7th grade students' motivation from their parents or guardians

The seventh grade is a level of school that, for the majority of pupils in the United States, is marked by a variety of behavioral changes and transitions. These alterations typically signify a high level of emotional and psychological independence from the student's parents or guardians, teachers, and school officials when seen in the context of the student's academic and social adjustments, as well as their interpersonal interactions (Pescaru, 2012). The seventh-grade pupils also have a tendency to depend on their classmates by forming connections that serve to construct and preserve positive self-perceptions. The management of such developmental challenges among the 7th-grade students is often an involving task and usually requires a combined motivation-related intervention of the parents, teachers, and the school administrators (Pescaru, 2012). At the same time, the 7th-grade students tend to develop a sense of dependence on their peers by creating relationships aimed at establishing and maintaining positive perceptions of the self. The management of such developmental challenges among the 7th-grade students is often an involving task and usually requires a combined motivation-related intervention of the parents, teachers, and the school administrations (Daniels, 2011). The students’ parents, guardians, teachers, and school administrators must, therefore, interact to establish effective ways of motivating 7th-grade students for the purpose of controlling their behaviors and improving their academic performances (Pescaru, 2012). This paper presents the motivation of 7th-grade middle school students through the interaction between their parents or guardians, teachers, and school administrations so as to enhance their academic performances and social behavior.

The Process and Impact of Motivating 7th Grade Middle School Students

The process of motivating 7th-grade students through the interaction between their parents or guardians, teachers, and school administrations take into consideration both the students’ academic and social goals. That is because the students’ academic and social goals are what direct their behaviors towards the educational outcomes that they would like to attain in school (Ellis, Lock, & Lummis, 2015). Most studies have identified students’ interests in school as powerful motivational tools in the context of establishing and regulating their goal-directed behaviors. Effective interaction between the students’ parents or guardians and their teachers and administrations regarding the academic and social affairs of the students gives the students a sense of belongingness and acts as a powerful motivation tool for the students’ academic and social interests in school (Ellis et al., 2015).

Additionally, there are several aspects of interpersonal relationships that the students’ parents, guardians, teachers, and school administrators have to consider in their interactions, since they have the potential of affecting the students’ academic motivation. One of such aspects is the social influence, which relates to the students’ understanding of the support they receive from interpersonal relationships (Daniels, 2011). According to research, the 7th-grade middle school students’ perceptions of support, and the care of their parents or guardians, teachers, and school administrations relate significantly to positive aspects of their motivation (Daniels, 2011). Regarding the students’ parents or guardians, the perceived emotional and the social support they provide contributes positively to the students’ competence, gives students a sense of relatedness to their peers as well as enhances the students’ academic interests and efforts in school (Daniels, 2011).

The interaction between the 7th-grade middle school students’ parents or guardians, teachers, and school administrations also help in developing motivational outcomes. These relate to the students’ increased pursuit of academic and social goals, self-concept, and intrinsic values (Schaefer, Rivera, & Ophals, 2010). Besides, the combined motivation effort by the students’ parents or guardians, teachers, and school administration through effective interactions help in improving the students’ behaviors by assisting them to conduct themselves responsibly. They also help enhancing the attainment of the students’ educational aspirations (Schaefer et al., 2010).

Quality and consistency also act as critical aspects of the interactions between the 7th-grade middle school students’ parents or guardians, teachers, and the school administrations. The realization of the positive outcomes of motivation efforts among the 7th-grade middle school learners relies significantly on the key stakeholders’ (parents or guardians, teachers, and school administration) commitment to improving the students’ social behaviors and academic performances (Ellis et al., 2015). The students’ parents or guardians, teachers, and school administrations may discuss and agree on various ways of providing the students with different instructional opportunities. This may directly result in the students’ improved learning and academic performance (Ellis et al., 2015).

In most cases, the links between the students’ supportive relationships with their academic performances give a reflection of the positive impact of the motivation efforts. The latter is created by the interaction between the parents, guardians, teachers, and school administrations (Schaefer et al., 2010). Therefore, the interactions between the 7th-grade students’ parents or guardians, teachers, and school administrators enhance supportive social relationships with the students. Hence, these provide them with motivation towards improving their academic performances.

Sometimes, the students’ parents or guardians, teachers, and school administrations may play independent roles in motivating 7th-grade middle school students. For example, students’ parents or guardians have positive aspects of orienting the students to their social and educational goals. Besides, the practice of motivating students through the interactions among their parents, teachers, and school administrations is subject to both the contextual influences at school and the socialization practices at home (Pescaru, 2012). The contribution of teachers and school administrators towards motivating the 7th-grade middle school students relate to the students’ classroom performances, their pursuit of academic goals, interest in class, and adherence to classroom norms, rules, and regulations (Pescaru, 2012).

Additionally, the role of the teachers and school administrations in their interactions with the students’ parents or guardians is also to enhance the students’ pursuit of educational and social responsibility goals. However, the interests of the students in various academic activities may depend on the characteristics of the teachers. These reflect curricular, social, and instructional approaches to the process of teaching (Daniels, 2011). Thus, the interactions among the parents or guardians, teachers, and school administrations have significant motivational importance in the academic and social lives of 7th-grade middle school students.

According to Daniels (2011), highly motivated 7th-grade middle school students are usually well-adjusted and enjoy supportive relationships with their teachers, school administrations, and parents or guardians. Besides, the academic and social support resulting from the interactions among the students’ parents, teachers, and school administrators translates to the students’ responsible behaviors and good academic performances. The interactions between the students’ parents or guardians, their teachers, and school administrators also have powerful influences on the overall emotional well-being of the students at the schools. They are giving the students a sense of belongingness and social support by considering their socially valued goals and aspirations (Daniels, 2011).

Conclusion

In overall, the interaction between the parents or guardians, teachers, and the school administrators contribute significantly towards motivating the 7th-grade middle school students, thereby enhancing their academic performance and helping them embrace acceptable social behaviors both in their school environments and homes. Through the interactions among the parents, teachers, and school administrations, the 7th-grade students usually get encouraged to commit themselves to class works and focus on both their educational and social goals, thereby giving them a sense of belongingness. Besides, 7th-grade students, who receive motivation from a combined effort of their parents or guardians, teachers, and school administrations, usually achieve greater academic and social success. It is, therefore, important to encourage the motivation of 7th-grade middle school students through the interaction between their parents or guardians, their teachers, and school administrations.

References

Daniels, E. (2011). Creating Motivating Learning Environments: Teachers Matter. Middle School Journal, 43(2), 32-37. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00940771.2011.11461799

Ellis, M., Lock, G., & Lummis, G. (2015). Parent-Teacher Interactions: Engaging with Parents and Carers. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 40(5). http://dx.doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2015v40n5.9

Pescaru, A. (2012). Teachers and parents in a community of learners. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 33, 268-272. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.01.125

Schaefer, M., Rivera, L., & Ophals, E. (2010). Creating a Collaborative Career Development Program for Middle Grades Students. Middle School Journal, 42(2), 30-38. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00940771.2010.11461754