Responses from Other Blogs

What are some commentaries or lessons did I learn from other blogs?

From the several blogs I read, most of them talked about making the lesson challenging and not let it be very easy where the students will get bored.  Another thing that stood out to me was to encourage the student to compete against themselves.  I never really thought about that but I really like it.  I could see me using that in my classroom even if it is to encourage my students to see how fast they can say the alphabet without messing up if I teach kindergarten.  I also read where it mentions to let the students work together and even play "teacher."  This is where each of them can get in the front of the class and tell everyone what they have learned.  This would be a fun activity to do with the classroom after we do a class project or activity. I think what will help all the students if I tell them the connection of the lesson with why they will use it out in the real world and not just in school.  All of these points that I read from other blogs helps me add on to my list of how I can motivate my student to want to learn.

Looking at blogs about stretching I came across this to help students de-stress themselves.  Gentle movement — such as stretching or yoga, or even a slow stroll around the block. Even 5-15 minutes can release tension and activate calm-down chemicals.  If my students get too rambunctious or too tired to keep doing their class work, I will make my class take a short break from work and we will all do some stretches together. Another blog post I read says that exercising will help brain memory; it mentions that "exercise for a long period of time your brain secretes a beneficial rush of hormones which stimulates memory and improves clarity (Boot Camp Sydney).

From the information I read over the two blogs I'm thinking about talking some about how to motivate your students with intrinsic and extrinsic rewards.  I am thinking about showing pictures of myself and explaining  each stretch. 

How does exercising/stretching help students in Kindergarten to First grade stay focused on a task?

Motivation/Stretching

How can I motivate students to learn and does stretching stimulate anything to help learning?

http://offbeathome.com/2013/05/at-work-outs


This website talks about how exercising or stretching can help give you a mood boost.  If I see my students starting to get tired and not wanting to do there work I will ask my students to stand up and stretch to get them focused again.  According to this website, seven exercises and three stretches that will get you started on the right path to boost your energy and help stimulate your brain are: marching in place, push-ups against your desk, leg lifts, tricep dips, chair squats, over-head side reaches, modified jumping jacks, hamstring stretch, reach for your toes, and chest stretch.

http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/affective/motivation.html

From this website it mentions intrinsic and extrinsic ways to motivate students.  One way I can help my students to get motivated to learn is by letting them choose partners, letting them play educational games on an ipad or computer when they finish an assignment, making sure I am supportive of my students, and so much more.

http://www.nea.org/home/10308.htm

Another website has suggestions to motivate you students by building a strong relationship with them, tell them why it matters, give them a voice and a choice, make it fun, make it relevant, make it real, and use technology.

Just from reading two different articles using technology is  a way to motivate my students.  This day in age technology is the basis for everything.  Students are more into technology and most the time they know how to work something better than adults. If I can embrace technology in my activities and make my students get up and stretch when they are feeling tired, maybe I will be able to get my students to stay focused longer in class.