The topic I decided to focus on was related to motivational factors, more specifically, the effects of praising on students behaviour/motivation in the mathematics classroom. My personal motive behind this comes from a coaching background. It is almost second nature for me to often praise students/athletes because of the beleif that it will boost confidence. Clearly confidence is of great importance in the student/athlete life so I have always wanted to find a way to boost this. Praising was in my mind, an effective method for this. However, after doing some research, I have discovered that this may not be the case. Students can become dependant on praising and only be motivated purely when they know they will receive praise. Because it is so habitual to me, it will be hard to break this habit of praising students but I am already becoming more aware of when I do so. Mathematics tends to have a negative stereotype towards it and students are often unmotivated in the discipline. As an educator I wish to find more effective methods of motivation, praising is one I will begin to study.
I am from Richmond BC, graduated from hugh boyd secondary school as an honoroll student. Then proceeded to get my bachelors of science with a mathematics major at UBC.
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