Hi Carlos,
You make a good point about the need to keep reminding the students about where they are at in the course and how far they have come. They get worn down and need that kind of encouragement throughout.
Gary
For every lab meeting I make sure that I greet my students and inform them of what the daily objectives are. At the beginning and throughout the course I inform students of what I expect from them. I let them know that I am available to assist them and that I anticipate on each of them crossing the finish line. Midway through the program reminding students how close they are to finishing the program always serves as a good motivating tool.
I believe that a personal enthusiasm for the subject is one of the best ways of motivating students. Excitement is contagious and if people see you fully engaged in a topic, it makes them take a closer look to see what all the hoopla is about. I use alot of personal anecdotes about working in the field, which also gives some "street cred" to the material covered. This helps demonstrate that the enthusiasm is not just from a theoretical viewpoint, but also from a practical one, as well.
Hi Barry,
I am always surprised at students when they realize that what they are learning can be applied in real life. "Why do they think there are colleges that teach these topics?" So the more we can help them connect the dots between the content and life the better prepared they will be when they graduate.
Gary
I found that keeping current on the happenings of your field is a good way of getting students motivated about their career choice. Frequently my feild makes headlines and I bring the article into class and relate it to what they have learn't thus far. Students get a sense of accomplishment when they realize they have learn't something applicable to real life
Hi Karen,
Yes, students really like stories and examples from their instructors on how things happened in the field. So bring in the stories and let them reinforce the content you are sharing.
Gary
Hi Susan,
Right you are. We don't always know what in their backgrounds causes them to behave like they do so the more support we can provide the greater their motivation can become.
Gary
Hi Audrey,
Good information about how to work with diverse student groups. You are right classes have their personalities and so we have to adapt and adjust our instructional delivery to make sure we keep them engaged throughout the course.
Gary
I find in doing so you open lines of communication with the students to foster a more enriching instructor/teacher relationship.
I too make every student feel welcomed and comfortable enough to speak to me and I give them every attention they deserve when they come to see me.
I find that incorporating my own experiences in the field make the students more interested and excited about the subject matter. When the students see me excited about my experiences while working in their chosen field they in turn, get excited about the field and the experiences they will have.
I think Elizabeth is bringing us back to the topic of motivation. Motivation is what keeps a student hard at work after the new has worn off the textbook. It is personal engagement with the course and how it pertains to their goals (in the case of a trade school or degree program). As an instructor in a trade school, I do my best to engage each student with my own enthusiasm and encouragement.
There are some people, no matter how you try to get them involved, they still will try. I have found that if you just make a big thing out of a little thing that they have achieved it will boost their self esteme. These people may not be the smartest or brightest, but you have help them to see that they are important also.
I have been fortunate enough to have classes with low motivation, and classes with high motivation. I have found in the classes with low motivation that if I relate to them on a personal level that aided in increasing their motivation as a student, they felt support and understanding. I also found that if I do in- class activities like debates on a topic, that got the students very involved, and more motivated. Another motivational activity I do is have several groups form and they have to come up with ten questions which they have to read off to the other groups, and the other groups have to answer. They end up really trying to stump eachother. At the end of that activity I have each group hand in their questions to me and inform them I will pick several questions from those and include them in their test so they feel they had a hand in their own testing. I have found in-class activities help with motivating students a lot.
Daniel--- I like the idea of PowerPoints to support your lectures, especially the ice-breakers, like funny video clips. You're right, it requires more prep time, but I like to keep my lectures fresh and cutting edge, to avoid student boredom wherever possible. Great idea!
By, Edward Mojena
Motivating students may be challenging, but its always possible. It comes from within in the professor caring and reaching the students mentaly and also chalenging them fiscaly to succeed as well.
I try to use Powerpoint for my lectures. Some of the information I teach can be difficult to understand, so I create animations using Powerpoint to illustrate concepts. Time consuming yes, but the students really appreciate the effort and they are excited to come to class (because they are able to easily understand difficult concepts and this gives them a sense of real accomplishment). Every so often, I will also insert funny video clips into the Powerpoint presentation (related to the subject matter) just to break up the monotony.
Pam, I agree with "expect the best" philosphy. Everyone wants to feel important and smart. If we treat people like they are dumb, they will begin to believe that about themselves. My younger brother was put in special ed in second grade because he had ADD. He was a smart kid, but my dad and step-mother were older parents of a "late life" baby and they didn't have the patience or energy to deal with his hyperactive behaviors. As an adult today, he is a "regular" guy with a good job, but he still has insecurities because of being labeled as "dumb" at a young age. People remember the teachers that made them feel good about themselves and those that made them feel bad about themselves. I would prefer to be remembered as an instructor that helped them build up their confidence.
Hi Rebecca,
Good points about the ROI (Return on Investment) for students. If they are going to listen to and learn from radio station WIIFM they are going to have to see they are getting something back from their investment of time and money. The more we can show them this the greater their retention is going to be.
Gary
Joyce makes a good point. I once heard a story about 3 teachers were all told that they had low kids one term. One teacher was told that she had the really bright students - the challenge students. Truth was the 4th teacher actually had the low students but because she thought she had the best of the best she taught the class materials for the brightest students. The 4th teacher had the best performing class out of the 4. Expect the best and you may actually get it.
