teaching to enhance development and learning (cont.)
Motivation and positive approaches to learning
Recognizing children's natural curiosity and
desire to make sense of their world and gain
new skills, teachers consistently plan learning
experiences that children find highly interesting
engaging, and comfortable.
Most classroom experiences either are uninteresting
and unchallenging or are so difficult
and frustrating that they diminish children's
intrinsic motivation to learn
seeking to motivate children teachers rely
heavily on external rewards (stickers, privileges, etc.) or chastise children for their mistakes or shortcomings.
teachers use verbal encouragement in ways
that are genuine and related to what the child is
doing. they acknowledge the child's effort and
work with specific, objective comments such as,
"you really put a lot of detail in your drawing,"
and "I see you drew older sister bigger than your brother."
Teachers make such frequen use of
nonspecific praise ("what a pretty pretty picture!" or " Good boy")
that it becomes meaningless either to provide
useful feedback or to motivate the child.
Children may also become focuused on pleasing
the teacher rather than on the learning experience itself.
Teachers' feedblack consists mostly of negative
comments and correction of errors
comments on motivation and positive approaches to learning
- There are some cases where using rewards for a limited time may help children
(e.g.,with certain spcial needs or challenging be haviors). Aquiring some basic self-hlp or
social skills then becomes self-rewarding and leads to greater acceptance by peers,
enabling children with special needs to participater more successfully in agroup situation
Guidance
Teachers model and encourage calm, patient
behavior and facilitate children's develoment
of self-regulation by supporting them in thinking
ahead, planning their activities, and thinking
about and using stertegies to solve social problems.
Teachers' support and scaffolding move
children toeard more mature levels of drammaticplay,
which promotes their self-regulation.
Rathar than focusing solely on rect their the
challenging behavior, adults direct their efforts
to teaching the child social, communication,
and emotional regulation skills
Teachers are uncontrolled in their own behavior (e.g., showing irrition, strss, and impulsive responses) with children and/or with other adults.
Not knowing what children of this age are
capable of, teachers do not involve children in
thinking through how to solve problems and
learning to control their own behavior.
The classroom is so chaotic that children flit
from one activity to another, simply reacting in
the moment rather than bening planful or reflectivee.
Or the classroom is highly teacher-directed
so that children become too adult-regulated.