Using local jobs and field trips presents a real life scenario for the students and motivates them tremendously.
I like bringing in speakers from the field who can give the students a real life approach to the work they are seeking. I also allow them the opportunity to express their concerns so that I can address them and give them encouragement. I also teach the students the aspects of the course and apply them to the real world. That way they won't only gain the knowledge in books but know how they apply.
keeping students interested in what we are learning.
Hi Daniel,
In support of your remarks instructors need to develop two things with their students. Respect and rapport. Respect means the students realize your experience and expertise and that you are willing to share it with them. Rapport is on the human level where the students see that you are doing everything that you can to help them succeed.
Gary
Some of the Motivation techniques are to come down to the students level, in the sense of mayby sitting down in front of the class and share an expeirience and let them interact.
Hi Kari,
You are using great motivators for your students. We are all children at heart so we enjoy games and getting recognition. Keep up the good work.
Gary
I am currently teaching a hands-on massage therapy course in which I hand out Body Mechanics Awards. While I always give immediate feedback during class; the awards are saved for the middle or end of the term. It gives the student something for which to strive and rewards a job well done. It may seem remedial to hand out an "award" for a specific skill but everyone appreciates special recognition when it is merited.
We also play Jeopardy-like games to reinforce difficult information or concepts. At the end of the game the winning team gets a bonus point on the upcoming exam.
Any kind of reward, be it bonus points or awards, can keep a student motivated through the toughest times.
Hi James,
You are correct about learning from mistakes. These are teachable moments and we instructors should use them every chance we get. For sure the students will remember them and grow as a result of them.
Gary
I try to use the fact that a student has made a mistake to be light hearted about the mistake. I point out that failure is always an option, if you view it properly. As someone once pointed out to me Thomas Edison found over 1000 ways to make sure a light bulb didn't work before he figured out how to get it right.
Hi Manny,
Right on in terms of student reinforcement. As instructors we need to keep this effort up because we never know when a student needs that bit of encouragement to keep him or her in school.
Keep up the good work.
Gary
I think some good examples can be, give a learner a "pat" on the back for work well done, giving students the opportunity to use their "real life" experiences to build on, and lastly showing the learner explicitly how the information taught directly applies to their immediate life.
Hi Marisa,
Right you are. Students really respond to those that have been successful and come back to share their success with current students. This really helps them to see that their career goals are achievable.
Gary
Using real life jobs as examples or having guest speakers occassionally will boost thier motivation
Allowing the class to use experiences of real life situations allows them to interact with my lectures and alloes them to compare real life experiences with what we are lecturing about
Hi Dotti,
Thank you so much for the excellent information. You have a comprehensive approach to supporting and encouraging your students toward success. Think of the impact you are having on the lives of these students. I commend you for all of your efforts.
Gary
Hello, Gary,
I thought I had answered this, but maybe you didn't get it.
There are so many ways it is hard to list them all. Sometimes the content lends itself to a different technique.
Praise from the instructor is the best in the skills we teach.
I try to use different words of praise with each student so it has meaning, not just the same brainless response on my part.
I encourage students to clap for one another when someone finally succeeds or does an outstanding readback. They really like that.
We used to give packs of paper for perfect notes or readback, but now that is considered a bribe and we cannot do it.
I used to offer homemade cookies on Friday if everyone had perfect attendance, but that is no longer allowed either.
We can give out computer-generated certificates.
I try to write personal notes of encouragement pointing out their progress and success along the way.
I try to give immediate praise.
ON Friday I used to let students that readback well take the option of leaving the class right them or staying for the rest of the class. Due to required number of contact hours mandated, that has been stopped as well.
It is getting harder and harder to create original ways to motivate students due to agency rulings in our area.
Dotti
Hi Gary,
1. Bonus points for completing assignment on time.
2. Extra credit for perfect steno outlines and readback.
3. Certificates for reaching goals.
4. Praise in front of peers.
5. Encouraging, even if not perfect, point out what was right.
6. Personal interest in students.
7. Expressing how their success in an area enhances their success to reach their goal.
8. There are many other ways to motivate, but our corporation limits us by budget allowances.
Dotti
Hi Dr. Meers,
I stronglu believe that it is important to use different motivational words with each student, not continually say, "good" or "okay," but rather say "fantastic, great, good job, excellent, outstanding," etc.
I know it seems juvenile, but I will have my class clap for one another when someone does well on a hard readback. They become each others support group and encouragers. Usually a couple of cheerleaders emerge that get the class to spontaneously applaud a job well done. It helps keep all students engaged as the peers are leading the motivational encouragement.
Oops, the bell just rang. Must run to my next class.
I have enjoyed this course.
Dotti
Hi Stephen,
You are using the powerful motivator of personal interest and pride to help your students stay engaged in the learning process. They want to succeed in their learning because it will help them with their own projects. Well done.
Gary
By bringing real world project to the class
as graded projects students can be truly
excited about a project. Teaching at
a mechanical school I get the opportunity
to allow students to work on their own units
for a grade in class, and since many of them
have no where else they can work on them this
has a very positive effect on their work,
motivation, and their grade.
