final project that has the same potential to show to real-life investors or companies. I have worked for a school district that really focuses on students being creative and develop entrepreneurial skills. Some of those students have turned their projects in real-life companies that operate and contribute to the economy. Once we take education to real-life and students see the value of what they can do, then we have turn education around.