Chapter 2

     I believe Laura and I will have a similar problem while teaching. She claimed making games or activity for every subject, in order to keep the students engaged, will be difficult. All of the activities we learn about during our methods will help us greatly though. Last semester I took a math methods course, and the professor gave us a game every class for us to use in the classroom. During art methods course, we were required to create a whole unit. If everyone happened to save those, I feel we at least have examples to go off of.

     Chapter 2 had an interesting beginning. The research focused upon something exactly in our expertise, Preschoolers. I don't understand how one can form a conclusion about motivation when the research collected is from watching a bunch of preschoolers though. The preschool age is rather unpredictable. I have a nephew who is preschool. He loves to draw, and while I was his nanny last summer he would draw almost every day. However, some days he simply didn't feel like drawing. I think preschool kids are at the age where external motivation is pretty effective. If a preschool student is going to get a shiny award for drawing, he/she will more than likely do so even if they don't like to draw. I think the Sawyer Effect research would have been a lot more accurate if performed on middle or high school students. 

     I found the candle experiment fascinating. I agree with the results the team discovered. People who are rushed or have some sort of pressure upon them, probably wouldn't discover the quick fix to the getting the candle to the wall. I wonder if one would apply the same thinking toward students if the results would be similar? A student who is rushed to finish a worksheet or test is probably going to do a lot worse than a student who is not stressed out by time.
     Zeba brought up an interesting point about the various flaws in the classroom. Her third flaw about the cookies is extremely accurate. Once a teacher rewards students with something tangible such as cookies, stickers, or prizes consistent rewards needs to be maintained. If a teacher stops with the rewards, students usually stop doing what is asked. This is interesting, because almost every teacher I have ever seen has some sort of external motivation in the classroom.