Motivating the fearful
I teach math and many students enter the classroom already hating the subject. They think they are really bad at it and are terrified that they will fail. I need to make them feel successful and then make them enjoy the subject. It becomes a delicate balance because they can't enjoy it until they are successful but they fear it so much that they fail to realize at first that they can be successful. Once they start seeing true success, they start enjoying the class and they start being successful. The trick to show them true success not fake or candy-coated success. I love it when they say "Wow, I am good at this" because that's when they become good math students.
Hi James,
You have a very good approach to drawing out these students. Keep up the good work.
I try to develop a high level of rapport with these types of students so they will start to share and open up more with me. They generally start to show some excitement when talking with me and I encourage them all I can as we talk. Before long their excitement spreads to a few of the students and around them and it grows from there.
I have also had these students report on a special project that they have researched and are very excited about. This really helps them to get more involved in the course as well. They see how they can develop and earn the respect of their fellow students by sharing their knowledge.
Gary
Gary,
I am an instructor at a music industry institution, and I encounter a social fear in the occasional student that I would call "the aloof defense." Some students are afraid of showing enthusiasm because they view it as a social vulnerability, not because they fear saying the wrong answer. I have found that addressing this kind of behavior directly only pushes them further into their shells. However, if I begin the first day of class by explaining how social fear can stifle our personal, and professional, growth--rather than singling out particular students in a reactionary way--I get much better results. Also, of course, I try to lead by example. Are there any other methods that you would recommend for motivating those students who are afraid of showing enthusiasm?
Hi Nancy,
The key is "confidence" and you hit on it. They have to be shown that they can succeed and they will start to believe that they can. It is a like the little train that chugs "I think I can, I think I can."
Gary
I'm not a math instructor, but I find that this is a challenge that I face with many older students. While I notice that they generally take their education more seriously and try harder than some traditional aged students, it takes awhile for them to believe that they actually can succeed. I find that being available to them and being ready with suggestions on study techniques and feedback about their progress can "get them over the hump".
On day one after the preliminaries such as syllabus, curriculum and competencies are discussed and understood, I also discuss success strategies.
Another successful method that has worked for me is that I often ask the students "What do you think?". This helps me assess their thought process and better informs me on what method of teaching he or she will respond to best.
Hi Joyce,
Thank you for those great comments about how to have success with math students. This is good news for all math instructors. The key is to do what you are doing and that is to provide the opportunity for early success and it only builds from there.
Gary
