Students today, especially those in elementary school, are motivated by many different things, but grades does not seem to be one of them.  You can emphasize what the grades mean and how important they are and how it affects their report card until you are blue in the face, but for some reason they don’t seem to “get it”.  So what to do?

I have observed technology class management systems such as Class Dojo and Sokikom implemented and classrooms and other point systems that seem to motivate students to want to earn as many points as they can, perhaps to achieve the incentive that a certain number of points will offer.  Many of these systems are related to behavior in the classroom.

So, if it works for improving classroom behavior, can it work for academic motivation as well?   Can we motivate students to want to achieve the best grade they are capable of by creating a points system that mirrors the current grading system that is in place?   Will students put more effort into their assignments if completing assignments will lead to them earning a certain number of points or reaching a certain level?

Educators, please share your thoughts by responding to this posting.

Thanks!

The Tech Integrator

School Fusion users can create a blog in just a few easy steps.

1.  Navigate to your class fusion page and login.  Then click on “Add Topic”.
2.  Type the title and question/topic for your blog, and then click “Save and Return Home” if finished, or “Save, and Schedule Next Week’s Content” if you are posting multiple topics.
3. Have your students begin posting a comment to the blog!

How to create a blog post within school fusion

 

The Tech Integrator

Reading and writing on blogs is a great way for educators to expand their Personal Learning Network (PLN) and connect with other educators throughout the world, sharing experiences and best practices.  It is truly a global experience.

Blogging is also a great tool to incorporate with students in your classroom.  Blogging allows students to demonstrate content knowledge, improving reading and writing skills, and become better communicators and self-editors.  It is an eye opening experience for students to understand the importance of being a good writer as they see their work published for others to view.

Some ideas for blog topics in a K-5 classroom:

• Documenting research
• Reflection on a learning experience
• Social studies – post about the views of Native Americans as they met the European explorers
• Discussion of a math problem
• Write about your favorite…
• Discussion about a video clip viewed or article read
• Upload pictures and video to document learning or defend a side of the discussion
• Many more…

Many Learning Management Systems have a blog/discussion feature, as well as other sites such as edublogs.org and kidblog.org.  So start blogging with your students today!

 

The Tech Integrator

Welcome everyone, and thank you for visiting my blog!  In this space, I will be discussing ideas and resources for integrating technology daily and effectively into the classroom, as well as reflecting on reading and experiences as part of my own growth as an educator.

I hope this edublog will continue to grow and prove to be a useful resource for educators.  Comments and feedback are welcome.

 

The Tech Integrator