Dear Ms. Wormwood,
Our names are Julia, Makenna, Jordyn, Tori, Raquel, and Chinah and we've been researching goal theories and several other motivational theories over the last couple of weeks. We have done a lot of research on one of your students Calvin, we noticed that Calvin has a very hard time learning in your class and he has some problems with motivation in your class. This must cause you frustration and it must make teaching hard for you. However, we write this letter to provide support and to help you implement some of these theories in order to help Calvin succeed in your class and reduce the frustration you have. There are five main theories that we will be writing about which are Goal Theory, Interest Theory, Self-determination Theory, Self-regulation Theory, and Expectancy Theory. We hope that our knowledge and our thoughts will be helpful to you and we hope that you will take our knowledge and thoughts into consideration as you continue teaching.
Curriculum: (Julia) AGT & SRL
A characteristic of an excellent teacher is the ability to adapt your curriculum to meet the needs of your students. Calvin is a unique student who benefits from positive reinforcement more than anything else. Paying attention to Achievement Goal Theory, we see that students typically fall into three categories: performance-approach, performance-avoidance, or mastery goal-oriented. Keeping this in mind when creating curriculum, make sure to implement student interests. For example, allow opportunities for Calvin to demonstrate his learning in his own way. Apply his interests to the content you teach. This will benefit Calvin by keeping him engaged and excited about learning. As it stands, your class runs based on the premise that good grades are the most important aspect of school. This negatively impacts students like Calvin, who have no intrinsic motivation to participate in their academics. I've noticed that when Calvin fails a test, you tend to make him feel like he's incompetent. I strongly recommend changing your narrative and giving specific feedback to encourage him to keep practicing.
Similarly, in the Self-regulated learning theory, when students feel that they can achieve a task, they are more likely to do so. This all starts with intrinsic motivation. Another component of this theory focuses on how much value students put on assignments. Calvin is a great example of this. He feels like schoolwork isn't worth the effort, so he doesn't care to complete it. A good way to address this is by stating very clearly why the content or skill you're teaching is important. Relate content back to real-world application. At the end of the lesson, allow students time to reflect on what they learned. Understanding where growth needs to happen allows students to prioritize effort allocation. Knowing what your students retained helps you understand what went well during your lesson and what aspects you need to reteach or go more in-depth on. By activating Calvin's intrinsic motivation, you'll start to notice that he's more active in his learning and more driven to learn and discover.
Instruction: (Makenna) AGT & SDT
One thing you can do to help Calvin succeed in class, is you should adjust your instruction. This can be big because this is the time where you can get Calvin engaged and you can help him change his mindset about different activities. In order to do this, you can implement achievement goal theory to help Calvin become more motivated to do assignments, this can be helping him get connected with students who feel motivated in school and feel like they know what they're doing. A way to do that is during instructions, assign group work to help Calvin make more friends that will help him with the assignments and will help him to feel confident in the assignment. This will not only help Calvin to feel more confident in what he's doing, but it can also help him understand the content and the assignment better because he's connecting with peers who are willing to help him. In addition to this, your student Calvin focuses heavily on performance goals. He just wants to get good grades and to not look like he's failing in front of his classmates so in order to tap into his mastery goals, explaining that an assignment isn't due for a grade but rather just for practice or to learn the content. This will help Calvin to feel less worried about scores and what people think about him, it'll help him to want to learn the content or want to actually do the classwork because it's for the sole purpose of learning. Bouncing off of that, applying self-determination theory can help Calvin to be more motivated and more willing to work with you in class. In self-determination, you can also deemphasize grades and make them seem not as important because when you do that it'll help build intrinsic motivation rather than extrinsic. This means that you can foster a mindset where Calvin wants to learn because he wants to and not because he's earning a grade. So again, making some assignments due just for the learning aspect will be good. You can also direct your instruction towards Calvin's interests. This doesn't have to be in front of the whole class but explaining the assignment to Calvin one-on- one in a way that interests him or connects to his interest, can be more beneficial to him and can help him be more engaged and interested in the topic. Lastly, Calvin seems to have a good heart and it seems like he wants to learn so utilizing these ideas in instruction can be beneficial to helping him want to learn and want to gain more knowledge about the topics you are teaching about.
Assessments: (Jordyn) AGT and EBT
Assessments are crucial for analyzing where your students are at, what they need to learn further, and how they test within the class. Unfortunately, the typical test model that depends upon memorization and a complete lack of creativity does not work for your student Calvin. I believe he may benefit from a bit more creativity and choice in his assessments. Instead of a regular test, offer him opportunities to show what he has learned through other mediums such as artistic, hands-on projects or creative writing. This way, you can utilize his very active imagination to help him showcase the material he knows in a way that he feels more connected to, and that allows him to really show off his artistic abilities. It also allows him a bit of controlled autonomy, giving him a bit of ownership over his learning. I also believe you could frame your assessments in a more relevant and purposeful way than a simple test. If you connect your questions and assessments to real-world things scenarios--especially ones that Calvin is interested in, such as space or dinosaurs--it will be that much easier to engage him in the content and the assessment itself.
I also think it's important to try fostering more of a growth-type mindset in your classroom. For assessments, this can look like examining Calvin's failures and using them as a learning opportunity instead of something stagnant (changing his mindset from "I can't" to "I can't yet"). Every time you give a test, work with Calvin to understand what went wrong instead of shaming him for his failure. Let him know that failure is okay--it's simply just another part of the learning process. Additionally, you can start to use specific intentional praise that focuses on growth instead of how well he did/didn't do. This can help Calvin feel seen and start to want to succeed instead of just coast through his classes with minimal effort. When he does do well on a test, make sure you point it out and praise not the result but the effort. Comments such as, "You worked so hard!" or "I'm impressed by your effort" or even simply "Great progress, Calvin" can be instrumental in boosting his self-esteem and ensuring that he knows learning is the goal--not so much achievement. Currently, Calvin has a fixed mindset, and he primarily experiences performance-avoidance type goals. We want Calvin to be more mastery-goal oriented and have a growth mindset. Making your assessments creative, choice-based, relevant, and learning opportunities with room for growth and praise could really help Calvin thrive in the classroom.
Classroom Management: (Chinah) AGT and IT
When it comes to managing your classroom, I think it’s important to remember that Calvin’s behavior isn’t just about acting out, it’s about motivation. A lot of the time he’s not trying to cause trouble, he’s just bored or trying to avoid failing. Using Achievement Goal Theory and Interest Theory, you can turn that energy into something a lot more positive. According to Achievement Goal Theory, Calvin focuses more on how he looks than on what he’s learning. He wants to seem smart and avoid anything that might make him look bad, and when he feels like he can’t do well, he shuts down. To change that, you could make your classroom a place that celebrates progress, not perfection. Praise the effort he puts in instead of just the final grade. Things like “I can tell you worked hard on that” or “I like how you stuck with it” go a long way. It also helps to show your own mistakes sometimes and talk through how you fix them, because that makes learning feel more about trying and less about getting everything right. Interest Theory connects perfectly with that. Calvin’s not unmotivated, he’s just not interested in what’s happening. When you tap into the things he actually cares about, he pays attention. Try working his favorite topics into your lessons, like using superheroes or dinosaurs in examples, because even small things like that can get him to buy in. You can also give him choices whenever you can, like letting him pick between two activities or choose how he wants to show what he learned. That little bit of control makes a big difference because he feels like he has a say in his own learning. And when Calvin does act out, because let’s be honest it’ll happen, keep it calm and private. Pull him aside and ask what’s going on or how he can handle it differently next time. That shows him you still believe in him and that mistakes don’t mean he’s a bad kid. Combining a focus on growth with lessons that actually interest him will help you see fewer disruptions and more genuine effort. Calvin doesn’t need stricter rules, he needs a reason to care and a teacher who sees the potential behind all that chaos.
Communication with parents (Tori) AGT and SDT
Something else I believe is an important thing to consider is family collaboration. You can use Calvin's family as a source to find his interests and what might motivate him at home, as well as keep things consistent for Calvin, both in his home and class environment. Here are some ideas I have that can create consistency between Calvin's home life and school to keep the transition between the two smoother. When you look at principles of Achievement Goal Theory and Self-Determination Theory, you can find ways to foster mastery, autonomy, and emotional connection, rather than performance pressure and compliance.
I mentioned previously, meaningful steps you can take towards creating a mastery-oriented environment in class for Calvin. Now, I want to look at some ideas you can talk to his parents about practicing at home to keep a mastery focus outside of class. Encourage them to emphasize effort and curiosity rather than grades. Ask him things like, "What did you find interesting today?" rather than asking what grades he came home with. Let them know that by focusing on his curiosity, Calvin will feel that his learning is focused on his understanding and not his performance or looking smart. Achievement Goal Theory suggests this nurtures mastery goals, where success is based on growth and not on how well he outperforms his peers. You can also ask them to think about offering structured choices in learning activities and routines at home so Calvin can feel he has a sense of autonomy. One of the three basic needs identified in the Self-Determination Theory is autonomy, and they can put this into practice by letting him pick a reading topic or even choosing when he sits down to complete his homework. When he feels a sense of control, even a small sense, he will be likely to engage more rather than resisting or avoiding tasks that feel forced on him. I think another consideration you can tell them to think about is their participation in his interests and imagination, which you can not only embrace, but also connect to learning and school. They could look at doing creative activities and projects that connect to what he's learning in class. It's important that they engage, however, in these activities because one of the three needs of Self-Determination Theory is relatedness. He needs to see that adults in his life value his ideas and that learning can connect to his passions. This emotional bond will build intrinsic motivation and make school subjects feel more meaningful. Something else you can ask Calvin's parents to think about is, when praising him, keep the focus on persistence, creativity, and problem-solving. If they can give recognition to the process instead of the product, it can strengthen his sense of competence, which is another need of the Self-Determination Theory. This can teach Calvin that ability develops through effort and not talent; this is something that is central to fostering mastery-focused motivation. This can also encourage a growth mindset focus. One last thing I want to advise you on is to maintain open communication with Calvin's parents and encourage them to maintain communication with you as well. When your collaboration is consistent, it can ensure Calvin is hearing similar motivational messages from you and his parents. When you both share updates, celebrate his progress, and use similar language, you reinforce a stable and supportive structure that will sustain motivation and confidence in Calvin.
One-on-One Interaction: (Raquel) AGT and IT
It is important for Calvin to have a proper one- on- one relationship with you. This allows Calvin to feel comfortable coming to you with any questions and problems, feel comfortable in the classroom, and helps you as the teacher keep track of Clavin's success and areas of growth. Achievement Goal Theory is a good theory to reference as you build a better teacher and student relationship with Calvin. When Clavin receives a poor grade on an assignment it is best to take Calvin for a one-on- one conversation to discuss the assignment. Instead of scolding Clavin for receiving a bad grade and to do better, discuss what Calvin did good and what calving did poorly. When discussing the areas he did poorly on ask questions that follow a mastery goal outline. Questions like "What did you understand in this section of the assignment?", "What parts of this section did you have trouble understanding?", and "Are there any areas you would like or would have liked a deeper understanding on?". Questions like these can build a conversation where Calvin is thinking about his understanding of class material instead of harsh emotions on a grade he received. Calvin continues to build a healthier relationship with school and with you as there is no pressure to receive a top grade. When Clavin receives a bad grade, his goal is to understand more in depth of the concepts he did not fully understand and how he grow in the areas he is slacking on. Calvin will also feel more comfortable with you to allow you to help him improve in his education growth.
It is also important to go acknowledge the assignments/ parts of the assignments Clavin did good on. Interest Theory is the theory to reference on this section of one-on-one interaction. Showing enthusiasm when acknowledging where Calvin did well can help show Clavin that he is doing well and should be happy in the learning and growth he has made as his teacher is showing joy and emotions of proudness. Being specific when giving Calvin praise is also important when acknowledging the good from Clavin. Phrases such as "Clavin you did a great job using specific vocabulary on your paper!", "You had great organization on your math problems!", and "You did such a great job following the math step to correctly answer questions 2 and 3!". Being specific when complementing Calvin, shows Clavin that you are highly invested in his learning and in seeing where he is doing good at. Acknowledging the areas Calvin is doing good in is also helping Calvin stay motivated in his learning and in improving and growing. If all Calvin is hearing is areas he needs to improve on, he can become discouraged and feel that there is nothing he is good at. Clavin hearing that he is doing good at something can continue to motivate him to learn and when faced with areas of need of improvement he continues to view that as an opportunity to learn and grow and not a discouragement.