Intrinsically Motivated

Ch. 11 - Motivation 

While reading Chapter 11 on motivation, I find this part of educational psychology to be perhaps the most important and most challenging. There needs to be motivation in your students to do what you are asking them and having good motivation can go a long way in your students actually retaining the information given to them. The most beneficial theory to motivation in my future students would be the humanistic approach. I strongly believe that as a teacher I am there to cultivate learning and support students in their endeavor to learn by showing the environment where they will want to strive to gain knowledge and eventually care for others. This may sound unrealistic, but setting the expectation up front of a nurturing and caring classroom where students are expected to do their best can benefit the students greatly and I think many teachers would be surprised by what their students are motivated to do when given the opportunity. However, I have given much consideration to the sociocultural theory as I have a passion for urban/multicultural education. Understanding that some students come with ideas and motivations that stemmed from early childhood can help you better develop those students from where they are. 

I think a huge challenge, but my main goal in entering the educational field is to eventually have every student have some intrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation is hard even for me now, but that is many times what pulls me through hard times. Knowing that you have the self efficacy to do something because you will gain something great from it or it will make you feel better, stronger, smarter, etc. is tremendous stepping stone that some people never reach. Even at a smaller age instilling in them now these beliefs can motivate students even when their is no "behavioral incentive". In the long run, students will benefit from this in school, their future job, and life in general. 

One issue of motivation that I know I will face daily with the population of students I would like to work with is stereotype threat. This can stop a students motivation dead in it's tracks. I know as a future urban/multicultural student I will have to tackle this head on and help students not fall into the trap that society has set up for them with regards to what stereotypes they fall under. I would really like to learn more about this type of motivational disturbance so to speak and how to prevent or deal with it as it arises.