Motivating Students
Motivating students is probably one of the most important and rewarding aspects to develop and maintain with students. What are some good strategies to incorporate with respect to this.
Kareem,
By doing this you are increasing the value of your course to your students. They get to see the connection between the course content and real world applications. The result is relevance in the minds of the students. So keep sharing those great experiences with your students.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I usually motivate my students by sharing more of the real world experiences I encountered. It usually helps a lot and the students are always tuned in.
Mindy,
What I do in cases like this is try to find a person that will talk with that individual student. Ideally I try to get a recent graduate that is doing well in his or her career. By having a chat with the unmotivated student the graduate and share how the course content is used and why it is important to acquire the information and skills. Sometimes this individual attention and the information from the graduate is enough to help the student to "catch fire" and see the value of the course. Sadly for some students nothing changes their attitude and the end of failing the course but in the end it is their decision as to which way they want to go.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Great Point. I recently had a student ask me how the software program I teach is relevant to the field. Before I could give examples I had a student burst out that he had visited a studio and that was the software they used. Sometimes it's a gray area for students because they haven't experienced it first hand and they are left wondering why they are learning it.
That same student is still struggling with motivation. I have sat with the student one on one and encouraged his/her progress. I have even offered to meet outside of class. I have heard nothing from him/her. What other suggestions do you have to help inspire and motivate this student before it's too late?
Mindy
Jill,
This is valuable support for students as they need to know the hows and whys of the mistake so they can come back and do it right the next time. Our educational system does not account for mistakes and do overs. We need to factor these into our instructional strategy because the safest place to make a mistake is in the classroom or lab. This way they won't make as many mistakes once they are in the field.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I feel it is especially important to encourage a student when they have made an attempt and failed. I let them know that not everything goes by the text book and a failed attempt should allow them to analyze what to do different the next time and then let them know what a great job they did for attempting something new.
Tonaya,
I think this is a great strategy because it brings value to the course content because you help the students to connect what they are learning to their future. The more connections you can make the greater the engagement.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Sometimes during coursework the reason behind learning about a topic can be lost or not fully understood by all students. I like to stop in the middle of a lesson and point out the 'W's." The who, what, when, where, why and how of what we are talking about. This really helps them understand and tie together what we are talking about and what they are learning in other courses. This in turn motivates them to learn more or retain the information because they understand the importance and relevance of the topic.
Frankie,
I am sure your students really get excited when these days come around. Getting to sample what you did in your restaurant lets them get an idea of how the real work operates and what it is going to take in terms of their own skills and expertise to be successful.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I take one or two lab days and I make something different that I used to cook in my restaurant. So I encourage them to search for new and challenging recipes and cooking trends.
PAUL,
Informal exchanges like this go a long way in helping students to feel comfortable in class. This forms the foundation upon which respect is developed.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I like to connect with the students as soon as possible,Like hey thats a nice hair cut,nice jacket.I also like to say their are no wrong answers when we are having open discussion.
Brian,
There are several strategies you can use to engage and motivate students. One, is to tie what you are teaching directly to their earning and career potential. This way they can see the value of the content being offered. I have program graduates come in and talk about how they are using the material/skills as well as how their careers are going and this really motivates students. Another is to personalize the content for students. Show them how they can use it in their lives and how applications can be made outside of the classroom or lab. Another is to make learning somewhat of a mystery by asking questions about the next session of class. Ask a question or have the students do some reflection on what will be covered in the next class and when they come back then you can answer the question you asked as they were leaving the previous class.
Above all you need to be a dynamic, inspirational, and passionate educator. By being a learning leader that is a enthusiastic you will provide opportunities for the students to become motivated.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
