Motivation and Personal Relationship
Motivation is tied tightly to solid, professional relationship building in the class. It is my experience that once trust is established and once there is at least comfortable familiarity between the instructor and the student, motivation is significantly enabled. How? first, a relationship of trust lends itself to the student choosing to respond affirmatively to motivational activities. there is more "buy in." Secondly, with an established relationship, the instructor is in a much better position to learn the specific ways and means to best and most effectively motivate the individual and the whole class as a group. Motivation works best when it's foundation is personal relationships of trust.
Kris, absolutely correct. You are their instructor not their close personal friend. With today's technologies and web sites such as myspace and facebook, it is easier for instructor's to cross the line. I have and continue to make it my personal policy never to "friend" a student on facebook.
I agree completely that a good rapport is important to good teaching. It helps keep students motivated, and greatly reduces diciplinary issues. However, it is very important not to cross the line of professionalism. "Be friendly, but not their friend" is a good guidline. Getting to the point where students believe they are your "friend" may often make dicipline more difficult, and students often lose focus of class goals.
Kris Bet
Hi Adam,
Well said. The key is "buy in" as you say and if we can get that our jobs become easier as we earn the respect of our students while developing rapport with them.
Gary
