By helping them understand how the subject matter relates to them and that it can be useful in the future.
By demonstrating competence.
Hi Myung,
You make a great point about how everyone has to be on board with making the students feel welcome and supported. With all that the students are facing sometimes the smallest thing can send a student into crisis. By having the entire college staff buying in to supporting these students then the retention rate for these students will be higher and their success greater.
Gary
I have found that motivating students is one of the biggest challenges of our school. Many of our students come from low income families, are single parents, or have full time jobs making it difficult for them to put their education at the top of their priorities list. Through time I've learned that motivating students requires involving all staff and faculty members. Showing the student that everybody is involved and rooting for the students' success gives students a sense of empowerment and motivation.
Hi Mark,
This "connecting of the dots" for students is very important. They have to see the relevancy and application of what they are studying to their career goals. Once they see that then they can catch fire and get after their classes.
Gary
One way I help motivate my students is to show them the direct relationship between what they are learning in the course and their career goals. Too often, students feel as if classes are just hoops they have to jump through. In my experience, when I show them that the knowledge and skills they are acquiring is intrinsically connected to their lives and will immediately benefit them, they are much more enthusiastic.
Hi Allana,
Well said. This is the "aha" moment for both we instructors and our students. This is why we do what we do. We are leaving a legacy when we send a new group of graduates out into the work place knowing they are well prepared to be successful in their careers.
Gary
Hi Craig,
Welcome to the profession. I know you are going to enjoy being an instructor. You have good ideas about how to make your instruction relevant. This will help to keep the students engaged and focused on why they are in the field.
Gary
There is so much to learn and so much this world has to offer, when we have students who realize their dreams and ambitions, it is the best feeling ever!
Not only are we the fuel, but sometimes, we are the only source of communication for the student. Everday we have the ability to inspire and impact our students, if they do not receive this outside of school, then they do look upon their teachers as mentors as well. We are role models to our students, the eye is on us all the time, we must live up to these standards.
Hi Teresa,
Good example of how to motivate students while reducing their stress. By having them do something like this you are providing them a bit of a think break so they can catch their breath give their brain a break and be ready to get back to the course content.
Gary
I am a new instuctor of Anatomy. I bring real life stories to the class. I am natural health provider using multiple modalities in the healing process. I also plan to make a field trip to body worlds exhibit to see real anatomy in action which is much different than reading in a book.
Relaying personal experiences is a wonderful way to develop rapport but it has a downside also. If the teacher is always doing a one-up after student experiences they will lose the rapport. Personal experiences as examples of concepts and interventions is valuable. An insecure teacher might share unrelated experiences to inflate their position or power. That must be avoided. As in all things, balance, balance, balance. Too much of YOU can refocus the class to YOU and a teacher is a facilitator not the course itself.
The key to student desire to learn is to have the instructor be excited, motivated, prepared, and ready to go. Being on time, starting on time, moving at a pace the students are always having to reach for, constant feedback and discussion, ever-changing learning style methods, and entuhsiasm will help students feel the energy of the learning environment. The instructor is the fuel for the engine. I hope it is hi-test!
To have my students become motivated, I have them fill out a fun quiz to break the ice and then explain the answers. Having the students relax helps them to understand that class doesn't have to be stressful and this CAN be an exciting place.
I try to show the students how the new skill will benefit them in their career. They are usually excited to apply new skills outside of the classroom.
I agree that writing is a crucial skill for later life and it also facilitates a student learning how to organize their thoughts. But I have students who fear to write - so I work on ways to defuse their anxiety: short exercises in class, for instance, on a very limited topic. Then, of course, it becomes a manner of spending enough time marking up their writing in a tone that is positive yet also helps them discard stylistic bad habits.
Hi Cynthia,
You have a great approach to how you are teaching them to develop effective written communication skills. You are making their skill development an essential part of application and relevancy. When they complete the course they will skills that will serve them for the rest of their lives. This is a very valuable legacy for which you can be very proud.
Gary
I agree that keeping up with current events is a great way to bring in revelant experience or situations into the classroom discussions. If I see an article on a topic a student is researching, I always clip it and bring it to the class for discussion. I encourage other students to do the same -- share information about documentaries, films, news shows, articles, etc. they believe would help provide good discussion material.
Vonda, good questions to ask students! I teach composition, so I ask them what they like or do not like about writing? What would they like to learn more about or need help with the most?
