I find that enthusiasm and passion about the subject you teach can go a long way in being the motivator. I have been in my field for over 20 years. My experiences that I talk about during class, I feel, speak volumes about how I feel about my career path. I use that to bring the students as close to the reality of their chosen career path as I can. I am very passionate about what I do. I feel that I project that in every lecture I give and every lab project I oversee.
Jeremy,
Good point about motivation. The more we know about our students the more accurately we can target our motivational efforts. For some students that are facing massive life challenges a friendly word and kind greeting are enough to get them excited about that day's class and forget for a while what faces them at home.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
My favorite method of motivation is to identify what drives a student. Are they motivated by their children, living situation, or financial status? Once this has been identified, it becomes slightly easier to reach and motivate the individual. It is also easier to motivate a student who feels that the instructor is genuinely interested in his or her success and well-being.
Thomas,
Good ideas for instructors to remember and follow because excitement about the content and real life stories to support it help to keep the students focused on the content they are learning.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Be knowledgable and excited about your material. Use real life experiences as examples, draw your students into the conversations.
Tamika,
Good comments and suggestions for effective instruction. The key is to be dedicated to teaching and passionate about your conent.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
By making sure you know your material and by being excited to teach it. Walk around the classroom while lecturing. Ask questions to make sure they are understanding the material. Have dicsussions. I can go on and on.
You have to show them that learning can be interesting and exciting. No matter child or adult, they want the person teaching them to be knowledgeable and exciting.
Kathy,
Thank you sharing this strategy with us. Many instructors struggle with how to get students into the assigned reading and this is a quick and efficient way to do so. You have created a culture that the students want to excel on these quizzes.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I give a 3-point quiz at the beginning of each class that is based on a small segment of their assigned reading. Students know ahead of time which section or pages the quiz will entail. You may not think a quiz sounds like a motivational tool, yet it is just that! I give six questions of one-half point each. The questions are word for word from the reading... no analysis required on these quizzes. Students feel proud to receive their grades and are rewarded for reading and studying the material. They feel ready for the exam when the time comes for testing.
Kathy
Rebecca,
Like your style. You have enthusiasm and passion which are two essential elements of teaching success. Keep up the good work.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Norma,
When you have a student that was on the bubble in terms of leaving school and decides to stay in school and then graduate you have to feel great. You have made a difference in the life of that student and this is one of the major rewards of being a teacher.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Jeffrey,
Your last sentence sums it up very well. We are motivators in relation to our role as learning leaders.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Helping our students get motivated is sometimes a struggle. At the mid-point of their program they seem to be in 'check-out' mode. But as an instructor I show them all they have learned while still letting them know they have a way to go. I am very animated when I lecture and give them all my energy. Once I can 'infect' them with my enthusiasm, they too are motivated once more.
Staying motivated as an instructor is an everyday task..specially when dealing with students who everyday have a reason to quit. I like to remind my students why coming to school is always a positive step towards changing what must be. Reminding them how they are wanted, needed, and care for as students. As an instructor, knowing that I am taking part of my students goals motivates me to want to be a better instructor.
Recognize students abilities, form appropriate plans to move forward, and be enthusiastic immediately come to mind. A name for a true teacher is motivator.
Eduardo,
Students like recognition and reward for work well done. We need to make this a regular part of instructional strategy.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Darilyn ,
Good strategy because you are setting the stage for their success. If "future certified _______ technician" does not reach the end of the course successful it is on them since you have already given them the mental picture of how their title will read and the success that comes with that title.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
rewarding students with thier work by giving them praise for their success and good grades.
English can often be a tough one when it comes to motivating the students who've come in with the certainty that they "absolutely hate English." On the first day I like to have them brainstorm some real-life examples of how writing skills are vitally important in the working world. We talk about how a well-written resume is far more impressive than one with grammatical errors, and we also discuss how even a well-written email to your boss can result in respect and a positive rapport.
Then I let them know that they've just mastered an important pre-writing strategy in the process (brainstorming)!
Some of the ways that I am a motivating instructor are to always be positive. This can be accomplished by speaking as well as showing a positive attitude. For expample, I make it a habit to refer to your students (when addressing as a group)as "future certified ____ technicians" or whatever they will become upon graduation. The more they hear these positive words, the more they will believe them as much as you do!
