CHALLENGE by Kirby Reardon

Kirby

jhbteacher — 2014-02-25 16:57:06 UTC

Below are 4 excerpts from the book "Clock Watchers". Please read them, and then write a comment or reflection about one, (or more), of them:

1) "Challenge motivates students to try to do hard stuff, and it's the challenge that engages them in the experience."

2) "We enter into a state of flow when the level of challenge matches our current set of skills. However, any mismatch between the two reduces the level of engagement."

3) "Engagement involves both emotions and behavior. Student's perceptions of success are directly related to motivation. If they think they'll perform poorly on a task, many of them won't be willing to give it a go. When skills are low and challenge is high, people often feel anxious. When challenge and skills are low, people are often apathetic. The optimal experience is one that produces a bit of anxiety with a sense of hope."

4) "To help increase the challenge and engagement of students, the use of argument , simulations, questions and scaffolding are powerful."

Linda/3

2014-02-25 20:38:50 UTC

Many students who feel they will lose or look stupid will either not even try or purposely try to loose. I have seen students who will just sit rather than get an answer wrong even in a game situation.

Mary/3

2014-02-25 20:39:48 UTC

I have seen with my FAME students struggle with their low self image. Because school is a challenge for them and they perceive themselves as failures, they have trouble engaging in school. I think it is important to first build their confidence and enable them to have success. Once they trust they can find success they are more willing to be challenged and engage in more difficult texts.

Lisa

lravelo — 2014-02-25 20:40:02 UTC

I like the combined notions of engaging on both the emotional and behavioral levels. Also, once engaged at a level that meets students needs for challenge, further goals can be presented and students can have challenge, success and more challenge. As adults, we know this can be habit forming.

Liz

2014-02-25 20:40:12 UTC

Challenge can also squelch learning if the student feels overwhelmed and could keep them from trying the challenging stuff.

Molly

2014-02-25 20:40:20 UTC

I love the optimal challenge "produces a bit of anxiety with a sense of hope". The students need to trust the teacher, and their learning environment, in order to take the risk.

Steve .......Students perception is a roadblock to many classroom challenges if the student has not experienced success in a school setting.

2014-02-25 20:41:00 UTC

June

2014-02-25 20:42:22 UTC

Sometimes it backfires when they feel defeated with the challenge.

Lisa

lravelo — 2014-02-25 20:44:22 UTC

I agree Steve.

2014-02-25 20:44:29 UTC

Mike

Then there is the issue of how to motivate a student to accept the challenge independently, versus accepting challenge as part of a group.