A Learning Conducive Classroom

From what I have seen in my job and at school, it is near impossible to create a perfect classroom. So, we as teachers need to be aware of how to get as close as possible.
It seems that the best classroom experiences come from a class with periodically changing cooperative learning groups and a trusting, respectful relationship between the students and the teacher. My personal experiences have come from these experiences: ones where I can trust that the teacher cares for our success in the class and overall learning and one where I can work with friends but also have an opportunity to meet new people.

Providing students with a chance for maintaining social interactions is a good way to help them be more confident in their abilities and provides a trust between the students that may aid in a confidence with asking for help or even helping clarify for someone else. Having a classroom provide a multitude of experiences for children is a great way to help give them the opportunities they may not have otherwise, especially since there are so many other economic or social factors, as well as different atmospheres in the children's home lives that affect their everyday routines. The classroom should be a place to secure these children in all their needs so their desires and ability to learn are at the maximum potential.
 
As far as the CSEL case study goes, I would first try a behavior sheet or some sort of small punishment for her acting out. This would be used as a tool basically just to let her and her parents know that her behavior in class is inappropriate and is distracting for her learning as well as her classmates. I would probably follow up the sheet with a phone call to parents just ensuring they received the letter and to gage my understanding of the help they are going to offer in this situation.
Assuming that did not work, I would try to rearrange groups and see if I had missed someone she could actually work with in previous attempts at reforming the groups. The next step would be to use the parents if they did seem to be interested in helping me solve the problem.
As my last resort, I would have to move her out of group work and have her by herself unless I could get her to communicate with me about what her problem is whether material, people, or just stubborness and see if we could come to a compromise on how she participated throughout the class.
Since everything we do is somehow based on previous experiences, I thought this article would be interesting if it was learning conducive classrooms in upper education.
http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/dept/jle/vol1.html

Motivation

After discussing the theories of motivation in class, I feel like almost all of them can be helpful if used properly. The theories that I find most useful would be the goal theory and the attribution theory, again though if used correctly. As in the attribution theory, one could determine a locus of control outside the self which would lead to almost an expectancy theory based on whichever locus gets contributed for each action. However, if used at face value and one would attribute all successes to the self then it seems as though that would boost motivation and also allow for the goal theory to work into the mix where one can incorporate goals and be intrinsically motivated. I know I can be both intrinsically and extrinsically motivated so it seems being able to have a mix of theories that apply to oneself would be beneficial if they all work well together.

I feel like as far as the theories would apply to the students, a goal theory would be very beneficial both to you and to the student as it would increase their likelihood of success in the classroom if they wanted to be reaching for these goals and it would help you out in the assurance that your students would take something away from your lesson because they wanted to learn, or complete an assignment because they have set a goal. An attribution theory would be beneficial if you could teach the students what it meant to have an internal locus of control for both the positive and the negative to help them realize they have control over how they do in the classroom.

Even though I did not say this would be beneficial, I think it is important to realize that there will more than likely be a social cognitive or socio-cultural theory where certain students will just be different based on what the class is doing or who they are around. If we as teachers could get situations like that under control and put students in the best situation possible it would be beneficial to keep that thought in the back of our minds.

I thought this video was a great way to entertain the ideas of internal and external motivation, especially since what he discusses is what we'll have to do in our careers. 

Ed Psych #1

After the first class meeting, I was excited to see many of the same faces from other classes. I have a feeling that will significantly help the semester and how comfortable I feel. Once we reviewed our syllabus and the plans laid out for the rest of the semester, the realization began to hit me that I am now actually in all the most meaningful classes I have ever taken in my collegiate career. The time for waiting has finally passed, and we are now closer than ever to achieving our dreams of being educators.

I am excited to also complete this Educational Psychology course. The very few things that concern me in the course are our teaching projects and the importance of them to the completion of the course. It is reassuring that we will be working with partners, and I do look forward to preparing this assignment.

My personal objectives for this class are not only being able to understand each and every concept presented but also to be able to apply those to the real classroom. Learning how to fit the right theory or practice with the individual kids in the collective classroom sounds like it will be a challenge, but it is one I am ready to face I'd like to explore the general motivation theories and the self-efficacy ideas further. I feel like those are two very important ideas when dealing with small children and will play an essential role in the children's individual efforts in the classroom.

I can't wait to dive in!