Discussion 1: Motivators
Imagine that you are a preschool teacher. Describe a situation in which you would use an extrinsic reward to motivate a preschooler. Discuss how these motivators could result in learned helplessness. Now, give examples and explain how you can lead the same child to achieve intrinsic motivation by becoming his or her own locus of control. Keep in mind that your end goal is for the child to be intrinsically motivated so that he or she has ownership of the behavior.
Discussion 2: Control
The role of the microsystem in shaping children's effortful control is important and parents play a critical role. After reading the text and viewing the "Life at 3: Bad Behavior" video, address the following:
- What would you recommend to a parent who asks you what he or she can do to promote his or her preschool child's self-regulation skills?
- Now turning to the mesosystem, identify examples of influences on the child's effortful control you can share with the parent.
- Provide examples of influences on children's effortful control that you have observed in your own family and other families who are close to you.