Course Contract Review #2

What are you doing well?

I believe I am doing well in many different aspects of the course and it's requirements. I have made a special effort to learn what I can in class, this means I need to be to class on time and get all the information there that I can. I have learned that I am a kinesthetic learner so the information we learn with the interactive activities have been great for whole brain learning. I understand what is being taught in the classroom, and I enjoy what is being taught. I really believe that my motivation is an intrinsic motivation because I can see myself learning what I need to learn to be a teacher. I really don't need to self motivate anymore, it all seems to come naturally to me now that my goals are set. Motivation was the hard thing for me to do. I would wait and wait and then do a tear up job, hoping I would still be able to get a good grade. I see feel myself learning the content of my classes much better, and I feel I don't put it all on the back burner and wait until the last minute to remember an assignment. I think about the assignment all week and get it done.

What are you not doing well?

The class seems to interest me a lot and I seem to get a lot out of the class time. I know I had said that I would make more of an effort to be self motivated. I don't know if I was the one who made the motivation easier or if it just happened because I am enjoying the class. I feel I am learning the material, and I feel like I have been trying to incorporate some of the study habits we have talked about to ensure better retention. I try not to study when I am tired, and I make sure I am reading and understanding what I read in the chapters. I did really badly on the last test we had, I felt like I understood all the content in the chapters and the information in class felt clear to me. When I sat down to take the test I felt everything leave my head. The testing center is difficult for me not to lose it, so the test turned out horrible. I don't usually lose it as badly as the last one though, I can not remember some things usually not all of it leaving my head as I sat down. I guess I am studying the wrong way to retain the information and I guess I am experiencing bad anxiety. I really need some help to be able to retain the information. I don't think I am doing anything else wrong other than retention and long term memory focus.

Are you making sufficient progress on your goals?

Here I am talking about how badly I did on the exam and I have failed to realize that I am fulfilling all of the goals I have set for myself. I said I was going to become more motivated; which just happened I don't know what I did to make that happen. I set a goal to use better study habits, I think I have tried to do what I said I was going to do. I feel I have made progress.

List specific things you need to change in order to meet your goals.

I don't think I need to change anything having to do with my goals, however I do need to take more time to reflect and more time to review the work that I do. I will need to take more time to study and hope it stays there for the tests. I think after having done so poorly on the test I will have to make a greater effort to stay motivated. I need to stay intrinsically motivated and not think about the here and now. I know what my long term goals are and I need to fulfill those.

How is your motivation? Are you focusing on mastery or performance goals? Does anything need to change?

I think I have answered this question many times throughout the blog, but I will try to expound. I get down really easily when I do poorly and my motivation seems to slip a little. This is the reason I need to make an effort and keep my eyes on the main goal. I have performance goals set so I am working toward those, I have to remind myself that one test will not affect that goal. I am learning and I will be a good teacher some day that is my main goal right now, but I also can't have to much anxiety trying to perform and reach that goal.