How to motivate students(primary & middle school)

Dr Robert ShawSchool of ManagementGuangdong University of Foreign Studies

Wednesday 21 May 2014, 2 pm

Teachers’ Law of the People’s Republic of China

Article 7 Teachers shall enjoy the following rights:

(1) to conduct educational and teaching activities and carry out reform and experiment in education and teaching;

(2) to engage in scientific research and academic exchanges, join professional academic societies and fully express their views in academic activities …

Today

1. The question asked

2. Teaching-learning in the west

3. William James

4. Traditional teaching methods & motivation

5. John Dewey & China

6. Modern education & motivation

Question asked

How should teachers motivate primary and middle school students to learn English effectively?

Questions asked

The question suggests:

1. Precision: middle students, English, effectively

2. Motivation is separate aspect of pedagogy

3. A model of teaching-learning

4. A silver bullet

There are no silver bullets in education

There are no silver bullets in education

The silver bullet

1. Simple questions do not have simple answers

2. Teachers sometimes look for “tips” that will help them in the classroom tomorrow

3. China needs teachers who are both:a. Trained in practical skillsb. Educated

What de-motivates students?

1. Rote learning (drills, memorising)

2. Meaningless material

3. Learning without a goal

4. Fatigue

What de-motivates students?

1. De-motivated = bored

2. What do students find boring?

Teaching-learning in the west:two approaches to education

1. Traditional approach

2. Modern way

3. .

4. .

5. .

Teaching-learning in the west:two approaches to education

1. Traditional approach

2. Modern way

3. These ideas apply to all student grades/levels

4. Different theorists and teachers develop these two approaches in various ways

5. William James (traditional) & John Dewey (modern)

Traditional approach

1. Ideas about schooling came from the family and the army

2. Professional teachers

3. Scientific approach

4. Needs of mass education

5. William James was influential

William James

1. American

2. 1842 – 1910

3. Philosopher, psychologist, physician

4. Pragmatist

1. Comprehensive textbook

2. Operant conditioning

3. Attention

4. Motivation

Examinations

How do we motivate students? Traditional approach

1. Positive reinforcementa. Rewards for success, rubber stampsb. Kind commentsc. Stars, certificates, notes to parents

2. Negative reinforcementa. Punishmentsb. Negative comments

Two kinds of motivation

1. External motivationa. Motivation based on something external to

the task itselfb. Operant rewards & punishmentsc. Examination learning is an example

2. Internal motivationa. Motivation that comes from within the

student’s relationship to the taskb. Learning because you love to learnc. Learning incidental to some activity

Modern approach

1. New goals: thinking, creativity, originality

2. Education as a way of life

3. Humanistic approach

4. Needs of the individual

5. John Dewey was influential

John Dewey

1. American

2. 1859-1952

3. Philosopher, psychologist, educational reformer

4. Advocate for pragmatism & liberalism

1. Thinking is like breathing

2. Reflective thinking is what is important

3. We cannot require it of students

4. All we can do is set up the right conditions

The On-going Dance of John

Dewey and China: A Western

Philosopher becomes a Second

Confucius

西风东渐化孔子，今世前缘谈杜威

1919-1921

Columbia University

Student Hu Shih became a leader

in the New Culture

Movement

Arrived a few days after 4 May

1919

Effect on university leadership

John Dewey

American children are taught the list of ‘modern’ inventions that originated in China.

They are not taught, however, that China invented the boycott, the general strike and guild organization as means of controlling public affairs.

Modern approach - motivation

1. Motivation relates to curriculum, pedagogy and evaluation

2. Internal motivation best

3. Let them learn

4. Child centred

5. Encourage and support

Modern approach – in China

CurriculumWhat you teach

EvaluationHow you assess

PedagogyHow you teach

TextbookWhat you teach

ExaminationHow you assess

TeacherHow you teach

Traditional education

The three evils of teaching

1. Curriculum

2. Evaluation

3. Pedagogy

The three evils of teaching

1. CurriculumTextbooks

2. Evaluation

Examinations

3. PedagogyDesks

The harm done by textbooks

Textbooks

1. Kill student motivation

2. Stop the teacher from developing

3. Freeze the curriculum

4. Give a foreign view of what is important

Artwork by Qiu Ying 仇英 c.1540

Civil service examination candidates wait for officials to

post their marks

44

The harm done by examinations

Examinations

1. Kill long-term student motivation

2. Reinforce external motivation

3. Make education unjust for students

4. Waste time and energy

5. Focus on low order skills (next slides)

Benjamin Bloom

The harm done by desks

Desk layouts

1. Say who is in control – teacher centred

2. Limit the forms of motivation available

3. Levels the student experience

50

1. Reinforces the idea the teacher is the authority

2. Undermines student confidence

3. Make us teach classes & not individuals

4. Limit our teaching methods (tutorials)

Pedagogy for motivation

1. Be a creative thinker yourself

2. Do not teach EnglishSet up the conditions for thinking and encourage the students to work in English

3. Projects based on the students’ interests

4. Ask students to keep a personal glossary

5. Reward, reward, reward ……

Curriculum for motivation

1. Enquiries / research in English

2. The safety poster

3. The nature walk

4. Teach an elder or a friend

5. Personal communications - blog, Skype, email

Thank you