Creativity and Motivation in the Classroom

 The first video we watched in class discussed how education has become somewhat like a fast food restaurant in which all students have been put up against the same standards regardless of how they may learn or of their different talents. We must get away from the linear approach of teaching in which the teacher stands at the front of the room and speaks at the students. Students can be visual, hands-on or audio learners and those needs must be nurtured in order for all students to be successful. As a teacher I will work to get away from the idea that we are always preparing students for college. That isn't our main goal, college isn't for everybody. Students should be given the tools to succeed in the pursuit of their dreams. I would like to be the person that helps hand them some of those tools and to show how to use such items effectively.

The second video we watched today touched on motivation and what motivates us. It was brought to my attention that extrinsic rewards aren't necessarily the best way to get students interested in what your trying to teach them. Instead give them a choice and a chance to be creative by possibly offering them a class period each month to pursue a topic of their choosing and allow them to present that topic to the rest of the class in their own way. Whether we are students or educators, learning and doing things that interest us will always be most appealing. In my future classroom I will aim to create a feeling of autonomy so that students will feel that they can work towards a mastery of a topic or concept. I will try to "get out of their way" as opposed to luring them with rewards or grades. I will try to get students away from being overly concerned with their grades and more focused on learning.

In order to accomplish my goals of motivating students, providing a creative atmosphere and nurturing talents, I realize that the key classroom component that can help me obtain my goals is technology. One form of technology that I got to familiarize myself with today was digital storytelling. This task was at first daunting as I attempted a few programs but soon became enjoyable as I learned all the interesting things I could do. This is a very useful tool for students that will allow them to express themselves in very creative informative ways. The possibilities of digital storytelling are endless and so aren't the list of things that students can get out of the experience of creating one.