Can High Schools Motivate their Students?

by Rachel F.

 

Motivation is in everyone, without it nothing would ever get done. Some individuals however will strive for higher goals then the rest of society and will push themselves to complete work to an absolute best. Motivation is what drives these individuals. If you were to walk into a class of high school students and look at the work they are doing it is clear that some kids within the school system lack the motivation to complete academic work.

To graduate from Fredericton high school all students need to meet the same requirements, meeting these requirements to graduate is the goal of most students. For some students just passing the class is not enough. “ I want to reach a high academic average, so that I have options as to what university I can go to, and hopefully receive scholarships,” said Ashley Corbett a grade twelve student at Fredericton High School. This is a common goal among high school students, achieve good grades so that you can go to a good university and eventually get a good job. 

Every person at some point in their life will set themselves goals. Setting goals however is driven by motivation, if a person is not motivated to accomplish a task they will not set themselves goals. Within the grade ten-curriculum goal setting is taught in the mandatory health class. This is potentially a good thing, however it only applies to the students who are motivated enough to use the goal setting techniques. A teacher can explain goals and teach goal setting techniques as much as they want, this however will only be beneficial to some of the students. How does a teacher make certain that they will have motivated students? Can you teach high school students a personality trait such as motivation? These are questions that puzzle educators.

According to http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/affective/motivation.html Educational psychology has identified two different classifications of motivation. Which are intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation comes from the person’s own interests. If someone receives enjoyment from a task they will be motivated to continue with the activity. Intrinsic motivation explains why some students will only be motivated to do work in the classes that they have an interest in.“ I am not motivated in school because I am not interested in what we are doing,” said Phoebe Marmura Brown a grade twelve high school student at Fredericton high school.

 Extrinsic motivation is when a person is motivated to work hard for a specific outcome. A student who does not enjoy their classes but still completes the work, because they want a high academic average is an example of extrinsic motivation. “ I don’t like all of my classes but I still stay motivated to do the work because I want to go to university,” said Ashley Corbett.

 The teacher in the classroom can influence motivation. “ I don’t think that a teacher should be responsible to motivate their students, but should want to,” said Phoebe Marmura Brown. If intrinsic motivation is based on the person’s interest, then a lively lesson plan could catch student’s attention. “I don’t think that teachers should feel the need to entertain their class,” said Ashley Corbett. Mary Radford a guidance counselor at Fredericton high school said that teachers should be excited and interested in what they are teaching, so that students will then be more engaged in what they are learning.

A teacher who is passionate about what they are teaching will generally have students who will want to learn from them. A teaching style that engages the students and uses multiple techniques will result in a wider range of students that are interested in the class. If a teacher uses multiple was of assessments a wider range of students will succeed. A teacher could also give the students choice in what they are doing so that the class becomes more invested in the class.

Interest is easier to implement on someone when the topic has an effect on the person.  To have students motivated they should also be interested in the work, which means that they need to feel an attachment to the work they are doing and the school they are in. Getting high school students involved in their school is difficult because many students don’t want to be. “ I think that if my classes where ones that I was interested in then I would work harder, especially in grades nine to eleven,” Said Phoebe Marmura Brown.  Having a broader range of classes that varies in teaching styles would be one way to get high school students invested in what they are learning.

Regardless of teaching methods there is currently students who are motivated and some that are not at all. Is motivation something that children develop from their parents? According to http://giftedkids.about.com/od/ nurturinggiftsandtalents/tp/motivate.htm parents can develop motivation in their children. And in high school students is it parental pressure that motivates students to achieve high marks? “ I don’t believe that my parents have a big influence on how hard I work in school, maybe they don’t push me though because I already work hard in all of my classes,” said Ashley Corbett. Pressuring high school students does not seem to be an effective way to motivate students to achieve high grades.  Intrinsic motivation is something that everyone has because everyone has interests and enjoys certain activities. Extrinsic motivation however is a trait that not everyone has. A person with extrinsic motivation, has the ability to see further than immediate satisfaction and thinks of the overall outcome. This a trait that extremely motivated people have, they will set goals for themselves and accomplish them no matter how much they dislike the work to ensure a specific result. 

Students who are not motivated in school may just not have extrinsic motivation. “I am not too concerned with my school work because school work does not have an effect on what I want to do in my life,” said Phoebe Marmura Brown. Many students say that they are not interested in schoolwork may feel differently if they had a wider range of classes to chose from or were taught in multiple ways.

The school system today does not help to encourage the students who do not have the motivation to work hard in school. Students who accomplish high averages and reach their goals receive rewards and recognition from the school. Their recognition is well deserved, however there is not as much done to help struggling students. Just getting them through grad twelve may not be enough. A teacher or principal cannot force a student to come to school but they can give them help to develop extrinsic motivation and goal setting techniques.

Motivation is something that does and will continue to effect students past high school. It is a valuable characteristic to be able to push yourself to work hard and accomplish goals. Some students are more motivated than other, which does not mean that they will be more successful; especially once students are out of the school system.  Although beneficial, motivation is not necessary for everyone. 

Rachel F. is a Grade 12 student of Fredericton High School.

 

Movie Review: Oh Brother! Thou art well planned and well done

O Brother:  Funny and Oscar nominated

By Rachel F.

 

Academy award winning "Oh Brother, Where art thou?"

The Coen brothers created an interesting and hilarious film in their film O Brother, Where Art Thou? The movie released in 2000 and was nominated for two Oscars; the soundtrack won the Grammy for album of the year.

 The film was set in 1937 rural Mississippi during the great depression. The plot of the movie is loosely based on Homers Odyssey. Everett played by George Clooney tells two of his prison mates Pete and Delmar that he has a hidden treasure of 1.2 million dollars that is buried in a valley which is to be flooded in four days. The three inmates who are chained together escape the Parchman Farm to retrieve the treasure before its too late. They soon after escaping meet an old blind man who predicts their future. As they travel through Mississippi the three meet Tommy Johnson who claims to have sold his soul to the devil in exchange for the ability to play the guitar, he describes the devil as “White, as white as you folks … with empty eyes and a big hollow voice. He love to travel around with a mean old hound.” Which in coincidentally the description of the officer who is trying to hunt down Everett Pete and Delmar.  Their adventure continues and through the film they manage to rob a bank, release a hit single, reunite Everett with his children and much more.

 The script is sharp and well written. The language used by each character is true to the setting of the film. Performances by George Clooney, John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson and the supporting cast give an excellent performance. The interesting concept and underlining messages of the film make this more than just a funny movie; it’s a well-planned and executed film. An excellent soul filled soundtrack that creates an authentic southern feel to the film accompanies the movie.

O Brother, Where Art Thou? Do Ethan and Joel Coen who writes, direct, and produce their own films create my favorite film. Everything in this film is well though out from the setting, script, casting and soundtrack the Coen brothers did not miss a thing while creating this smart comedy.

Rachel F. is a grade 12 student at FHS.

Fredericton High swimmer makes a splash!

 

By Rachel F.

 

Benia Kalus Swimmer,

Fredericton High School has become known for the incredibly talented students. Our gymnasium walls are lined with provincial banners, they clearly display the athletic ability of our sports teams. FHS offers a wide range of competitive sport teams, that are all filled with gifted students. One of these many athletes is Benia Kalus. 

Benia is a senior at Fredericton High School; she has a wide range of interests that include competitive swimming. 

She can recall joining her first swim team, “I was eight years old and living in British Colombia at the time” said Benia. She also talked about how she had always enjoyed swimming from a young age and it seemed like a good fit for her.  

At age 11 Benia’s competitive spirit died, and she decided to quit her swim team. The decision was made because at the time she though that she no longer enjoyed swimming. 

 “I really did not like the competitions, and hated how intense it could get”, said Benia. For the next five years Benia did not take part in any type of swim team. 

Within the year Benia had stopped swimming she moved to Fredericton, and in time became a student at Fredericton High School. At age sixteen Benia missed being a part of a sports team. Although she had stayed active perusing extra curricula’s like dance and violin, she missed swimming. She soon looked into teams within Fredericton that she could try out for. 

Benia made the F.A.S.T swim team and was thrilled with her decision. “ I had to work hard to get up to the level the rest of my team mates were at, but with much hard work I was able to compete” said Benia. She enjoyed the swim team so much that benia decided to join another swim group. 

 “Many of my team mates in F.A.S.T were also on the school team and encouraged me to try out,” said Benia. 

Benia is now on both teams and enjoys the swimming she does.  

“When I first came to FHS I didn’t even know there was a swim team, I was happy when I found out” said Benia. This is not uncommon in our school, many students are not aware of the competitive swim team, which means that not many students will go out and support these athletes. Although it may be a matter of interest in the sport, it is clear that there is little advertising of completions.

Benia is just one of the many examples of Fredericton High School great athletes. 

FHS College Fair: Mt. Allison University

Sackville’s Mount Allison University: 

The library building at Mt Allison. Located in Sackville, N.B., the campus has attracted many grads of FHS.

A good fit for many FHS grads

Rachel F.

Post Secondary schools visited Fredericton High School this past Thursday. The majority of the university’s that came were from Atlantic Canada. They were here to recruit student from FHS to go to their school. 

 The University fair is held in the gym. Its fairly crowded and there are allot of different Schools to go and see. Its can be intimidating to some but also difficult to get allot of specific information. It’s great for those who have just a few short questions.  

Mount Allison University was one of the many schools that were at the fair. On their table were pamphlets with information on the school. Mount A is located in Sackville New Brunswick, which in only two and half hours from Fredericton. The woman working the booth told me that their University is a good pick for a student from Fredericton who wants to stay close to home and live in a small town.  

Photo by Robin G.

The majority of my questions had been answer prior to the fair when I visited Mount Alison during their open house. At the open house I got a tour of the university. I also got the opportunity to speak to someone who worked in the department that I was interested in. 

 All in all, the university fair at Fredericton High School is a great opportunity for students to get information about schools they might like to attend.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CLICK ON:

 http://www.mta.ca/

Making the Case for Neko Case

By Rachel F

           

Neko Case
Middle Cyclone

Neko Case is an American signer songwriter; her fifth and latest solo album Middle Cyclone came out back in February 2009. Case is also widely known for her vocals in the Canadian rock group The New Pornographers.  In her album Middle Cyclone she collaborates with band members from The New Pornographer, Calexico, Los Lobos, Ward and Garth Hudson to create a diverse and majestic sound.

Each track within Middle Cyclone is dressed in Case’s intense vocals. Her strong honeyed voice carries each song, creating a smooth transition from track to track within the album. Contrary to her prior album (Fox Confessor Brings the Flood), she added a hint of jazz and orchestra to her originally folk music. The diversity in this album works together to create a cohesive piece of work. Despite multiple aspects to Case’s sound none of her tracks sound cluttered of disorganized. The album has a continuous fresh and new sound.

Case’s poetic lyrics are surreal in many cases and are hard to pin down to find a definite meaning. In the song This Tornado loves you, Case uses the tornado as a metaphor. The song goes on to describe a tornado that is searching for its love and consequently leaves behind destruction wherever it goes. The tornado could represent nature fighting man for its own satisfaction, which would make the theme man vs. nature. Another way to look at the tornado is to think of it representing love and death, and how people will run from these things for no clear reason and that trying to escape it usually does more harm then good, which could be Cases’s way of saying that one should just face difficult situations. Like most of her work each song could have multiple meaning depending on how you approach it.

Middle Cyclone combines assorted musical sounds and profound lyric’s to create a dreamlike album.  This is my favorite album of Neko Case’s to date and I am anticipating her next release although it is hard to predict what she might do next.

Rachel F. is a grade 12 student at Fredericton High.

FHS cafeteria gets facelift

FHS Cafeteria showcases its new improvements. Photo by Ryan T.

 

by Rachel F.

The new design of the cafeteria is set up so that there is more open space. In addition the walls have been painted and new signs were put up.

In an interview with Tara one of the ladies who works in the cafeteria, she had a positive view on the changes. “I really enjoy the new esthetic look of the cafeteria,” she said. According to Tara we should also be seeing some new food products this year. When asked about the behavior of FHS students, Tara explained that  most of the time everyone is really polite, which makes her job much better.

According to Mr. Breen he says that the new set up lets for better movement in traffic. He is a common shopper at the cafeteria and goes about twice a week. However he also had new ideas that he thought may improve our cafeteria furthermore. “I think it is Strange that there is only debt at one machine, people would get in and out faster if there was one at every cashier,” he said. Mr. Breen was also not pleased with the 25-cent fee you receive when using a debt card. The interview concluded however by him describing how overall he enjoys the food at the cafeteria very much and will continue to buy products from there this year.             

Someone who does not shop at the cafeteria is Mrs. Valerie Marshal; she did not have very much to say on the subject.

“I think, the new set up should improve traffic flow,” she said.

Many young students need more sleep, the answer starting school at a later hour.

by Rachel F.

 Teenagers are often, given a reputation for sleeping in class and never getting enough sleep. However this is not our fault. According to kidsheath.org, teenagers need more sleep. Everyone has a circadian rhythm in his or her bodies, this works like an internal body clock. In youth our circadian rhythm, tells us to go to sleep later and to sleep in. This is because of the hormone melatonin that is produced at a later hour than children and adults. 

Schools should be looking into why teenagers need more sleep and try to accommodate these needs. There is no point to sending a student to class if he or she is going to be too sleepy to pay any attention.  According to oxfordlearning.com 20% of teenagers fall asleep in class on a regular bases. Which I’m sure has an effect on grades.

 However a latter school hour would not only benefit the students. Teachers constantly have to nag, their student to pay attention and not doze off. Their job is to teach, they should not have to be waking students up. Parents also have to deal with grumpy kids, I’m sure they would be happy if their child had more energy.

 According to Sleep Foundation this biological difference in Teens makes it difficult to go to sleep any time before eleven. However teenagers also need around eight to nine and a half hours of sleep. This means that youth should be waking up around eight. Including time to get ready and eat breakfast, school should start at 9:30.

Teenagers have developed an image for staying up late and while id like to say that most students really try to get to bed at a good time I know this is not the case. Some kids will stay up late and be sleepy the next day no matter what. Even with a pushed back starting time, there would be the few who stayed up even later. However for the many teens that do try and go to bed at a decent hour, new schools times would be incredibly helpful.

Another improvement that a later start time would be is an increase in attendance. Many students stay home to catch up on missed sleep and as a result miss out on school lessons. According to psychologytoday.com, a school in Minnesota adjusted their times and saw an immediate increase in attendance. I see no reason why FHS wouldn’t see the same results.   

Latter school times would be beneficial and show little downsides. I think this is something that school districts should be looking into and realizing the potential it has.