| As a former teacher myself, I have often spoke of | | | | feel the need to be perfect all the time, because in |
| learning from and with my students. In the classroom, | | | | perfection is not where true learning takes place, for |
| there are a host of agendas, ideas, and motivating | | | | any of us." A love for synergetic education also |
| factors that work together mechanically to produce a | | | | compelled Jessica Hendricks, a second year teacher |
| desired outcome. But sometimes the mechanics are | | | | at Norwood Academy, to find herself in front of over |
| far from functional as often times students are not | | | | twenty fourth graders everyday. |
| willing participators, intrinsically or extrinsically | | | | Motivated by the apathetic and disinterested |
| unmotivated to perform directed tasks or even less | | | | instructors she had in her grade school years, Jessica |
| than concerned about their work. | | | | explains, "The teachers that I was not so impressed |
| Most of us would agree that the commonality, that one | | | | with when I was growing up actually motivated me to |
| unifying goal and purpose, and that driving force behind | | | | become a teacher so I could help future students not |
| the requirement for us to participate in directed and | | | | have to sit in boring and stale learning environments like |
| mandated classroom activities for most of our | | | | I did on too many occasions. My career is rewarding |
| childhood and adolescent lives, is in fact learning. | | | | for both teachers and students if the teacher takes |
| Learning is an arbitrary concept for some but the | | | | the time to be creative and design neat ways to learn, |
| teachers that stand in the classroom everyday are the | | | | and my students deserve that and I enjoy those |
| leaders on our paths to learning. They are responsible | | | | moments when a student is literally soaking in the |
| for making learning happen and in their attempts to | | | | knowledge you just passed on to them in front of me." |
| bring life to various subjects, their tasks always begin | | | | So how do these teachers concoct the right formula |
| with the need to motivate. | | | | for motivating, stimulating, and producing academic |
| What does it mean to motivate? Does one receive | | | | scholarship? |
| actuation of concepts, ideas, and interest from inside | | | | Both Lori Lesutis and Erin Mitchell agree that |
| our hearts and minds, or is it always necessary to | | | | enthusiasm on the part of the teacher is paramount. |
| receive incentive from external sources? In grappling | | | | To them, a teacher's authority and dominion over the |
| with the question of motivation in the classroom, one | | | | students extends beyond lecturing and assigning and |
| must not go any further than the very teachers | | | | involves the rousing of emotional and intellectual |
| themselves. These teachers' initial motivations to | | | | participation. Erin Mitchell, a second year teacher at a |
| become academic leaders and trainers that led them | | | | low income urban school in Philadelphia, faces additional |
| to this effectual position should be explored. Three | | | | obstacles in motivating her students as she explained |
| teachers of varying age groups, subject matter, and | | | | to me that "I feel it is harder to motivate my low |
| whose temporal and theoretical experiences vary, | | | | income students as opposed to when I taught in a |
| shed some light on how their own ambition to become | | | | very upscale suburban school district right out of |
| teachers continues to shape the manner in which they | | | | graduate school because some of my students now |
| instruct and motivate themselves and their students. | | | | have not been exposed to many things, like the ocean, |
| Lori Lesutis, high school Science teacher at Merion | | | | that are required elements of our curriculum." |
| Mercy Academy for over fourteen years, remembers | | | | In response to questions related to how she brings her |
| observing her high school teachers and their intimidating | | | | attachment to "personal relevance" as an important |
| and unapproachable methods which later served as | | | | tool in her instruction, Erin goes on to say, "I make sure |
| the inspiration to become a teacher herself. Having | | | | to bring my own personal experiences to each activity |
| taught varying age groups and subjects over the last | | | | and I ask that my students do the same. Making the |
| twenty years, Lori's experience is demonstrative of | | | | lessons very visual and interactive, students who have |
| her desire to change the way instruction can play out | | | | never seen the ocean can listen to the sounds of the |
| in the classroom. She explains, "In high school, our labs | | | | waves from an audio or visual clip, for instance. |
| were intimidating and our teachers were brilliant. While | | | | Exposing them to various demonstration aids and |
| the intellectual components were present, the | | | | utilizing what resources I do have as a teacher, I try to |
| objectives were never clear. That is to say, why were | | | | help them connect to the material." |
| we there? What were we really learning? And in our | | | | To motivate is to bring someone or something alive. |
| mistakes we were made to feel that learning had | | | | That is to say that motivation means to invoke and |
| halted but I've always believed that in those mistakes, | | | | provoke dormant ideas, feelings, and ambition in either |
| learning was taking place, growing, evolving, much like | | | | ourselves or others. Teachers have a difficult job of |
| the material we cover in our science classes." | | | | approaching this multi-facted task each and every |
| Lori's directly inspired approach to motivating her | | | | single day. From the teachers' insights above, it is |
| students was her desire to contrast starkly with the | | | | evident that while not everyone participates in the |
| way she was herself instructed. She further | | | | learning process from the same perspective or with |
| comments that "Teachers are there to build self | | | | the same ambition, a teacher's motivation to be there |
| esteem, share in the learning process step by step | | | | as a role model and leaders is the first step in creating |
| with our students, and incite our students to contribute | | | | a collaborative and productive environment for which |
| their unique experience, insight, and collaborative | | | | students and teachers alike may engage in the learning |
| donation. I show them that I, too, make mistakes and | | | | process effectively. |
| can laugh at myself. It takes the pressure off them to | | | | |