Cold motivation
Motivating your students is not always easy. There are days where the only motivation you can give them is a simple "thank you" for their showing up to class due to situations in their own life, though this is not an excuse for them to skip their work and study obligation to your class. What I have found, if the student cares, is that the best motivation to move them is their grade. They work, they get rewarded; they don't, they fail. It sounds cold, but it is the bottom line.
James,
This is one of my hot buttons. Students enroll in college, pay tuition and then don't come to class or don't do the work and then complain when they are not given an A. As instructors we do not give grades students earn them and they have to get their concept their their brains if they are going to be successful students.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I can't agree more with you entitlement thought. Education cannot be treated like 8 yr old soccer. Not everyone gets a trophy for just participating. Synthesis and ultimately application are the tests of successful learning, but not necessarily successful teaching.
I can't agree more with you entitlement thought. Education cannot be treated like 8 yr old soccer. Not everyone gets a trophy for just participating. Synthesis and ultimately application are the tests of successful learning, but not necessarily successful teaching.
Linda,
Thank you for these comments about how to reinforce and support student learning. They are right on in terms of the value that can be gained from students when they have this kind of support.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
As with raising children, positive reinforcement is so much more effective (and pleasant!) than negative attention/words. Sometime we need to seek with great effort to find something nice to say but the rewards are well worth it. Complimenting a student on a great response, paper, or answer seems to empower them, encouraging them on to bigger and better things. They stand straighter and smile broadly, that inner light is glowing! As with Maslow's theory, when we are in a "good place" and feel confident, we are open to learning.
"You don't walk into a job the first day and get a paycheck. You have to do something to earn it."
Great words Kevin, I like that philosophy and believe that may help my students to hear something along those lines. Thanks
Joseph,
Good comments about how to work through students that have this attitude. Support is given but in the end it is their decision as to how they are going to do in the class.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I had a student in a class once that had this opinion that a student should get an A just for showing up for class. Uh, no. A possible reason for him being in school in the first place is that his parents made him go, due to the implication that he will be thrown out of his house if he fails. Also, check his other classes. What kind of grades is he getting in them? Failing or passing ones? If failing, then it's no surprise. If he's passing, it's possible he doesn't like the subject matter of your class. Nevertheless, you've warned him that he will fail. For now, all you can do is watch and wait. Bottom line, you can only motivate so much; the rest is up to them.
Joe, how do you motivate a student who just doesn't want to be there and grades dont motivate him? I have a student who told me he will get kicked out of his parents house if he fails. He's failing and doesn't care. He's in his early 20's and I get one word answers when I try to speak to him as an adult. Only time will tell. I got his mother involved so we will see what happens now.
I do agree with this statement somewhat. Providing students with their grade is a very cut and dry way to motivate them to do better, but I think that the attitude of the instructor has a huge impression. I am a big fan of this method, but also encouraging them to do better with positive feedback, such as, "You are so smart. I know you can do better!"
I do agree with this statement somewhat. Providing students with their grade is a very cut and dry way to motivate them to do better, but I think that the attitude of the instructor has a huge impression. I am a big fan of this method, but also encouraging them to do better with positive feedback, such as, "You are so smart. I know you can do better!"
Kevin,
The key element in your approach is the word "earn". So many students come into class with the entitlement mentality that says since I paid tuition I have bought an A. You are letting them know that they must earn the A just as it will be out in the workplace where they earn their paycheck.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I used to start my classes with the statement that students were starting my class with an "F". This was contrary to what they had been told before. This is how the real world works. You don't walk into a job the first day and get a paycheck. You have to do something to earn it.
I would make my students earn the grade they wanted. This can be a harsh approach, but I have found it works well with the "entitlement generation".
If we incorporate that into the material though, do you think that we are doing a service or a disservice to our student population by giving them a dose of "harsh reality" about the expectations of an employer? I ask because I go over this in conjunction with my career services department, and I've received mixed reviews about it. Some of my graduates have thanked me for the preparation, whereas some of my current students think it's harsh; the latter comes from the younger population however.
Joseph,
You last sentence is on point when it comes to reinforcement. Many of our students are operating on the "entitlement" wave length. They are entitled to a grade since they paid tuition to attend school. The work world does not operate that way and they need to understand that so they can focus on acquiring the needed knowledge and skills that will enable them to have career success.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
