Coming to class with excitement for your subject being taught. Having clear expectations and goals set . Showing the students that you care and you are enthused about what you are teaching.
I agree there are several of my students that have no support outside of school to help them grow.
I agree with Alice. Our students look up us as role models because some are the first in their family to go to college and the classroom experience needs to be positive for them.
BE A PART OF YOUR LIFE HISTORY. THAT IS TO SAY BE OPEN ABOUT THE THINGS THAT WEREN'T SO GREAT AND THOSE ITEMS THAT CARRIED YOU BEYOUND YOUR GREATEST EXPECTIONS.
Hi Larry,
Right! If you aren't then the students are going to pick up on it and it is going to be a difficult class to teach.
Gary
By knowing and being confident of the material in your field, resulting in a more exciting class.
I really enjoy my job so I’m constantly trying to find ways to improve the students’ experiences and my performance. I recognize that one of my functions as a facilitator is to motivate my students. These are some of the methods that I use:
• Provide speedy and detailed feedback to their assignments- Within my feedback I applaud them for the things that they’ve done correctly and encourage them on the things that may have missed or misunderstood. I also let them know that they can come to me at any time with any questions/concerns that they have.
• Humanize the classroom- I want my students to feel as if they are part of the learning process and not just listening to what I tell them so I address them directly to get their input and thank them for any input that they provide.
• Admit faults- I believe that it comforts some students when they have an instructor that can admit to making mistakes. Mistakes shouldn’t be made frequently, but students are motivated to be active in their grades/learning when they feel they can talk to the instructor about what they perceive to be wrong as opposed to being shunned by the authoritative figure.
Hi Lisa,
You are modeling what you expect of your students and this is so important. Keep up the hard work and enthusiasm, you are making a difference in the lives of your students as you already know.
Gary
I always appear excited and fresh with the material I am presenting. My students always remark that they enjoy that I'm upbeat, happy and energetic. That's how I motivate students. By example.
I like to play jeopardy in my classroom and have pizza ordered. The jeopardy playing game gets them motivated and have a competing attitude because they are in groups going against each other
Those are all great qualities to inspire and motivate students. Good for you for showing energy and enthusiasm. These are the things that students will always tell you that may be lacking..
Hi Jamie,
All good ideas of how to better influence and impact students. By showing the human side of being an educator you are making a connection with the students and demonstrating to them they are valued. This sets the stage for respect which then can be developed both directions.
Gary
Hi Susan,
Such a simple thing can bring such great results.
Gary
There are many ways an instructor can be motivating to students. The first is to recognize them as a respected member of the class, allowing them to be individuals and express individual desires, goals, and so forth. I also believe that enthusiam is catching; if I'm motivated and enthusiastic about the subject, the students will also be more likely to be enthusiastic and eager. Another way to motivate your students is to be human. We're all members of the human race, so we need to act like it. We should never be a "stuffed shirt" and treat our students as second-class citizens just because they're students. We cannot be social friends with our students, but we most certainly can be professional friends.
Entering the room with a smile is an excellent start to the class prior to the lesson plan.
Hi Theresa,
I am always amazed at how hard adult students will work for smiley faces. We are really just kids at heart no matter our age.
Gary
Getting to know the students and thier goals helps me know how to motivate them. I know some instructors who use grades at motivators, while others use other means. For example, my daughter doesn't use grades on anything but projects and tests; everything else gets smily or sad faces. Her students like to show off thier smiley faces to other students verus the letter grades.
We used to use candy as a form of motivating, but now the campus has a no food/drink policy in the classrooms; so that is out.
Reward your students not just for the A's and B's they get reward them as humans taking on a challenge and succeeding at that challenge. Life is baby steps and sometime we as instructors need to be there to help them take those steps and not only help them up when the fall, but also tell them falling is part of the process and it is ok to make kistakes as long as you learn from them.
Hi Sandra,
All good points. Thank you for sharing them with us. I want to reinforce your point about the real world. So many of our students are not ready for the real world when they complete their studies. They need extensive experience in transferring their skills from the classroom to the work world.
Gary
Make sure that you are show clarity and expertise on your subject from the first day of class. By using real-life examples of the profession in which you are teaching will assist with an understanding of the material. If the student understands the subject well, they will enjoy your class. Instruct the students on the long-term goals of being a success in the field. Be sure to be enthusiastic and honest.
