Perseverance Occurs Where an Emotional

¶ … perseverance occurs where an emotional preference continues, even after the thoughts that gave rise to the original emotion are invalidated" (Straker 2008).

Sometimes, when a student has internalized a negative or s positive self-belief, he or she persists in that belief, even after that belief is invalidated. For example, I have talked through a math problem with a math-phobic student, yet even after mastering the concept with tutoring, the student continues to say he or she is 'bad at math.'

Theory 2: Cognitive dissonance is the "feeling of uncomfortable tension which comes from holding two conflicting thoughts in the mind at the same time" (Straker 2008).

In our school, we have a zero-tolerance policy regarding harassment. Students who are exposed to prejudiced views amongst their friends or family may experience cognitive dissonance between what they hear at home and what they hear from established authorities at school.

Theory 3: Expectancy theory suggests that students tend to live up to the expectations that are set for them.

When teachers are told that a student has tested as 'gifted' (regardless of whether this is true) studies indicate that students tend to perform as 'gifted' and live up to the expectations that are set for them by the teacher.

Theory 4: Control theory suggests that individuals like to feel they 'control' their futures, regardless of whether this is the case.

Within the classroom, teachers often frame decisions as 'choices' to give students a sense of empowerment. For example, rather than telling a student he or she must do his or her homework, a teacher will say: 'you can choose to do your homework for a grade or not choose to do your homework and accept a zero. It is your choice.'

Theory 5: Cognitive evaluation theory suggests that when "we think we will be able to complete the task, we will be intrinsically motivated to complete the task, requiring no further external motivation" (Straker 2008).

To introduce a new concept that may be difficult, teachers should begin with giving students very easy problems that the children can do. This gives the students positive reinforcement regarding their abilities. This motivates the students to continue to apply themselves to the task. Then, the teacher slowly gives more difficult problems, building upon the students' initial sense of accomplishment.

Theory 6: "When people feel that their freedom to choose an action is threatened, they get an unpleasant feeling called 'reactance'" (Straker 2008).

Unfortunately, it is built into the learning process that teachers must make some demands of their students, and thus curtail the student's freedom which can produce reactance. However, by introducing some flexibility and choice in the assignments (such as allowing students to choose a topic for a research paper) this reactance may be curtailed.

Theory 7: Opponent process theory suggests that most individuals feel mixed emotions about things: "We have pairs of emotions that act in opposing pairs, such as happiness and sadness, fear and relief, pleasure and pain. When one of these is experienced, the other is temporarily suppressed. This opposite emotion, however, is likely to re-emerge strongly and may curtail or interact with the initial emotion" (Straker 2008).

To guard against this, teachers must interject variety into the classroom. Even if students like a particular task, such as a using 'teams' in class, teachers must counterbalance that with other types of formats (preserving individual work assignments within the syllabus), otherwise students may begin to show resistance to the activity, despite liking it before.

Theory 8: Investment models of motivation suggest that the more the individual invests in the process or task, the more he or she is likely to see it to completion.