Impact of Student Motivation on Teaching and Learning (2004)

LifeKnowledge planning and delivery techniques that will greatly increase student motivation and thus impact teaching and learning. All LifeKnowledge techniques require prior planning on the teacher's part and participation on the student's part. In my opinion, students will not recognize exactly how the teaching is different, but they will know that it is different and improved. These LifeKnowledge techniques include using students' experiences, an infusion of new interactive teaching methodologies, acknowledging and embracing multiple intelligences, context/state/result lesson plan formatting, and modalities (learning styles). Timing the use of these techniques is key to your success. Some LifeKnowledge techniques must be used when planning the lesson, others should be used early in the lesson and some are best when used throughout the lesson. A big picture approach to creating a lesson is called Context, State, Result (CSR). The teacher must thoroughly plan the lesson using this approach. Often teachers know what we want the result of our lesson to be, but we are apt to miss the mark if we don't consider Context and State. In this CSR approach, teachers must be sure their intended result is clear, just like that of a bulls-eye on a target. Ask yourself what you want your students to KNOW and/or DO at the end of the lesson. Consider three aspects: cognitive, affective, and behavioral when planning your lessons. Cognitive, what do you want them to know; Affective, what do you want them to say; Behavioral, how do you want them to act? You may think of working backwards in this approach to set up the context and state once you know what you want your students to accomplish. Context avoids assumptions and hallucinations that your students are all ready to learn. Setting the context explains to your students how you want them to think, act, and behave during your lesson. If the teacher does not establish the context, the students will. For example, asking students to keep an open mind and to be curious learners during your lesson will establish the context that you want them to function in during your lesson. State refers to the state of mind you'd like your learners to be in. Learning depends on state of mind. Are your students tired, worried about family, laying with their heads down or busy finishing the note to their friend? If you change one of the three parts of state of mind; thoughts, feelings or activity/ position; then you will change them all. Use of Total Physical Response, TPR, by engaging their brain first with the question and their body second with the appropriate position will also ensure the response you wanted. Something as simple as asking all of your students to stand up and give those around them a high five will change their state of mind, thus clearing their minds to be ready for learning (see CSR example). To live every teacher's dream, that is, to have students who are all on the same page and ready to learn, the teacher must envision and create that environment. You may also know this technique as an anticipatory set or interest approach. Either way, the bottom line is you must create this environment by calling on a student's prior experience or by creating that experience for them. Some experiences that can be referred to are those that most people have encountered such as being a child, driving down the road, interacting with friends, or living with family. Showing a picture of a nine year old child and asking students to guess who the child grew up to be; what talents the child may possess, and where the child may have gained his/her skills will call on your students' experiences as children. You can create the experience by referring to what the students learned in class yesterday. Relating today's lesson to their future will also create interest. You should encourage students to consider how the lesson's content affects them, how it affects the people they work with, how they can lead a group through application of your lesson's content and then how they can use the knowledge to serve those around them. …