Education provides the opportunity to teach students many different things. These include, but are not limited to, positive development, valuable learning, and productive motivation. Students must have motivation to drive them to keep learning. Intrinsic motivation is necessary because students with this type of motivation are learning for the challenge and reward of learning, rather than working towards a high grade. As stated in Woolfolk (2004), “when we are intrinsically motivated, we do not need incentives or punishments, because the activity itself is rewarding (p. 351).” Students are learning because they take charge of their own learning and want to grow as an individual; therefore; the teacher will not have to constantly give rewards to keep students motivated. It is the responsibility of the teacher to get to know his or her students and their interests, in order to determine what he or she can do to keep all students motivated. Intrinsic motivation is more productive, because as a teacher you can provide more challenging material that students will become fully engaged in.
When students are motivated, they are more likely to succeed; however; students also need to develop a sense of autonomy in school. Autonomy, a feeling of independence, is something students must develop; this decreases students’ feelings of doubt in their abilities. Students who are autonomous have self-control and assume responsibilities in their own development. When students are not autonomous, they do not have faith in their own abilities as a student; therefore; they rely on those around them and do not push themselves to succeed.
There are many aspects of social development that students must learn while in school. The development of social skills and how to behave appropriately around others is immensely important. For example, Goodwin (1999) states “An essential component and important prerequisite for academic learning is the teaching of social skills. Social skills encompass communicating, building and maintaining trust, providing leadership, and managing conflicts (¶2).” Social skills are necessary for students to be able to function in the classroom; if students cannot communicate or do not know appropriate behaviors, it will be much more difficult for them to get along well with their peers and feel successful in school.
One important aspect of valuable learning is how to be self-regulated learners. Students need to learn that the teacher will not always be available to lean on. For instance, most adults switch jobs multiple times throughout their lives and have to learn new skills with each new job. Students need to be self-regulated; they need to have the self discipline and will power to get things accomplished. Teaching students about goal setting helps develop this concept of self-regulation and gives students an opportunity to determine what they want to accomplish as a learner.
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