Running head: CASE STUDY IN MOTIVATION

Case Study in Motivation Diane Angelini University of New England

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Introduction For my case study, I selected a freshman high school student, Mike, who is not highly motivated. Although he is fundamentally a good kid with potential, he is presently in the lowest level math class at my school. His motivational issues are primarily the result of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and having a very stressful home life. Mikes older brother has no contact with the family because a restraining order was issued against him for assaulting his mother. In addition, his parents are divorced and his family is struggling financially so it is necessary for Mike to take advantage of the Free and Reduced Lunch program at school. As a freshman, his main goal is to be a member of the high school wrestling team. Because he is small for his age and has been bullied in the past, wrestling is a way for him to acquire confidence by competing with other teens that are his size. As a member of the wrestling team, he needs to maintain a passing average in all of his classes. Mikes mom does value learning and is supportive, but is unable to devote the necessary time and energy to help her son with his school work since she is facing so many other challenges in her life. I believe that if Mike had a structured environment at home he would be functioning much better at school. At the present time, he is passing all of his classes with Cs and Ds. However, after talking with his other teachers we all agree that Mike is a bright student who wants to do well and works best when challenged. However, he is not performing to his ability because he has difficulty filtering out the classroom environment and focusing on the task at hand. At the present time he is not taking medication for his ADHD, but should be according to his case manager. Mike has difficulty understanding multi-step math problems requiring reasoning ability and completing assignments which require calculations and processing skills.

CASE STUDY IN MOTIVATION As a freshman in high school, he still has difficulty remembering his basic math facts and

multiplication tables. His math facts were not mastered when he was in elementary school. As a result, he needs continuous practice with these skills in order to complete higher level problems more efficiently. Observations I have observed Mike in the following four classroom situations: o Independent Note-Taking- When I am giving notes and introducing new material, Mike appears to be listening. Surprisingly, he does not need to be looking in my direction in order to hear what I am saying. He will write down notes, but pause periodically to sketch art work on another piece of paper that is separate from his notes. His drawings are detailed and very well done. After approximately 10 15 minutes, he will begin fidgeting and tapping his pencil on the desk. He will then progress to sitting back on his chair with the front legs elevated and will shout out things that are inappropriate. In addition, he needs to be reminded frequently to stay on task. During this time, he is constantly watching his classmates actions and observing the ramifications of their positive and negative behavior. o Small Group Work Group activities have been a challenge for Mike especially when the assignment is completing a worksheet. When the assignment is a hands-on investigation, he is more engaged because he is able to challenge his energy. When he is grouped with other students who are at his ability level (especially other boys), he is easily influenced by their behavior. Additionally, he will tell jokes, make noises and try to gain attention from his classmates. When he has a reactive audience, he continues this inappropriate behavior. During one class, I decided to move his seat in order to work

CASE STUDY IN MOTIVATION with a smaller group of girls. Since he did not know them as well, he was more focused on completing the work. In this instance, the girls were modeling appropriate behavior which seemed to influence his behavior and actions. o Computer Lab Activity In order to practice basic skills, Mike works with on-line applications in the computer lab. During this independent work, he practices his multiplication facts by answering them as they appear on-screen. He is able to follow

directions and is engaged and attentive. Furthermore, in this setting he does not become distracted by what is going on around him. The most challenging aspect for me is getting him to actually begin the assignment. Once he gets started, he will stay on task for approximately 30 minutes. o Test/Quiz Taking During a test or quiz, Mike is at times focused on the problems he needs to solve. Unfortunately, on some days he is very tired and distracted when completing assessments. On these days, he consistently needs directions to be repeated and does not finish his assessments within the allotted class time. When he gets frustrated, he will begin to doodle and draw pictures on his test paper. He is easily sidetracked by other students getting up from their seats, sharpening their pencils and turning in their work. During each of these instances, he will lose focus, look up from his test and watch the actions of his classmates until they return to their seats. Effective Strategies Based upon my observations of Mike and the importance he places on peer relationships, I chose the Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) of Motivation as the most applicable theory for determining the best strategies to help him overcome his motivational issues (Anderman & Anderman, 2010). The SCT relates that Mike learns behaviors through observation, modeling

CASE STUDY IN MOTIVATION and motivation such as positive reinforcement. Furthermore, this theory identifies that Mikes social and physical environments will also affect his behavior (Anderman & Anderman, 2010). According to the components of SCT, classroom instruction should include the modeling of

correct behaviors by me, Mikes classmates and the members of the wrestling team. In addition, I should provide various types of verbal, written and demonstrative modeling activities that are interesting and relevant to Mike. Furthermore, praise and rewards should be given consistently and effectively to shape his behavior (Education.com, Inc., 2012). Using praise in correct situations will be helpful in motivating Mike since he responds well to positive reinforcement. Because Mike is a visual learner, graphic organizers will help him organize and retain the information presented in class (Chapman & King, 2012). As a result, he will be more successful when completing class work especially if the skill he is required to learn is modeled frequently. Another instructional strategy based on SCT that would be effective in motivating Mike is ensuring that the material he is learning is worthwhile and that there is value in the effort he gives. In order to accomplish this, I will continue to create lessons that focus on real-world applications and try and make them relevant to Mikes life experiences (Brophy, 1987). Also, it is essential for me to continue to convey enthusiasm and interest in the mathematical concepts I am presenting in class (Education.com, Inc., 2012). When Mike becomes fully confident in his ability to complete tasks successfully and achieves self-efficacy, he will become more active in his learning which will further motivate him. Additionally, it is essential that I maintain high expectations and give Mike challenging but reasonable tasks to ensure he will make progress. In order to do this effectively, Mike must possess the necessary pre-requisite knowledge and continue to develop additional coping strategies (Education.com, Inc., 2012). By collaborating

CASE STUDY IN MOTIVATION with other students who have been able to overcome challenges and succeed, Mikes selfefficacy will continue to be reinforced (Education.com, Inc., 2012). I would recommend to all of Mikes teachers to have him set goals for himself so he can

take ownership of his learning. These goals should be both short term, which will allow teachers to provide more immediate feedback (Brophy, 1987), and long term. In addition, these goals should be clear, specific and challenging (Education.com, Inc., 2012). In doing so, Mike will be able to monitor his own learning behaviors. I believe Mike has the capability and maturity to evaluate the effectiveness of his actions and determine whether or not he is making progress towards his goals. All of his teachers should provide self-assessment opportunities in the classroom such as stations to review homework, surveys, journal writing and checklists (Chapman & King, 2012). All of Mikes teachers can help him become more adept at assessing his skills and evaluating the concepts he already knows and the material he still needs to learn. There should also be time in class for him to engage in self-reflection. From my observations of Mike in math class, I have been able to gather many insights regarding his behavior as well as the reasons for it and have begun to provide several interventions. One of the strategies that work well with Mike is peer tutoring. I was able to coordinate a tutoring schedule for him with a student who is presently in my Advanced Placement Calculus and is also a member of the wrestling team. Mike is very thankful to have the opportunity to work with this student. Additionally, having Mikes wrestling coach who is a paraprofessional helping out in class has enabled him to focus better. His coachs presence has also been a constant reminder that good grades will keep him on the wrestling team. Also, I mentioned one day that I was planning to come to one of his matches. As a result, he was much more motivated to do his work during that class period.

CASE STUDY IN MOTIVATION Given that Mike has struggled with his basic math skills, processing ability and focus during exams, I have allowed him to have additional time in a directed study environment to complete his work. Mike is more successful when working in a smaller room with fewer students and receiving more individualized instruction from a teacher. I believe he would perform much better if in a class with higher functioning students who are more focused on the class material than with each other. Since he is easily distracted in a group setting, I talked with him about the challenges he faces when working in a group. Since then he has made the conscious decision and taken the initiative to move away from other students so he can concentrate on his class work. I plan to slowly bring him back into a group situation by pairing him up with a classmate who has similar interests to him and can serve as a mentor. Finally, I have created differentiated assessment choices for some of my units which will allow him to channel his artistic talent in creating a finished product he will value (Brophy, 1987). Giving

Mike a choice of assessment such as writing and illustrating a book which he can relate to wrestling and utilize his artistic talents will make the assignment much more meaningful (Brophy, 1987). He also will have options that will allow him to create pictures and flow charts to help him solve various math problems (Chapman & King, 2012). Conclusion As a result of completing a case study on Mikes motivational issues, I realized that it would be beneficial to perform a case study and create an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for each one of my students. In doing so, I would discover the best ways to help motivate all of them to reach their potential in my class. From researching the Social Cognitive Theory of Motivation, I now understand the importance of self-efficacy as a powerful intrinsic motivator and its significant effect on a students desire to learn (Anderman & Anderman, 2010). In

CASE STUDY IN MOTIVATION addition, I have learned that in order to motivate all my learners, I need to be tuned in to their behaviors and learning styles at all times and be flexible enough to make the necessary changes to increase their motivation to learn. Since the SCT also stresses that behavior is learned through modeling, observation and the physical and social environments within a class, it is important to create a classroom atmosphere where all of my students are engaged and find the material relevant and interesting (Education.com, Inc., 2012). In order to motivate all of my students, I must model, practice and reinforce appropriate behaviors in class and utilize flexible grouping strategies to ensure the social dynamics of my class are working well (Chapman & King, 2012). The daily positive interactions I have with my students, the high expectations I set, and the energy, enthusiasm and passion I demonstrate for the subject of math are also key to motivating my students (Chapman & King, 2012). Additionally, important strategies that have emerged are showing an interest in their extra-curricular activities and ensuring a safe learning climate where all students feel comfortable. I need to be aware of whether or not my classroom

seating configurations are working and be flexible in giving ample time outside of the classroom to those students who would be more productive in a quieter setting (Chapman & King, 2012). Aside from the classroom atmosphere, the instructional strategies that I choose are essential to increasing my students desire to learn. These strategies should include a variety of instructional activities, assessment techniques and grouping strategies which address the differentiated learning styles of my students according to Howard Gardners Multiple Intelligence Theory (Chapman & King, 2012). A significant factor in motivating all students is requiring them to set goals for themselves which will allow them to measure their progress through self-checking and self-

CASE STUDY IN MOTIVATION assessing strategies so they can take ownership of their learning (Chapman & King, 2012). In addition, I must provide immediate feedback on their efforts and offer appropriate praise and rewards for improvement in their skills. Offering students choices of their final assessment allows them the opportunity to create a finished product which is of value to them (Brophy, 1987). Failures earlier in school, boredom, pressure from peers and being unchallenged are all things that can contribute to lack of motivation (Chapman & King, 2012). Because of this, it is our job as teachers to develop self-efficacy, make learning exciting, set high expectations, enlist

peers as positive role models and challenge our students with relevant and meaningful activities. One of my favorite sayings which I believe rings true in this case study in motivation is, A rising tide lifts all boats. By completing this case study and focusing my efforts on motivating one student, I hope to see increased motivation and learning for all of my students.

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References Anderman, E.M., & Anderman L.H. (2010). Classroom motivation. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. Brophy, J. (1987). Synthesis of research on strategies for motivating students to learn. Educational Leadership, 45(2) 40 48. Chapman C., & King, R. (2012). Differentiated assessment strategies: One tool doesnt fit all. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin. Education.com, Inc. (2012). Social cognitive theory. Retrieved from www.education.com/reference/article/social-cognitive-theory/.