How might students choosing their own benchmarks affect motivation and achievement in eighth grade health class?

Julie Erickson


Seminar Title


How might students choosing their own benchmarks affect motivation and achievement in eighth grade health class?


Concept/Strategy

Focus of the Research


Student Choice


Grade Level

Research Was Applied


8th Grade


Relevant Grade Level

Connections


High School


Discipline

Where Research Was Applied


Health


Additional Discipline Areas

I see Application to


All Disciplines


Invitation/Commercial


Are you trying to figure out how to get kids excited about the standards in your content area? Looking for new ways to increase motivation and achievement? Well, do I have some ideas to bounce off of you! In my classroom, regular discussion about what standards really mean, along with opportunities for collaboration gave learners the understanding and confidence they needed to do something they had never done before: choose which benchmarks would be the focus of their learning! The techniques that were developed over the course of my action research could easily be adapted for numerous academic areas, including social studies, art, and industrial technology. I am convinced that with the proper support and guidance, students of all ages would be motivated by the strategies I implemented, especially those in upper level elementary through high school. If you are interested in sharing strategies for how to maintain a standards driven approach while offering lots of student choice, I would love to see you at my session!


Abstract


As an eighth grade health teacher, it has been my experience that many students struggle to reach benchmarks despite the engagement techniques and instructional strategies I implement. The topics examined in health class are timely and relevant to teens. Students generally show a lot of interest during class discussions and their understanding of important concepts grows quickly when they try the activities presented. When it comes time, however, for students to demonstrate their growth and understanding of the benchmarks on graded assignments, many fall short. Likewise, some higher achieving students also lack the motivation and focus to fully see assignments or projects through. This has led me to wonder, how might students choosing their own benchmarks affect motivation and achievement in eighth grade health class? My search for how to best increase motivation and achievement led me to three definite, interconnected concepts: student choice, collaboration, and constructivist style teaching and learning. As I started digging into the research, many questions began swirling around in my mind. I wondered, what more can I do with student choice? And, what does it really mean for students to collaborate? How might a more constructivist style approach impact my students? And, how might the concepts of student choice, collaboration, and constructivist style teaching and learning fit with the continued emphasis on standards and benchmarks? To prepare eighth graders for the opportunity to choose their own benchmarks, I incorporated several different strategies. From the beginning of the semester, activities that promote team building and collaboration were a part of our routine. This helped create a positive learning environment that later allowed for greater risk taking. Regular discussions about the health education standards and benchmarks, and what they mean or look like were also a critical component. Control over which benchmark(s) were the focus of student learning was gradually turned over, with more freedom granted as confidence with this type of choice grew. Over the course of the semester, strategies for project planning were also modeled to increase students’ likelihood of finding success with a format that is new. Overwhelmingly, students noted in anonymous surveys that choosing their own benchmarks increased their motivation. Many factors play a role in the scores for any particular benchmark and overall completion rate. Nonetheless, students’ scores on projects when choosing their own benchmarks were higher compared to scores on the same projects the previous year when students did not choose. Completion rates were consistent both within the same school year, and compared to the previous year, whether students all worked toward the same benchmarks or chose their own. As a result of my observations and findings with how students choosing their own benchmarks affects motivation and achievement, I will continue to build in learning experiences that give students the freedom to choose which benchmarks are the focus of their learning. I intend to build in more strategies to guide students through the processes of breaking larger tasks into parts, identifying big ideas, and putting information in their own words.