Motivation

Why are you here (in the teacher education program, in this class, at UVU)?
I am in the teaching education program because I want to make a difference. I want to shape young students lives. I want this next generation to be better informed and more educated than I ever was. I want students to be excited about their health and take care of it. Educational Psychology will help me do so by learning how to better teach and motivate my students.


What motivates you?
My personal motivation is what pushes me through life. As a child my parents always knew if I wanted something bad enough that I would do it. They never had to encourage me to do better. My goals are what direct me through life. Graduating and becoming a wonderful Health teacher is my motivation right now.

Why do you succeed? Why do you fail? (Use terminology from attribution theory)
In consideration to the incremental theory of intelligence I have had success in my life. I do not believe that I am naturally smart but I understand the need of hard work. Learning is up to me. My locus of control is internal. Blaming my husband, my teachers, or others will not change anything if I didn't put in the hard work to study for the test or the assignments. This is why I believe I have seen success in my life.
My failures would generally come from my ability and luck. My ability is not the strongest as others. Sometimes it's discouraging that I have to put so much effort into writing a paper, doing assignments, or studying for tests compared to someone that has to put in little effort to get an A. I also fall short when it comes to luck. Usually if I have to count on luck then most likely I don't do the best. I'm just not a lucky person.

Do the goals in your course contract reflect mastery goals or performance goals? What does this say about you?
My goals are both performance and mastery goals. My goals consist of staying on top of my assignments by not procrastinating and by continually studying material to do well on exams and to learn material.
Immediately my goals are performance because I want to do well in the class and intern I would receive a good grade. In long term effects my goals are mastery goals. I want to continually study the material so I understand the teaching concepts and can become a better teacher. Overall I believe setting both types of goals is beneficial. I do well under pressure and competition from other students and want to do well for my own personal goals and standards. My personal goals and standards will be life lasting.

How do you need to change your motivations and mindset for this class in order to become a great teacher?
My motivations and mindset needs to be changed in order to become a great teacher is to worry more about knowing the content than the grade. I have always been concerned with getting an A, but I don't always retain the knowledge and the content. I want to better understand the material than just for the test. I want to remember and apply the knowledge that I learned from this class when I am teaching my own students.