Student Performance

When I was in elementary school I took piano lessons.  About twice a year, much to my dismay but to my parents’ delight, the teacher would coordinate a recital for her students.  I recall the anxiety of having to play in front of the small gathering but also remember the motivation to practice extra hard prior to the event.  Throughout our schools, teachers use performance as one of their strategies to motivate students to learn.  Standing up in front of your peers to share a project, giving a speech or playing an instrument is a great way for a teacher to check for understanding and to give students the recognition that may be lacking due to a quiet personality. 

This afternoon I attended a Kenai Peninsula Orchestra concert that included KPBSD students.  The third through fifth grade students from Anchor Point, Homer and Ninilchik were in the spotlight at this event and performed marvelously.  Playing with the KP Orchestra had to be a thrill for the students, thanks to each of the members for volunteering their time for this.  While more and more of our students’ learning is tied to digital interactions, we should not lose sight of old fashioned student performance as a way to motivate our students.  There is nothing wrong with the extrinsic motivators e.g., giving out of stickers, but let’s ensure that the intrinsic motivation of performance is also a regular part of the mix.