ABSTRACT
A central feature of the humanist perspective in psychology is a concern for the individual, especially the relevance of learning to the individual. Fundamental to successful learning is the extent to which the child is interested in and motivated by his learning experiences. In fact, evidence exists that without adequate motivation even the brightest children fail to achieve. A significant factor in motivation is the extent to which the child expects to succeed, the feeling that a task or problem can be solved satisfactorily. The way a child views him or herself as a learner is an essential feature of the successful completion of school tasks. This suggests that an understanding of ‘self concept’, is of considerable importance for the intending teacher. As Conner suggests in a later extract (pp. 368-72), if a child is failing to learn, might it not be something to do with the perception the learner has of him or herself as well as the way in which the teacher has organized the learning activity. The next extract by Yamamoto attempts to explain what is meant by ‘self concept’ and discusses the importance of a knowledge of the self concept for the teacher. He argues that the way in which a child perceives him or herself is fundamental in their motivation to learn.
