Motivating your students
It is very important to keep our students motivated and encouraged. Our non-traditional student face so many obstacles, that sometime when they enter there educational setting they are already frustated and upset. We must gain our rapport back with them and try to establish a positive, encouraging educational setting. We are not therapist, we should not be giving advice we should get control of our educational setting and focus on the daily lesson.
I find that by keeping myself motivated I am better able to motivate my staudents. Every day I try to take a few min of time before class to be alone and get in the right frame of mind for teaching. I think this helps me to "clean out the cobwebs" as it were and keep myself on track.
Kevin,
Enthusiasm is catching. The more we can bring it to the classroom the more excitement there is going to be centered around learning.
Gary
I agree if your aren't motivated your students won't be motivated as well. And yes if your are positive and give the students some encouragement, they will be more lackely to stay positive in the class and be more likely to stay enrolled to the class.
Jean,
A little positive reinforcement goes a long way. Having an authority figure validate them is a great way to increase their motivation and enthusiasm for the course.
Gary
I agree- encouragement is the key to my success with motivating students- if a student knows you are interested in their progress- they will trust you and more than likely- perform better- they have a sense of accomplishment then when they do well. Encouraging a student who is doing poorly may be all that they need to get themselvds turned around.
Keeping their eyes on their goals and seeing their successes keeps my students motivated.
Hi Wanda. I really agree with you on this one. Not only does this go for the students but I think that it is just as important for the faculty to keep motivation levels high amongst ourselves. Students pick up on these things and if we are not motivated, then I feel like this trickles down to the students. It is difficult to get our students to do what is expected of them when they are not motivated. Motivation is what drives the overall sucess of the classroom.
encouraging is the key, and being very positive
