Instructional Practices
I believe that the following is true; especially in the group setting. Research has shown that good everyday teaching practices can do more to counter student apathy than special efforts to attack motivation directly (Ericksen, 1978). Most students respond positively to a well-organized course taught by an enthusiastic instructor who has a genuine interest in students and what they learn. Thus activities you undertake to promote learning will also enhance students' motivation.
Instructor attitude goes a long way in maintaining class enthusiasm... of course, easier said than done on a daily basis.
staying enthusiastic during class is easy, I just utilize the students passion and their objectives for wanting to learn
Hi Bennett! Very good question! It's hard always being "up," particualrly if you are teaching the same skills/subject matter repetitively.
I have found that these ideas may help:
a) I have realized that the perception of success is different for every student, and that those perceptions may be different from my expectations; of course, each student must be able to comprehend the content and master the skills needed to pass a course, but, of course, not all of them will be stars. I try to praise the small steps along the way as students are moving to their goals; as I mentioned in another post, the perception of success is different for every student.
b) I often change the way I deliver instruction; it might be a twist on a presentation, a new activity or assessment, a different way to introduce a concept or process; this at least helps a bit in keeping things fresh
c) I try to seek out opportunities to have positive interaction with students and collegues - this helps with the motivation
d) as instructors, we HAVE to take personal time to relax and recharge; facilitating an active learning classroom or lab is like being on stage and it can drain you
Hopes this helps a little, thanks again for your question,
Jay Hollowell
ED106 Facilitator
How do you stay "enthusiastic" every hour, every day?
This is absolutely true! When instructors are well organized and display passion for their courses, studnets are much more receptive. I am always looking for opportunities to improve my courses -this help to keep the teaching alive for me as well. By changing things up a bit, I keep the content current.
A class that is excited about the subject is easier to control with fewer behavior issues. Students get a feeling of value and security when they observe that the instructor/course is organized.
One of the most challenging things to do as an instructor is to ensure everyone is focused on the material covered. Not everyone has the same motivation for learning and when the motivation is gone, so is their attention. Its important to understand and recognize that potential issues could exist if a student appears "less than motivated". Also, helping the student find resolve for their issues demonstrates good leadership skills that will resound for many classes to come for new students coming into your course.
when you are to be enthusiastic the class seems to flow very well and you get alot more interaction.
