motivating students
Most of my students are very apprehensive about their ability in the course I teach, remedial math. Typically they have struggled with math for the majority of their lives. I've found that the best way to motivate them is to sincerely compliment them on their work when it's done correctly. For me, smiling and making eye contact while telling them how well they are doing goes a long way. If they make a mistake I gently try to show or explain where they went wrong and don't make a big fuss over the error.
I teach English, which is also hard for students. Plenty of kudos, extra credit options, and application of their efforts to the real world (letters to the editor, etc.), help motivate students.
Making a mistake is just as important as getting it right. If the student understands this it makes them less scared to make a mistake and therefore learn more in the end.
Hi Matt,
Such an approach is so important to keeping students engaged. By knowing you are there to support their efforts and you giving them some positive reinforcement you are going to be able to keep them forward focused and seeing the value of their efforts.
Gary
