Scenario 1: I'd Like to Get to Know You

Maria Sanchez is beginning her second year as a second grade teacher. She is preparing for the first week of school and wants to achieve three goals: get to know her students; develop classroom guidelines collectively; and assess students' abilities in reading and math. Ms. Sanchez has already prepared her introductory presentation for developing class guidelines. She also decided to use last year's assessment again. It was a district-wide assessment that gave fairly accurate information about her prior students.

Maria is focused on activities to get to know her students. She waits for Mei Li Shu, a fellow second-grade teacher to arrive at her house for a brainstorming session.

Maria jots down questions for a student questionnaire: 1. Write three adjectives that describe you. 2. What is your most memorable moment of the summer? 3. What are your favorite types of activities to do in school? Least favorite? 4. If you could be an animal, what would it be? She crumples the piece of paper and sighs. "Everybody makes student questionnaires, but who has time for more elaborate activities?"

Mei Li knocks and calls through the screen door, "Maria! Ready to get your year rockin'?" Mei Li enters and joins Maria at the kitchen table. "For some reason I'm drawing a blank," answers Maria. "I want to do something different and unique for getting to know my students." She points to the crumpled paper and says that questionnaires are over-used and boring for students. "They don't have to be," says Mei Li, unpacking her backpack. "There are lots of variations on the questionnaire."

Mei Li writes on her notepad for a few minutes. Then she turns it toward Maria. Several ideas are listed:

"These don't look like questionnaires to me," Maria says doubtfully. "Well, they're not the usual type of questionnaire with questions listed on a page," answers Mei Li. "But students have to answer questions and share information about themselves to complete the activities. The questionnaires are embedded within the activities."

Mei Li flips to the next page of her notepad to illustrate the "Flap Books" example. "To make a flap book, students fold and staple several half-sheets of paper. A student writes a statement such as My Favorite Color on the first page of the book. Then he writes his favorite color on the opposite page but covers it with a small square of paper to form a flap. Students must lift the flap to find out that person's favorite color. Then the next page would have a new statement such as My Pet. The opposite page would have another flap with information about the pet written under it. You can make up the topics yourself or let the students select their own topics." Maria likes the idea and says, "Then everyone can trade books to learn more about each other." "Right," Mei Li says. "This activity achieves the same goal as a traditional questionnaire."

"How can a crown be a questionnaire?" asks Maria. "Students think of something they are really good at, like reading, drawing or playing guitar," Mei Li answers. "They write something like SoccerKing or Princess Painter on the front of their crown."

"And then students could list their other talents and interests on the crown," Maria adds. The two teachers continue brainstorming creative ways to administer questionnaires to students. "Where do you find all of these ideas?" asks Maria. "I talk to other teachers, I read resource books, and lately, I've been using the Internet a lot," answers Mei Li. "Some of these ideas came from a Web site called Education World at www.educationworld.com."

Maria takes Mei Li to her computer to see the Education World Web site. They locate an entire list of back-to-school icebreaker ideas at http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson/lesson019.shtml. "Using the Internet saves a lot of time and lets you collaborate with hundreds of teachers," says Mei Li. "Many education Web sites offer tools for teachers to upload lesson plans and activities. Just think — next year a teacher could use one of your back-to-school ideas!"

1			The major source of information about students is their cumulative school records. All of the following are examples of permanent school records EXCEPT:
			A)	teacher anecdotal comments.
			B)	school attendance records.
			C)	student questionnaires.
			D)	achievement test scores.
2			The traditional questionnaire Maria began to write could provide valuable insights into the lives and interests of her students. Maria should consider administering a questionnaire to which additional source of information?
			A)	Students' prior teachers
			B)	School administrators
			C)	Parents and guardians
			D)	None of the above. Questionnaires are overused.
3			Preparing activities such as questionnaires, interviews and parent conferences can be time-consuming for teachers. What benefits are gained by using these tools?
			A)	They provide necessary information when other sources of student data are unavailable or inadequate for a teacher's needs.
			B)	The impact of inaccuracies, bias, and inconsistencies in other data, such as anecdotal teacher comments, can be reduced.
			C)	They provide teachers with first-hand knowledge about students' needs, abilities, and interests.
			D)	All of the above.

Scenario 2: Motivating the Unmotivated

Mr. Brown is a high school English teacher in the South. He teaches three low-level English classes and one advanced class. In both cases, Mr. Brown takes a similar approach to instruction. He finds interesting reading material that is readily comprehensible for the students at each level. The students read newspaper articles, magazine pieces, and literature, and frequently engage in research. Mr. Brown's philosophy is "Give choice. Give voice." His students feel comfortable and free to take risks in his class. He creates a safe environment founded on respect.

For the past two weeks, his low-level students have worked together in small groups. Each group is given a short play to read and perform in front of the class. Both Mr. Brown and the students will evaluate the performances using the following rubric:

Leonard is a bright student with strong verbal skills. Typically, however, he is an underachiever and is reluctant to engage in the material. Mr. Brown feels that Leonard should really be in the advanced class, but his lack of motivation and resultant low grades hold him back. Leonard does not cause discipline problems, but puts on a "cool guy" attitude and likes to joke around. Mr. Brown struggles to find ways to break through the attitude and help Leonard reach his full potential.

"Next, Leonard's group will be performing the play, Go Tell it on the Mountain," Mr. Brown announces. The class claps and some students chant, "Whoo! Whoo! Whoo!" A couple of students whistle. Students have been looking forward to this performance all week. Mr. Brown originally hesitated to use the play because of its religious content; however, most students come from strongly religious backgrounds and participate in church choirs and activities. The play includes a lot of humor and he thought that the role of the preacher would be perfect for Leonard. Prior to distributing the play, Mr. Brown wrote a letter to parents describing the content of all assigned plays and asked if anyone objected. Mr. Brown received permission to proceed.

Leonard's group arranges chairs into two short rows. Leonard places a podium borrowed from the multipurpose room in front of the rows. Girls in the "congregation" fan themselves with fans from their own churches. Leonard wears a long coat borrowed from an uncle and paces back and forth as he begins the performance. He has memorized his lines and steals the show. A couple of students read their lines using the playbook, but also do an excellent job with the material.

Leonard is so worked up that sweat is running down his face. He reaches one arm up and pounds the podium, asking his "congregation" if they understand. Students in his group and in the regular audience shout, "YES!" and "You know it!" Students clap and stamp their feet. Leonard's showmanship and talent shines. He says his lines perfectly and with the emotion of a true actor. Leonard's peers give him high marks in his performance evaluations. Mr. Brown beams and thinks to himself, "Finally! Leonard finally is showing us what he's really made of!"

4			Which set of descriptors best characterizes Leonard?
			A)	racially biased
			B)	neglected and abused
			C)	learning disabled
			D)	reluctant learner
5			Hidi and Harackiewicz (2000) identified some tactics that have been found to be useful in grabbing the attention of unmotivated students. Which of the following motivational strategies does Mr. Brown implement in the scenario?
			A)	Provide reading that contains novelty and surprise.
			B)	Give students choices.
			C)	Make students socially responsible.
			D)	All of the above.
6			Which of the following statements best describes why Leonard is so successful in this particular assignment?
			A)	Leonard is intrinsically motivated by the assignment.
			B)	Leonard wants to obtain attractive extrinsic rewards.
			C)	Leonard wishes to earn Mr. Brown's respect.
			D)	Leonard has a low sense of efficacy.