Dear Ms. Wormwood,

We are writing this letter, not as an attack on your teaching abilities, but rather as a suggestion on ways to improve the way you teach the students in your classroom. First, in regards to the curriculum, we would hope you could take a look and see why your students, in particular, Mister Calvin, does not enjoy paying attention in class and why he tends to be disruptive. These are merely ideas on how changing up the curriculum can make a big difference, not only in the amount that Calvin listens, but also in the amount that he learns and retains for years to come.

Think back to what Calvin’s number one problem is in your classroom. Is it his inability to pay attention to what you are teaching? Maybe it’s the way he has random outburst in the middle of your lessons. What do you think is causing this behavior and how do you think you can modify your curriculum to better suit your students? Let’s first explore Calvin’s interests. Appealing to your students interests is an excellent starting point for how to capture your students into your lessons. Maybe do a project where they work in groups and are space aliens exploring the earth. This could work for a number of different subjects. They could explore the history of the earth or even how different elements of the earth work. According to the interest theory, if you can trigger a student’s interest in a lesson, using an absurd or unusual project, it is much more likely for that student to want to learn the content. Also, once the interest is triggered with the project, you as the teacher can work on maintaining that interest. Eventually, it is the hope that one day that triggered interest will become well developed and they will want to pursue the content as a possible career choice.

Along with this idea of doing a project to capture interest, comes the idea to give your students options on assignments. This allows your students take a sort of responsibility for their grade and their education. For example, for an English lesson on writing complete paragraphs, instead of just offering one topic, allow your students to be creative. Either they can write it as if they were the individual, or they can write it like they saw what happened. Maybe even let them write from the perspective of the household pet or imaginary friend. These different options might excite your students to want to be creative and show you what fun things they can come up with while still learning the value of the lesson. Giving your students the chance to choose what they want to do shows a great deal of intrinsic motivation. This idea of autonomy in education stems from the self determination theory. If your students feel that they are having a hand in their own education then there will be a better chance that they would want to return the lesson that was taught to learn more about it. This also helps with retention of the information. Allow your students to feel that they have a hand in what they learn.

Lastly, when it comes to curriculum, make sure that you are working with your students to help them set goals for themselves and even for the class as a whole. After these goals are set in place, make a curriculum that allows for the students to realistically reach their goals. Have your students come up with mastery goals, or goals that make your students feel like an “expert” in their field and develop a love for learning. Calvin has mentioned becoming an expert in learning about snakes and dinosaurs. Why is this? He reads things that are of interest to him and sets the goal for himself that he will master the subject and know the most about it. Help your students see that they too can master a topic, or several topics, and remember not to stifle their creative abilities and imagination with your curriculum. Take from what your students need and interest are and connect your lessons to their lives.

We also have several suggestions for you, Ms. Wormwood regarding your instruction that will hopefully help improve Calvin’s motivation in your class. Calvin seems to need a more creative and individual type of instruction that can easily be implemented with guided “discovery” learning, which can include Calvin’s personal interests like dinosaurs and space. We feel that Calvin would benefit from the feeling of autonomy, belonging and competence, which are the three central ideas to Self-Determination Theory. Calvin is a very bright young student and having a sense of control over his learning, autonomy, can go a long way to improving his intrinsic motivation. Using guided “discovery” learning, you can create a project or series of projects in which the students are given a basic frame work, like a rubric explaining they can write a report or do an oral presentation including artwork or props or something else creative for the subject. This way, Calvin has control over what he is doing to show his learning.

Currently your classroom is very competition oriented: the students are competing for grades and against one another. This shows that you value performance approach goals in your classroom and teaching style. We feel that Calvin would benefit from a more mastery learning type environment. As evidenced by his fascination with dinosaurs, when he is interested in a topic, he is willing to dive in and really learn a lot. Mastery learning goals include learning for the love of learning and are a great form of intrinsic motivation. One way you could achieve this is through the Four Phase Model of Interest Theory. First, when you introduce a new topic or concept, try and make it interesting, catchy, and applicable to Calvin’s world view. This will draw Calvin in, and make him curious to learn more, along with his classmates. Then with each lesson, teach them a little bit more, but always end with a mystery so that they keep interested and are excited for the next section. Hopefully, this will inspire Calvin and the other students to go off on their own and learn which constitutes the last 2 steps of the Four Phase Model.

We have a few suggestions for your teaching methods as well. Right now, you mostly lecture and test. Varying this will add a level of interest and excitement to your classroom. For example, instead of just lecturing, you could have the class split into small groups to do assignments and work with a different small group every day. This way the students can take some responsibility for their own learning and you can have a different environment to interact with your students in. We would also suggest having one on one interaction with your students because it is important that each of them feels important. You can do this while having the class work quietly as individuals on another assignment.

Other types of instruction that will help to improve Calvin’s motivation include in depth units that include hands on activities with manipulatives or creating a product, anything that will utilize his immense creativity, and talking about how what they are learning is actually useful in real life. We also feel that in implementing these changes in your instruction, it is important not to lose structure in your classroom. Having a set schedule will allow the students to prepare themselves for what is going to happen and be more productive, which can increase their motivation as well.

Based on Calvin’s motivational pattern we have discovered that the most efficient procedure to assess Calvin would be to give him authentic assessments. Authentic assessments include practical labs that involve hands on experiences, research projects and presentations, and group projects. The overall basis on these assessments must be choice though in order to get through to the students like Calvin who has difficulty learning the content. If you were to give more traditional assessments they must include a rubric to give guidelines and a path in the right direction. These assessments will work based on the motivational theories.

To begin with, all students have different interests and to gain a better knowledge and to have a transformative experience in learning, the assessment must adhere to the students’ interest. According to the Interest Theory, the student must get involved early in the content, which will trigger their interest. Assessments like group work and technological work will trigger their interests. Triggering a student’s interest is usually extrinsically supported. In Calvin’s situation, he is exclusively interested in dinosaurs, space exploration, so if you, Mrs. Wormwood, could use assessments that would gain Calvin’s interest by relating the material to dinosaurs or one of his interests. Calvin also has a ton of questions about space and other of his interests but he doesn’t have the opportunity to connect his questions with the content. He as emerging student interest, thus if Mrs. Wormwood could assess Calvin with an authentic assessment that adheres to his interests such as practical labs that involve Calvin solving his own questions this would make students like Calvin become interested in the content.

Calvin is also very extrinsically motivated when it comes to schoolwork and rewards for his work. According to the self-determination theory, extrinsic motivation may include the students having resentment, resistance and disinterest to the activity and will not likely be engage in the activity again. Thus the student should be assessed with rewards for good and appropriate behavior without the students noticing it because by giving rewards the student will become accustom to wanting a reward. But if they are intrinsically motivated they will want to do the work in order to attain a good grade. In Calvin’s situation, group projects that entail having Calvin having extrinsic motivation from the group at the beginning should lead to him gaining a sense of intrinsic motivation to the work for the group and not himself. But again it is very important to give the students a “bank” of choices to choose from in order to gain the students interests. In-group work there should also be benchmark assessments in order to give deadlines and structure to the group. Group work makes the student want to work for the group, which leads to intrinsic motivation. These more authentic types of assessments will help Calvin move towards being intrinsically motivated, thus caring more about his school work.

When Calvin enters your classroom every day he needs to know the purpose of him being there. In the past this has been clear to you, but has out him in a foggy mist. In order to help him have a more visible purpose, you as the teacher need to have a detailed picture of what it means to be in your class. Here is what we feel would be positive modifications to your current classroom management plan. First there needs to be a switch to a more student centered learning environment. In a class where he can have choices, and no longer be subjected to the demands of the teacher, Calvin will have the opportunity to prove to you that he is a capable and excited learner.

Expectations should be posted and enforced for all students so that Calvin can see that he is being treated just like all of the students. This will also help you to stay consistent in your enforcement. Although Calvin does exhibit many of the traits that would lead a teacher to act on the “boys will be boys” stereotype, you allowing him to act like a “boy” is directly contributing to his lack of success and attention in class. When students are placed in a situation with very low or even non-existent standards, they often do not have to exert much energy to reach them. The time they do not spend working then becomes the perfect opportunity to goof off and be disruptive. This is related to the social and cultural motivation theory.

When he has extra time, Calvin has a tendency to drift and no longer be “in” the classroom. Although he does not use this time to be social with others in the class, he enters his own world that is typically independent of the school environment. With more academic centered goals, Calvin will have a more focused learning experience in your class. If he were able to apply the ideas he generates while in his own world to the classroom, he would have a very strong connection to the curriculum. We noticed that while he is in his own world, Calvin is using his vast imagination to take trips and explore ideas. If you can build a more open relationship with him, there will be opportunities for you to know what he is interested in and cares most about. With this information, you then have an intrinsic motivation tool at your hands, relating the subject matter in class to what Calvin finds most interesting. Many of your classroom management, and general problems with Calvin, will disappear if you are able to make a connection between what he “has to do” in school to what he is interested in.

At the beginning of the year you need to set clear expectations for all of the students, and make it clear to them that you are going to be objective and strict when it comes to following the rules, but also that the students are in control of their own learning. By setting students, especially those like Calvin up for success there is a greater chance that they can link this success to their hard work. Calvin is not yet ready to have success on his own because no one has modeled for him how to be self-regulated, controlled or excited about learning. This is your number one task; get Calvin to understand that learning cannot happen for you or around you for you to understand the material. You have to learn the material and take the responsibility for what needs to be done. Modeling time management skills as well as organization are going to be the most useful new skills he can gain from you. This is especially true if you are able to make them relatable and interesting to him so that he can’t help but remember how to be independent. Once he attributes his successes to his hard work, Calvin will become a more productive student because he is in control of his learning.

When Calvin does act out or is need of disciplinary action, we are under the belief that there needs to be a change in how you handle the situation. When he is sent out of class, he is being removed from the situation, and making the punishment less and less connected to the original action. By keeping him in the classroom and taking immediate action to an inappropriate behavior, there is a lower probability Calvin will place blame on others for his behavior. These situations will also give you the opportunity to help him become more self aware and responsible for his actions.

After visiting your classroom, here is some feedback regarding your individual interactions with Calvin. Overall, it is disheartening to witness the negativity that you project towards him. He is a very bright boy that has a large imagination and creativity. We have three ideas that we would like you to utilize in your classroom so that you can help him to become a better student.

To begin, you need to establish a positive working relationship with Calvin. Currently, you project a negative attitude towards him. As a teacher, when he asks questions, you need to take the time to answer them. Whether his inquires are relevant to the class discussion or not, ignoring him or belittling him in front of the class only lowers his self-esteem. He is yearning for some attention and since you ignore him, he acts up. This leads to the obvious behavior issues that he displays. He is in need of positive reinforcement. Calvin has a lot of creativity that could be fostered in a more positive way. To develop the necessary relationship, you should show interest in his likes and dislikes. Currently, he has no one that does so. You could even go so far as to incorporate some of his amazing ideas into your lesson plans and projects.

Next, Calvin needs you to work with him on establishing goals. We suggest starting with small academic short-term goals that could be easily attained. Upon reaching those goals, you need to give him the positive feedback so that he can experience that feeling of success. Over time of reaching those successes, you could help him to devise some long-term goals in all areas of his life: school, social, and personal ones for his home life.

Establishing goals leads into the last suggestion we have you. Calvin needs to have help in learning how to be a self-regulated learner. After all, he won’t be in your class forever and will need to understand how to use those essential skills in other classes. As a self-regulated learner, he would begin to understand the importance of his education and participation of his learning. Currently, his is a daydreamer who forgets assignments, rarely completes his work, and shows little to no interest in his assignments. If you began by incorporating an understanding of real world value to the classroom, he could become invested. He hasn’t had an influence in his life show him basic learning strategies. If you were to teach and then latter model the process of deliberate self-monitoring, planning, and goal-setting, Calvin would most likely discover his own potential and truly become the student we know you want him to become.

When conferences roll around next fall, this would be a great opportunity to discuss Calvin’s strengths, weaknesses, interests and creativity with his parents. Perhaps beginning the conference by discussing the topics that Calvin typically chooses, usually science related ones, and the amount of creativity that he puts into it when he does work. His parents need to be more aware of the type of assignments that he is given, and how they can better help him to complete them. You can help his parents be more aware of his projects by sending home newsletters detailing upcoming classroom happenings and anything that the parents could do to add to Calvin’s educational experience. You should also encourage his parents to provide adequate materials to complete his projects. For example, in one instance, Calvin needed paper Mache to complete a project, but he claimed that none was available. You, Ms. Wormwood, could supply directions on how to make paper Mache, and any other materials that would be needed to complete future assignments. These directions could be included in the newsletter, or simply sent home with Calvin.

Another good method for you to keep in touch with Calvin’s parents would be to email, call, or (if possible) a visit to their home to inform them periodically of Calvin’s classroom performance. This would make all involved focus more on the type of Calvin’s education, and would make him and his ideas feel more valued. All of these methods of communication should be discussed during the conference to determine which would be easiest. This also needs to be presented to Calvin as a helpful way to handle his education and not so that it’s made to seem a punishment.

During the final moments of the Conference, some goals need to be created that can be attained during the next meeting. These are goals for Calvin to be more involved in what he is doing in school and how he reacts to it. These are also goals for Calvin’s parents to be more involved in Calvin’s educational experience. Discuss it with Calvin and his parents to find out what types of goals each would like to set. Finally, make sure to encourage both parties to take pride in Calvin’s work and what he is doing. This encouragement will benefit everyone.

Best of luck,

SUSIE Members:

Curriculum: Jarrett

Instruction: Melissa

Assessment: Bryson

Classroom Management: Jackie

One-on-One Instruction: Taylor

Communication with Calvin’s Parents: Desiree