Motivating Resistant Students
As an English instructor, I often encounter students who refuse to engage in any lessons because they simply "hate" the subject. They stress that they don't hate me, per se, just the material. I try to make it fun and relevant for them, but some just refuse to engage because they have a predetermined dislike or perceived ineptitude of the subject. What are some tips for general education instructors to motivate resistant students?
I am in the same boat as Douglas, (3 week window)after a while we develope a hyper sensativity for the students needs as motivation goes. Altho there are those very resistant few that 3 weeks does not provide enough time to peel the layers back enough to get to the core of the resistance. There are others that we get almost there and the time is up.
Douglas, your challenge is obvious and my hat is off to you as three weeks is a very short time to learn enough about students to understand their motivations. Do you incorporate any homework or after hours exercises that provide you with more data you can analyze to better learn about your students? Thanks for anything you can share.
James Jackson
Would you believe that at a school that teaches automotive technology you would have restsistance to a class on performance engines? We do. Our courses are only three weeks long and that gives us a very short time to motivate our students. I start first hour of class, I introduce myself, lay out the course content and explain why this course is relevant to thier feild of endeavor. Then as they introduce themselves to me I ask them what they want to learn/get from the class. Show them you are taking notes on who wants what. This gives them a voice in their education and gets them involved before the first lecture or lab.
Krystel, I have experienced this for many years and have found that students just need to better understand how your subject matter impacts their bottom line with respect to getting a job, retaining that job and advancing to even better jobs. English is a common subject that students tend to not understand the importance with respect to getting a job and eventual advancement. Just about every job description today includes language about written and oral language skills. One technique I have used is to bring in a guest speaker that has experience as a hiring manager and have them discuss the importance of English skills in job placement and advancement. Once students understand how your specific class can impact their ability to first get a job and the full impact of total earning potential they tend to make more of an effort. I hope this provides some level of insight. Happy to discuss further if you have more specific questions.
James Jackson
I do think relevance is the key to helping students understand the necessity of those subjects (like English)they deem unnecessary. You might try using texting and/or email/FB abbreviations throughout a lesson to drive home the point that grammar counts (Let's eat Grandma or Let's eat, Grandma). Once the students actually see it in print, and have a little fun with it, it becomes more of a game/challenge.
