Culturally Responsive And Extrinsic Motivation In The Classroom

Introduction

In any classroom setting, educators (i.e. teachers, after-school program coordinators) facilitate instruction – with the goal of students are an integral part of that process by meeting or exceeding learning objectives for that class/program. In addition to that, instructors must meet the challenges of designing and implementing instruction for students who are from different backgrounds from themselves. Developing a culturally responsive teaching style, that includes all students, must occur in educational environments of today.

When speaking to being culturally responsive, an educator “responds proactively and empathetically to appeals, efforts, and influences” (Ford, 2010). This form of teaching is intentional and planned for,

Intrinsic motivation is derived from the student himself or herself; extrinsic motivation is derived from the environment or other external circumstances. Students who are intrinsically motivated learn best when their experiences and values are placed at the center of instruction. In order to build such motivation in students, Ginsberg and Wlodkowski (2009) created the motivational framework, as “a way to plan for and reflect on teaching that is respectful of different cultures.” It is comprised of four conditions: establishing inclusion, developing attitude, enhancing meaning, and engendering competence. Each condition builds on the other to bring learning to a full circle-from a learner who feels welcome and accepted to one who feels confident and

going from middle school to high school) with some fear and apprehension about their learning experience. What will it be like? Will the class be boring? Will my teacher hate me? Usually, these stem from unresolved issues from their last classroom experiences. Their confidence level is low; they feel alone and left out; and they do not feel that they will receive the help they need to be successful. As far-fetched as those scenarios may seem, students have them, and educators must be prepared to meet the needs of these students, whatever they may be and wherever they are in their learning process.

Establishing inclusion is the act of creating connection among members of a learning environment. To ease the tension of entering a classroom environment, the educator must make the environment as inviting as possible to the student. This environment must be one

where norms and expectations “contribute to the developing as a community of students who feel respected and connected to one another and the teacher” (Ginsberg & Wlodkowski, 2009) and one in which students can learn and be