Building Community

Goal Setting
Rewards and Motivation
Physically Structuring an Inclusive Learning
Environment
Modeling Being A Risk-Taker
Developmental Questioning
Goal Setting___________________________________________
Dr. Edwin Locke’s research on goal setting and motivation proved that having clear but
challenging goals actually improved employee productivity. The business sector uses the
SMART goal-setting strategy to encourage employees to be self-motivated and
consciences workers. Outside of Manitoba, schools in Australia and the United States
have incorporated the idea of SMART goals in their curriculum. (Assessment For
Learning Curriculum Corporation, 2002). Some motivational models reject the SMART
strategy because it may limit innovation and creativity.
Pro’s and Con’s of Goal Setting
Pro’s - Addresses a fear of learning by identifying strengths and accomplishments,
encourages an internal locus of control, targets learned helplessness as students take on
increasing responsibility, challenges students to set personal goals and take manageable
risks to accomplish them, identifies production deficiencies and involves the student in
closing the learning gap.
Con’s - Takes time to complete properly.
Researchers Promoting Assessment For Learning Strategies and Goal Setting:
Ken O’Connor, Grant Wiggins, Jay McTighe, Richard Stiggins, Paul Black, Dylan
William, Thomas Guskey, Damian Cooper, Dr Edwin Locke

Rewards and Motivation________________________________

In today’s society people always ask “What’s in it for me?”. This is no different for
students in school. Rewards used effectively are a great way to motive students in class as
well as make the teachers life easier. Rewards are source of payment for students
completing their work or behaving in class.
Types of Rewards
Homework Pass, movie, pencils and/or erasers, teacher’s assistance for the week, extra
work time, rewriting a test.
Rewards should be kept simple, achievable and appropriate for the desired outcome.
Pro’s and Con’s of Rewards and Motivation
Rewards are a great way to get students involved in class, but care must be taken to
ensure that these rewards are implemented in an effective manner. Rewarding students
for a skill and/or behaviour that a student is already doing is ineffective and in some
instances can stop that student from continuing that skill or behaviour.
Structuring an Inclusive Learning Environment____________
According to Ormrod et al (2006) an inclusive learning environment is “a place where
everyone belongs, is accepted, supports, and is supported by his or her peers and other
members of the school community in the course of having his or her educational needs
met” (p.99).
What Researchers Are Saying
Levin et al (2009) found that the environment within in a physical space sets the tone for
how students behave, how students learn, how students interact with one another and
how students focus on the material being learned. In order to physically set up an
inclusive classroom environment Giavedoni (2008) lists five rules which are essential to
establishing a successful learning community they are; make sure the classroom is
consistent with the goals of instruction, ensure that students can see presentations/
displays, ensure the teacher can see all the students, keep high traffic areas free of
congestion, keep materials accessible. By physically creating an inclusive classroom all
students will benefit from a more tailor made type of instruction.
Elements to Consider
Light intensity, visual aides, temperature, air quality and noise.
Pro’s and Con’s of Physically Structuring an Inclusive Learning Environment
Physically designing an inclusive learning environment is not always possible. Teachers
who teach in shared classrooms, shops, studios and itinerant teachers are not able to
physically change their environment to make it physically inclusive. This is where
classroom environment becomes a crucial factor in creating an inclusive learning space.

Modeling Being A Risk-Taker____________________________

The teacher modeling being a risk-taker is one important strategy that can help students
become more engaged in his learning. Risk-taking is one of the qualities that is found in
good leaders according to Howard Gardner. He writes that "the capacity to take risks
speaks to a confidence that one will at least sometimes attain success." (Clarke, 2007).
An effective risk taker will recognize that failure will occur. It is the teachers
responsibility to provide information or materials and to guide the child to discover how
the process could be modified to make the next attempt more successful (Young, 1991).
Pro’s and Con’s of Modeling Risk-Taking
Pro’s - Essential part of good leadership, necessary part of learning and growth,
encourages student participation, can create motivation and interest to learn.
Con’s - Risk-taking failure can discourage students.
Developmental Questioning______________________________
Because Kent struggles from learned helplessness and feelings of self-defeat, he does not
have the desire or ambition to learn. With motivation, Kent could begin to defeat his fear
of learning. A strategy to use in the classroom to overcome this would be through
developmental questioning during classroom discussions. Developmental questioning is
used in a sequence that fosters new understanding in the classroom. By using
developmental questioning, the teacher would only ask Kent questions that he would be
able to answer. This would allow Kent to feel like he can answer questions while
blending in with the rest of the class, and not feel terrified of getting answers wrong.
What Researchers Are Saying
To make sure that this strategy is effective, Manitoba Education and Training
recommends that the teacher structure whole class discussions through pre planning to
keep everyone actively engaged in the classroom. By pre planning classroom discussions,
this allows the lesson to run smoothly, incorporating questions for Kent in as best as
possible. Gayle H. Gregory and Terence Parry recommend using a pre planned
arrangement of question distribution. This will allow for the entire class to be engaged,
while making to environment suitable for Kent. Question distribution would have to be
very carefully planned out in a sensitive manner for Kent to feel relaxed and able to
answer the question. According to Janice Giavedoni there are two types of questioning:
Simpler questions that leave limited answers are called convergent questioning, while
other questions that require the student to extend their thinking are called divergent
questioning. For Kent, convergent questioning would be the recommended technique.
This would allow Kent to feel less pressured than if divergent questioning was used with
him.
Pro’s and Con’s of Developmental Questioning
Developmental questioning is an advantage for Kent, as it incorporates him in the
classroom, so he does not feel terrified of answering questions. By asking simpler
questions that the teacher believes he can answer, will motivate him to become more
engaged in learning. This is one of the first steps for Kent to overcome his fear of
learning and learned helplessness. The disadvantage of developmental questioning, is
actually knowing what questions to ask Kent. Through 'trial and error' techniques, it will
eventually be easier to pre-determine questions. A way to help with this is to check with
Kent's prior teachers on his learning habits.
 References

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Giavedoni, J. (2008). Teaching and learning lecture notes. Winnipeg: University of Winnipeg.

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Locke, Edwin A. (1968) “Toward a Theory of Task Motivation and Incentives” Organizational
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Ormrod, J. E., Saklofske, D. H., Schwean, V. L., Harrison, G. L., Andrews. J. W. (2006). Principles of
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