My positive attitude and enthusiasm convinces my students that I am interested in what I am teaching and that I know what I'm talking about. I use current examples showing how they will use the information they learn in my classroom, and this motivates them to experiment themselves with what they have learned about in my classroom. I challenge them to be as creative as they would like to be, and this is a motivator as they see unbelievable creativity come from their classmates.
I implement role-playing and simulations as much as possible with my students. This gives them an active role in learning which usually promotes motivation. Also, because most of the time the role-playing and simulations can be fun, students later express their surprise at how much they actually learned from it!
Michelle,
This is a part of connecting their current status as students with their future. By understanding why they are there and where they want to go you can develop both their respect and rapport.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
I like to find out what brought them to obtain this schooling and then utilize my teachings and information provided to follow that path. If I am able to make it interesting for the students and trigger their interest, then I have their motivation.
Angela,
They sure do. These stories help to make the content come alive for them and show relevancy to what they are studying.
Gary
Students seem to really like real live success stories of the things we are learning about,it spurs on their excitement to continue on their chosen path
I instruct in the medical field in a lab. As I walk around watching them practice what I have just demonstrated, I try to find ways to encourage them and compliment them on their efforts.
Motivating students is always a challenge. I see the best results when I teach with enthusiasm and professionalism. Keeping a positive attitude and leading with proper techniques and best practices are also some techniques I always use.
I try to help students become motivated about couresework by incorporating real world activities into the course.
Incorporate clinical scenarios/stories from personal experience. Ask them about their experiences relevant to the course material. Engage their understanding and connect it to the material they are learning in class
One way to motivate the students about the course would be to bring in a guest speaker to show them where their education can take them. It can show them that all their hard work will pay off in the end.
Marsha,
The more integration of different learning preferences that you can incorporate in the learning process the higher the content retention is going to be. You are right on target with the strategies you are using.
Gary
I enjoy motivating my students thru demonstaration. I have found that cosmetology students are visual learners, demonstrations probe so many questions and at the same time allow students to attmept the assignment.
James,
Very good point. Understanding the reason(s) for being in school is very important for instructors. They then can customize their delivery and support to help keep adult students in school and making progress toward their career goals.
Gary
This has been a subject I've spent a lot of time thinking about. I wrote an article, wherein I discussed the topic: "Clarity and Truth: In support of "Real Education" in College Curriculums." Malcolm Knowles proposed an adult learning theory, he called it Andragogy based on the idea of learning through experience. Although he didn’t go so far as to say that motivation cannot be influenced by outside forces, he made it clear that internal motivation was paramount. What I proposed in my article was that motivation was the result of one or more of the following: Apprehension (Fear), Invitation or Desire. Most career school students come to school out of Apprehension. They fear that their lives won't improve unless they get to school. I try to take that fear factor and change it to desire. I try to get them to see that there is a world out there that they can have an influence on if they try.
One of my assignments is to teach first mod students. I have found that students seem to be motivated when I work with them to write an autobiography and a resume. Seeing in formal writing where they have been appears to be concrete for them. Also, these are updated at the end of each mod so again they can read about themselves in a professional setting. These assignments also can help with positive self-esteem. Are there other suggestions?
Jennifer,
Student really like real world situations don't they. I think the stories help to make real the content that is being studied in addition to the relevance they bring to information.
Gary
I have found that telling real world situations that apply to the subject that the students are currently learning gives them great motivation. It gets them excited about learning and applying what they have learned in a real life situation.
Kendall,
You are doing a great job of motivating students in an area that they have a fear of and/or must complete to move on or both. By making math an everyday part of their lives plus the games you are engaging them as you say. This is what good teaching is all about. Keep up the good work.
Gary
Being a math instructor, I find it especially difficult to get students motivated and excited about math. I walk in everyday showing the excitement that I have toward math and how motivated I am to teach it to them (at first they thought I was crazy, now they are starting to feel that excitement themselves as they solve problems on their own). I also start each class with a math game, which at first they were reluctant to, but once they got comfortable with it, now all they want to do is play the math game. So, they walk in and are instantly excited to start with the game, because at the end of the class the person who has won the most wins bonus points toward the final exam. I also found that during class, when I am able to break from the book, we play another round of the game, to keep them engaged during class. As far as having them become motivated about math, I just reinforce that math is involved everywhere in our everyday lives. No matter what they are studying to become, math will be used somehow someway in their careers. Because they are already motivated about getting into their career fields, knowing that the math they are learning is involved, they are more motivated about math. If anyone has any other suggestions to get students motivated to learn math, I'm listening!
