Case Study 1

Case Study Patricia M. Devino

Classroom Motivational Theory and Strategies: EDU 615 August 11, 2011 Patricia M. Devino

Case Study 2 I. Introduction

Jovaine is a fourteen year old Jamaican boy in the eighth grade who reads at a fourth grade reading level. He does not have a strong support system at home. His parents are divorced and both work many hours. After school, Jovaine goes to an empty home and primarily takes care of himself by preparing his own dinners and spends most of his time after school outside with friends or home alone. He has a love for his culture and identifies strongly with his Jamaican classmates. He also has a strong love of computers and computer applications such as Facebook and You-tube, and has an interest in art, sports, and music. He is a personable young man who makes friends easily, yet can have difficulty relating to adults due to power struggles as evident in relationships with prior teachers and disciplinary referrals. He was placed in my language arts class after experiencing difficulties and having a personality conflict with another language arts teacher on my team. Jovaine was failing her class due to missing homework assignments which was comprised of daily journal writing prompts, and missing classes due to absence, disciplinary measures for being inattentive or distracting to others, and in-school suspensions. Jovaines academic record includes repeating fifth grade and failing multiple quarters in Language Arts throughout his school experience. It is noted that Jovaine has done the minimal criteria required to move ahead to the next grade level receiving a letter D- grade in the last two quarters of sixth and seventh grade to move ahead to eighth grade. He consistently scores below proficient on his reading and math quarterly benchmark assessments. This assessment data shows that Jovaine scores low in DRP (Degrees of reading Power-cloze activities), Forming Case Study 3

a General Understanding (Identifying Main Idea and Details), and Making Text Connections (texttext, text- world, text- self) in reading and Estimating Measures, Open-Ended Response/Strand 25 in math. His Connecticut Mastery Test scores indicate that Jovaine is in the basic level on a five level criteria (below basic, basic, proficient, goal, and advanced). This identified level of performance and a lexile score of fourth grade reading level required that Jovaine be placed on my academic team. II. Observations Observations I have made regarding Jovaine include his disorganization, coming unprepared to class, and lack of motivation when it comes to paying attention in class and completing assignments. Jovaine comes to class late and is always unprepared. He does not bring a writing utensil; he forgets his notebook, textbooks, and assignments. Jovaine has poor organizational skills. His bookbag is full of papers and he cant find any assignments he says he completed. He uses this lack of preparedness to avoid beginning class and completing his Bellwork assignments. These Bellwork assignments are those assignments that are tied into the lesson objectives and must be completed as soon as students enter the classroom and while homework assignments are usually collected or checked. Students have approximately eight minutes to complete this assignment before the lesson activities begin. Jovaine rarely completes these Bellwork assignments because he is usually walking around the classroom asking others for writing utensils or paper to complete his work. When group work is assigned, Jovaine convinces his partners to do all the work. (They dont seem to mind because he is very likable. He has such a laid back attitude and does not Case Study 4

seem to take his classes very seriously which the other students in the class seem to admire.) This attitude seems to attract the other male students in the classroom because he is a leader. As he is perceived a leader by the other students he will usually sit back and allow others to complete the activities and then he will copy what work they have completed. If the group work assignments are broken down into parts, and Jovaine has a specific job within the group he does tend to complete it if it has to do with art or drawing. Otherwise, Jovaine will become disruptive to other groups and attempt to socialize with his group and other groups. He often finds reasons to get out of his seat during group work and walk around to other groups claiming he is looking to borrow items. Also, during independent work, Jovaine is easily distracted and loves to take out his cell phone and text during class even though no cell phones are allowed in school. He will sit in class and will be inattentive and work does not get completed when assigned independent work. Jovaine is considered a hallwalker. During this independent work, he asks to leave the classroom to go to the bathroom. After meeting with our team of teachers we found that he does this in every class. This performance avoidance behavior is relative to his perception that he is not competent in his abilities to perform academically. During oral presentations, Jovaine tends to shine when he is the presenter. As mentioned earlier, others admire him and view him as a leader. He can grab his audiences attention fairly easily and captivates them with his presentation skills. Jovaine must present book project assignments where he has to read a book that interests him and choose five items that depict relevant information from the story. Students must create a container that is significant to the Case Study 5

story and place the five items in the container. When the students present their book project they must provide a summary of the story and characters, and then show one item at a time while explaining its significance to the story. Jovaine has a very creative mind and is excels in these book projects that allow him to use his artistic ability. These types of activities are where Jovaines engagement and motivational level is high. II. Effective Strategy

The motivational theory I will incorporate to motivate Jovaine is Self-Determination Theory. The focus will be on the three basic needs of self-determination theory: autonomy, relatedness, and competence. Anderman (2010) states Self-determination theorists study an array of motivated human behaviors. There are three basic needs of humans that are included in Self-Determination: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. People want to feel a sense of selfdirectedness. They want to feel like they are capable, and they want to feel connected to others. Individuals are motivated to engage in activities that will help them meet these needs (Anderman, 2010). Self-Determination Theory is our external and internal motivation. Teachers can foster intrinsic motivation in students when they allow the student to self-determine their actions. For example, when a teacher offers students choices, students perceive their actions are self- determined. Therefore, my main focus to improve Jovaines motivation will be through implementing strategies of self-determination theory to support Jovaines need for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Anderman and Anderman (2010) state the need for autonomy refers to an individuals need to feel a sense of control or autonomy over the environment. In order to facilitate an internalization of autonomy within Jovaine, I will provide support through maximizing his Case Study 6

perception of having a choice and voice in specific academic tasks he will be engaged in. Due to his past power struggles with adults I feel that it would benefit Jovaine if I incorporate choice in assignments so that he may perceive his actions have been self-determined. As past discipline referrals and grades have indicated, Jovaine has failed classes because of lack of homework completion. He may not have a sense of control or autonomy when presented with homework assignments. Therefore, one specific strategy of choice I will offer is to provide choice in homework. As Anderman and Anderman (2010) denote, Research by Deci and Ryan, as well, as other motivational researchers, indicates that as students perceptions of control increase, intrinsic motivation also increases. Choice in homework should be incorporated so Jovaine feels he has self-determined assignments. Also, Jovaine will value homework when its purpose is to show what he knows and how well he understands the material while I offer specific, timely feedback on his progress towards mastery. By providing Jovaine with a meaningful purpose for learning and for completing homework, I will be able to improve his effort and he will be able to see that his success on a task is due to the amount of this effort. Another way to address Jovaines need for autonomy will focus on minimizing grading which may alleviate some of the academic pressures he may be feeling when it comes to grades. I must focus on his academic growth compared to his past performance on academic tasks. Curwin, Mendler, and Mendler (2008) state, If truly attempting to motivate individual students, then it is best to compare their work and behavior with their previous work and behavior. Because of Jovaines past experience with failing classes due to lack of homework, it is a good idea to avoid giving zeros for not doing homework. This will destroy Jovaines motivation to perform. If he is failing to get homework done, then the answer is not to give him a string of Case Study 7

zeros and an academic death sentence. I will provide him with multiple opportunities for success at completion of his homework assignments. Another way to minimize grading would be to provide Jovaine with a scoring guide for completion of academic tasks. This scoring guide would consist of specific criteria that would need to be completed to meet proficiency on a given task. This scoring guide must take the mystery out of my expectations, and fit hand to glove in what performance outcomes I would like him to meet. This scoring guide will allow Jovaine to evaluate his own progress and performance towards completion of the tasks and will allow him to receive quick specific feedback as to what he would need to improve upon to meet proficiency. When I incorporate an environment that supports Jovaines autonomy through providing opportunities for him to make choices, and evaluate his own performance I will enhance Jovaines perception of autonomy. These strategies, as well as providing a learner-centered approach in instruction will support Jovaines perception of autonomy. The second basic need depicted in Self-Determination Theory that I will address is competence. Anderman and Anderman (2010) state the need for competence refers to an individuals need to feel adept at engaging in academic tasks. Because a students belief that they do not possess the necessary ability to succeed at a task might cause them to sabotage their own success, it is imperative that I assist Jovaine in setting realistic proximal goals that he feels are attainable and easy to reach. He needs to set proximal goals to work towards success while I facilitate his success through providing specific feedback related to the learning which will enhance his self-efficacy. When I provide appropriate tools and feedback that address Jovaines progress towards these goals while downplaying an evaluative approach, the result will be to Case Study 8

promote a feeling of success and build his feelings of self-efficacy. Also, I need to assign differentiated homework and tiered assignments which match Jovaines abilities to tasks that are just right. These tasks and assignments are those that meet his individual needs which will offer opportunities for him to build his self-efficacy which in turn will enhance his feelings of competence. Another support to address the need of competence that will be implemented is to introduce challenging and engaging models and activities that will allow Jovaine to expand his academic abilities. One of these models that I will incorporate is the Project-Based Model. This model of learning requires many of the components that are benefits to student learning and motivation. It invokes critical thinking, collaboration, and communication through authentic and challenging learning experiences that are connected to real world issues or problems. Project-Based Learning will require a differentiated approach where Jovaine can show what he knows and explore the content at a deeper level based on his interests. Through incorporating project-based assessments that offer an engaging scenario and tasks that have a specific scoring guide that allows for multiple opportunities to succeed and work towards proficiency, Jovaine will be actively engaged in his learning. This type of hands-on approach to learning will motivate and engage Jovaine. One of the most important ways I could support Jovaines need of competence is by helping him with his organizational skills. As noted in the Observations section of this study, Jovaine is very disorganized and unprepared for class which has had a negative effect on his academics and motivation. I will provide the organizational support Jovaine needs, by providing Case Study 9 a binder that he will maintain weekly. This binder will include a pocket pencil case which he will

be required to keep pencils, pens, erasers, and a mini stapler. It will have five sections where he will need to keep his daily Bellwork assignments, homework, tests and quizzes, class notes, and class work. He will be required to keep this binder in my class in a designated place where he can access it at any time. This simple organizational strategy will help build Jovaines feeling of competence because he will begin the class on the right note. He will be prepared for class every day and will be motivated to succeed because he has been set up to succeed. He will feel confident and competent at managing his classwork, which in turn will address his perception of competence. This basic strategy can also assist me with helping to meet his third basic need to feel relatedness. The basic need to feel relatedness or connectedness must be addressed. Anderman and Anderman (2010) state that the need for relatedness refers to the need to feel a sense of belonging. The perception that a student feels if the teacher genuinely likes him is a necessary component to achieve academic success in the classroom and will be a deciding factor in whether the student engages in activities and becomes motivated to learn. So, creating a classroom environment where Jovaine feels a part of the class will be important in addressing his need for relatedness. One strategy I will include to help Jovaine feel this connection is through creating a sense of community through partnering him with study buddies. When teachers create a sense of community in the classroom, more often students will begin to take a part in activities because it generates a sense of belonging or relatedness, an innate psychological need. Each buddy has the others contact information to get help. (Not only will this study buddy strategy build a sense of relatedness, but could also meet Jovaines need of competence.) Another way Case Study 10

Jovaine will be made to feel connected and feel a sense of belonging in the classroom will be to assign him a job in the classroom where he will be my tech support. Because Jovaine shows a love and knowledge of technology, I will assign this position for him to prepare my computer, projector, and Smartboard every day before classes begin. Creating this sense of relatedness with me and his classroom environment will build his self-esteem and performance in school. Along with providing Jovaine a group of study buddies and a tech support job, I would also provide opportunities in the classroom for him to engage in what he might perceive as social activities where he could interact with students in group work or partner activities. These activities would include meaningful conversation, group projects, and shared reading about book studies based on similar interests. My recommendations to Jovaines future teachers would be to focus on Self-Determination Theory and strategies. They must consider Jovaines interests and readiness as they create lessons. They must take into consideration his need of autonomy and support that need by providing choice in lesson tasks and homework. These teachers must facilitate activities that encourage goal setting and specific feedback. It is imperative that they address Jovaines need for competence and facilitate academic success by helping him with his organizational skills. They must also ensure that they build a positive relationship with him, through providing him opportunities to participate in group work with peers who have similar interests. Future teachers must have an understanding of Jovaines abilities and provide instruction according to these self- determination strategies which will foster motivational and academic success.

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IV.

Conclusion

This opportunity to focus on Jovaine has helped me to see that incorporating motivational strategies will improve student academics, and behaviors. When I incorporate these strategies and interventions, I believe student motivation will be enhanced and they will become more active participants in their learning. Allowing students to experience how academic success is attributed to effort and motivation will help them internalize these successes and build an intrinsic motivation. The more teachers support students need for autonomy academics, the greater their performance at a given task, persistence to complete an academic task, and their engagement in an activity will become. Creating a classroom environment where students feel welcome, and supported while promoting relatedness, competence, and autonomy will develop an intrinsic motivation within all my students that will follow them throughout their academic life.

References Anderman, E. M. & Anderman, L. H. (2010). Classroom Motivation. Upper Saddle River, New

Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc. Curwin, R.L., Mendler, A.N., & Mendler, B.D. (2008). Discipline with Dignity. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.