Many students fear writing classes. To motivate learners, I make the material revelant to their lives -- effective communication is valued in the work place. Thus, to impress your boss (or next professor), put forth a lot of energy and hard work into your writing in this class. Learn from your mistakes. I tell them that learning to write well entails lots of practice, and learning to recognize and correct one's mistakes is key to building confidence. Students want detailed and specific feedback on their writing. I make sure I sandwich it with praise - constructive criticism - more praise. Furthermore, I never use a red pen.
I can help my students to become motivated by being enthused about the course myself. If I set expectations for the students upfront and the students meet their goals they will be excited therefore motivated to continue with the course. Motivation comes from within and the areas that the students lack we have to encourage their weakness to make them stronger:-D
Hi Edna,
Your point is a good one. Excitement is contagious. Success generates motivation. So by offering students a variety of ways to succeed class management is going to be easier and career development higher.
Gary
First, be postive and passionate about the course; and share the passion with the students. If there are students that do not follow your enthusiasm, show a bit of personal concern to try to draw them out. Once in a while you may have a student that still does not respond, but very rarely.
Give them personal experiences that I have had. Let them know the end result is rewarding as it was for me, the skies the limit!
Hi Theresa,
Great explanation of how an instructor can be supportive to and for their students. "Reading" students is a must so the instructor can make the adjustments necessary to keep everyone on target in terms of the learning process.
Gary
Using VIsual, Auditory and Kinesthetic language, you can, through motivational speaking, demonstrate excitement visually (with gestures, images, examples), auditorily (with voice modulation, tempo, timbre and tone), and kinesthetically (with touch, motion, and props such as real life examples e.g. objects). Ask student questions about what excites them, and relate the topic to their responses. Guage their level of excitement by using sensory acuity (as their non-verbal communication is 93% and verbal answers are only 7%). Determining if a learner is an active or passive learner is also effective by finding common ground for the passive learner (such as what their interests are - like tatoos, or music, and relate commonality from their model of the world to the topic of the course).
Hi Cody,
The making of the course "real" by showing your students their future through financial return helps to motivate them and their study efforts. Keep up the good job of helping the students to have a vision of their future career.
Gary
Hi Anita,
This is a great way of bringing everyone on board right from the beginning of the course. The meet and greet helps to set the tone for the course and get the students settled into the course.
Gary
I agree Deborah, it is always interesting to tell students about the wonders of the world but they also have to know what they are going to have to achieve in class to experience those wonders.
Explain to the students what they are going to get out of this class and what effect it will have on there career in the future.
Hi Debra,
Thanks for your comments. Many of my students are nervous about school and worry about whether or not they can succeed. Providing encouragement and a comfortable environment for learning seems to help them settle into the class and start on positive footing.
I have to agree with your statement. If the students see that you had to overcome some of the same obstacles they are encountering, they tend to start thinking that they can get through this class and on to the next to get out into the working environment regardless of the circumstances.
I try to use real world factors as motivation. Let students know how course objectives will help them succeed in their profession. Financial sucess related to the application of the course can also be motivating.
I try to communicate my interest and enthusiasm for the subject. My subject (economics) happens to be very relevant to our times, and I do my best to communicate how it is relevant, how it affects my students lives directly. In addition, I let them know that, while there are standards that they must meet, the course is a safe environment where they will be treated with respect.
I send students a welcome email the first week of class. The email includes information on class resources and tips to help them settle in to the class.
I also set up a 'meet and greet" online forum so they can get to know others in the class. I respond to each student who posts a greeting in the forum.
Hi Vince,
Great philosophy of education. Sounds like you are having a great time of being an instructor and that you share your job of learning with your students. I know this is catching and that your students benefit from your excitement. You are giving them a legacy of learning that will benefit them for their entire careers.
Gary
I believe that motivating others should be a natural overflow of being motivated yourself. Not only should there be passion about the subject, but zeal about how the subject will enrich the student’s life.
Energy is contagious. Some of the best instructors I had were teachers I did not even care about. This one English instructor I had in middle school was so passionate about literature that it inspired us to read on write. He would read us excerpts from our writings and tell us about all the cool things he had learned through reading. For a youth who could care less about books, he was a great model.
Being a teacher, I think some of my most motivational lessons came from when I found a new love for the field. Reading something that challenges the way I think, learning new information, or mastering a new technique. When I am excited and enthusiastic about my subject, then my students benefit from the overflow.
I find that instructor enthusiasm and passion for the subject matter makes a huge difference in keeping students motivated. If the instructor is bored with the topic, the students will be as well.
Hi Kelly,
You are right about be contagious with your excitement. It does spread. A chipper perky person in the morning does help those that are a bit draggy. This type of attitude will help to engage them for the day and learning will be enhanced.
Gary
