I agree with what most everyone said--and I always provide positive reinforcement to my students. When I grade a paper, it may be full of editing marks and comments. The student sees all that then gets to the last pages where I attached the grading rubric and they see check marks in the highest grade column--with a final score of an A. Yes, they saw that they received lots of comments throughout the paper, but they were recommendations for better sentence structure or simple editing marks. They still answered the questions and completed the assignment. After all, the course is not a writing course, so I do not deduct points for grammar unless there are misspelled words. I see no excuse for those since everyone has access to a spell checker app.
Hi Robert,
I would start by having a private talk with the student and ask him what it is that you can do to help him be successful in the course. This puts the ball in his court to respond and think through his status in the class. For the most part this will get such a student focused on the course and success. If it doesn't you might want to suggest to him that this course might not be for him as you are trying to help your students to achieve their career goals and he doesn't seem to want to be a successful student. Then he can decide whether he wants to stay in the course and get to work or leave.
Gary
Hi Meredith,
One of the things you can do to get some insight into the intrinsic motivation of students is to have them list their goals for the course. Ask them where they see themselves in five years and what or who is their motivating force for them to be enrolled. Answers to these questions will give you a lot of information that will help you to encourage them along the way as they wear down while dealing with life and going to school.
Gary
Hi Michelle,
Great story. Thanks for sharing it with us. The key thing is that he did something about it. I have potential students talk with me all the time about how they hate their jobs, have no future, etc., etc.. When I ask them what they are going to do to change that they say nothing. They aren't willing to put forth the effort, time and money to change their lives. They just want to complain.
I admire students like him and others who get it done.
Gary
Positive reinforcement seems to work the best when attempting to motivate the students, but it has to be executed in an adult manner: that is sincere, to the point and not candy coated and sickeningly sweet.
I still find one student in particular that appears to be motivated only by going out with his girlfriend and partying. As those activities don't contribute positively to his grade, I'm a bit frustrated. Are there any ideas or techniques I should use to get this guy on the right track?
One of the most motivated students I've ever had in class was a night student who came to class right from work. Every time he entered the class room, he would tell me (OK, everyone!) very plainly how he hates his job and how that reminded him every day, all day long, why he needed to succeed in his education. He worked very hard, and, of course, graduated - and what a celebration that was. He could see that each class meeting, each assignment, each course, was a stepping stone to a new future that he could envision for himself. I don't think it was just hating his (at that time) current job that motivated him. It was that he had decided he would do something about it. He was fortunate enough to find that internal motivation and keep it going to graduation! Our students often face significant obstacles, and it's really important to help them see the long term gain from their education!
I feel like 'good job' responses and good grades with prompt feedback are reasonable extrinsic motivators. Sometimes I struggle to identify a student's intrinsic motivation or deep underlying reason for being in my class. I am wondering if you have any tips on uncovering these intrinsic motivation factors?
I encourage my students to volunteer their time at a dental free clinic in our community,this way they realize that everything they learn in class is actually going to help them out there in the healthcare field.This way they get even more motivated to study more and work more on their professional skills.
Also,former students come back to school to share with the actual students,their success in the chosen field.
Constructive and timely feedback of their questions/comments/assignments/quizzes and exams; the ability to see and understand that what they are learning applies to their field of study, and how it applies; the ability to draw their personal experiences into the content of their learning; instructor knowledge and enthusiasm for the subject. For some students, external reinforcement will motivate them.
Hi Holly,
This is a powerful way to keep the students engaged. They are there for themselves and in most cases someone else, like a son or daughter, mother or father, a former teacher, etc.. Making these folks proud of you is a great motivator for us all.
Gary
Hi Lubna,
Good way to involve everyone in the discussion and learning process. This also gets the students to thinking about possible solutions to problems that are raised in the class sessions.
Gary
I believe external motivators are sometimes srtonger that internal. I have students complete cards on the first day of class telling me what is motivating them to get a career. As they start to struggle later in the term, I pull these out and remind them why they started.
I think some factors that contribute to student motivation. What is in it for me, to explain what are the students going to take away from the course that they can put forth in their learning. How may I apply what i have learned in the course. Last I think that students who enjoy what is being presented take away better knowledge of the items being thaught.
I encourage students to participate in the question answer session and tell them they should not keep quite if they think the answer may be wrong. There is no harm in trying and then they know that I am serious in helping them to learn. This strategy works for my students as a motivation tool and very rarely I get a wrong reply to a question.
I encourage students to participate in the question answer session and tell them they should not keep quite if they think the answer may be wrong. There is no harm in trying and then they know that I am serious in helping them to learn. This strategy works for my students as a motivation tool and very rarely I get a wrong reply to a question.
Hi Sandra,
This method really works as you know when teaching adults. They can become overwhelmed if they don't see or have explained to them how to break the content down into smaller units. By showing them how to do this you are giving them success steps as well as support.
Gary
With adult learners in particular, I find that helping them break things down into smaller steps helps them to focus on the task at hand rather than get overwhelmed with the assignment as a whole. I often talk about "baby steps" to success and reinforce small victories often.
Hi Dolores,
Your feedback method does a lot to keep the students moving forward in their learning while doing it in a informed and accurate manner. By "coaching" and "correcting" the students you are making sure they are learning what they need to learn to be successful in their careers.
Gary
Hi Jody,
I think trying to figure the students out and determine what is driving them is one of the fun parts of teaching. By determining to the best of our ability the motivation factors in the lives of the students we can then customize our instruction and be more accurate in our delivery.
Good point. Thanks.
Gary
Students are their own motivators, when they accomplish a task they have been taught to do. I try give feedback and praise when the student does well. This allows the student to be aware of any thing that was missed and to improve even more on the next procedure.
