StudentsMotivation

WrittenbyElizabethJuarez

Characters:
1.Narrator
2.SurfaceLearner
3.StrategicLearner
4.DeepLearner

Scene:Classroom.MediumCloseUpshotforallofNarratorlines.Somequickcuts
maybenecessarytospeeditup.

Narrator:SothemoreIlearnabouthavingasuccessfulclassroomthemoreIrealizethat
thereisahugeimpactmadebythestudentsmotivation.Imeanthereisonlysomucha
teachercando.Atsomepointitsuptothestudenttohavethedrivetobesuccessful.
Sowhatmakesupmotivation?
Wellletsstartbytalkingaboutthe3differenttypesoflearners.

Narrator:(voiceover.)Firstwehavethesurfacelearners.
Surfacelearnervisibleinadesk.He/sheisdistractedandslouchingonthechair.

Narrator:(Voiceover.)Thesearethestudentsthatmaymessaroundinclassbecause
theymaynotnecessarilycareaboutwhatyouareteaching.Theyremainfocusison
passingtheclass.Sominimalamountofeffortandworkisprobablythebestyouwillget
outofthesestudents.

Surfacelearner:(MidShot.)Sothedudekilledthekingandthequeenwashismother?!
Ugh.ThatmustabeenAwkward!

Narrator:Second,wehavethestrategiclearners.
StrategicLearnersittinginadesk.(MidShot.)He/sheisstraightwithapenand
notebook,takingnotes.

Narrator:(Voiceover.)Nowthesestudentsaretheonesthatwillhoundyouaboutposting
upthequizgradethedayofthequiz.Thesestudentsareinitforthe4.0average.

Narrator:(Voiceover)Theyget100%ontheprojectbecausetheyfulfilledallthe
requirementstotheTandprobablyrantheirprojectbyyoubeforeitwasduetomakesure
thattheywerentmissinganything.StrategicLearner,differentscenebutstillclassroom
related.MidShot.Learnerisholdingupaposter/gradewith100%inred,smilingbigat
thecamera.
StrategicLearners:(Sittinginthedeskoncemore.MidShot.Speakingmatterafactly.)
EventhoughOedipustriedtochangehisfatebyrunningawayheendedupfulfillingthe
prophecyandkillingKingLaius.HethenmarriedQueenJocastaandhadfourchildrenwith
her.Yearslaterhewastryingtosavehiskingdomfromstarvingandfoundoutthathehad
actuallyfulfilledtheprophecy.QueenJocastahangsherselfandOedipusthenstabbedhis
eyesoutinhorror.
(Switchtonarrator)

Narrator:ThenthereistheDeepLearners.
Thesearemyfavoritelearners.Theytendtodoreallywellinyourclassbecausetheyare
proofthatyourenottheonlyonewhohasreadthebook.Deeplearnerswillhavemorein
depthquestionsduringdiscussionsandfocusontheconceptsandbigpicturesfromwhat
youareteaching.
(SwitchtoDeepLearner.MidShot.Typicalstudent.Relaxedinchairbutattentive.Lots
ofpondering.)

DeepLearner:PerhapsOedipusismoreabouthowpeoplecantdenytheirfate.Theking
andqueentriedtostoptheprophecyfromhappeningsosenttheboytobeabandonedbut
becauseofthehumanityofonepersonhelivedtobecomeanadult.Oedipusthentriedto
avoidtheprophecybutitactuallyleadhimtofulfillit.Wasthepointthathumansdidnot
actuallyhaveanycontroloftheirlives?Orperhapsthatthebeliefwehaveofchoosingour
fateisnotsimplyabelief?
(SwitchtoNarrator.MediumCloseUp.)
Narrator:Asyoucanseetheyhaveverydifferentwaysofseeingthematerialandthatcan
reallyaffectclassdiscussions.Takeasecondtothinkaboutwhattimeoflearneryouwere
inhighschool.Areyoustillthesametypenow?
(MidShot)
Ifyouhavechangeditmightbebecausetherewasachangeintheextrinsicpressuresand
intrinsicinfluences.
Extrinsicpressureismadeupofenvironmentaltypeofinfluences.
(HaveatickerwiththeexamplesoragraphicdisplayedonthesideoftheNarratorwith
theexamples.Mightneedanewframeforthis.)
Liketherequirementsyourschoolhasforgraduation,parentsexpectations,immediate
gratification,competition,andtheexpectationofperfection.
Intrinsicinfluencesarepersonalandindividualized.
(Newticker/graphic)
Somemaybeonespersonalgoalsetting,asupportivefamily,feelingsafeandbeing
comfortablewithroutines.Beingabletosetlongtermgoalsandfocusingonthebig
picture.2ofthemostimportantfactorsmaybetheabilitytocollaborateandtheabilityto
takerisksandstepoutofonescomfortzone.Thesetwobothcontributetothestudents
creativityandinnovation,butmostimportantlyarecrucialskillsneededwhenjoiningthe
workforce.
(MidCloseUp/CloseUpofNarrator.)
*****************(Maybe):Foritmeitwasmostlyextrinsicinfluences.Theideathatmy
parentswouldbeextremelydisappointedifIcamehomewithlessthanaBterrifiedme.
TheyusedtogivemybrotherandI$10foreveryAwehadonourreportcard,butifwegot
aCitcanceledoutanA.
IthinknearmysenioryearofhighschoolIhaddevelopedadeeperappreciationformy
educationthough,andbecamemoreofaDeepLearner.*****
(MidShot)
Sohowaboutyou?Thinkingaboutallthosefactors,whichofthesemotivatedyouasa
student?Whichofthemkeptyoumostengaged?
Andhowwouldyouusethisknowledgetoalteryourteaching?
Leaveyouranswerandsuggestionsinthecommentbelow!
(MidCloseUp)
Hastaluegochicos!
End