Instructors as Motivators
What are some ways you can be a motivating instructor?
Walt,
Thank you for these great comments. Each of your points reinforces what we need to do as well as why we need to do it. It is for the future of our students that we put forth the effort to plan and deliver our content. If we are not excited about it, it is for sure the students won't be as well.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Several methods I use to motivate students are as follows:
1. Lead by example. I learned this when I went through Zenger-Miller Facilitator training many years ago and I still use this important concept in the classroom each and every day to motivate my students.
2. Use my success stories regarding my progression through my field to motivate my students. I also share the fact that my background was very similar to theirs and that if I can succeed, so can they! I also share my failures in the field and how I was able to overcome them and turn adversity into opportunity. This really works with my students!!
3. The best way to motivate my students is for me to maintain my enthusiasm and passion for what I do as an instructor each and every day. I sometimes ask my students why they did not succeed in high school and they often tell me that they were stuck with unenthusiastic instructors. As a result, their grades and attendance suffered. Now that I am a parent, my son tells me the same thing about some of his instructors. I owe it to my students to live up to a higher standard.
Nick, I agree with you 100%! I greet all of my students with a name and a smile. I personally know what it's like to have an instructor that didn't even know my name at the end of the semester, let alone a smile for anyone. A "Good Morning John" makes anyone feel good and motivates them!
I agree. I set goals and share them with the class.
Miriam,
Good way to set the learning environment up for success. Thank you for sharing these strategies with us.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Provide positive feedback. Create a friendly, welcoming, and instructional environment. Demonstrate enthusiasm in the career and teaching. Be approachable, responsible, and competent. Connect with your students by making it their learning environment not your teaching environment.
Students are more likely to want to learn when they appreciate the value of the classroom activities, and when they believe that they will succeed if they apply reasonable effort. It is stimulated most directly through modeling, communication of expectations, and direct instruction or socialization by significant others such as a teacher.
Be energetic and enthuisiastic while in class. Giving them incentive for example extra points will keep them motivated.
Deborah,
Good for you. A shared laugh is a very powerful connector for all those involved.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
I often use humor to motivate my students. It helps them laugh the stress out.
Nashon,
You said it all in your comments. We need to bring our A game and energy to class each time we meet. To do less is unfair to the students.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Deborah,
It is edutainment that we are bringing to the classroom. So we get to not only share knowledge but we get to share our excitement about our field. This is a win win situation for everyone.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
I totally agree. As instructors we set the atmosphere by our energy and animation. Hence making learning fun, exciting and memborable.
Be enthusiastic about your profession, be energetic and even animated during class, show that you are truly interested in the material that you are teaching- and in each student's success as well!
Joseph,
This is a very important strategy. If they can't or won't meet the standards of the class it is for sure they are not going to meet them in the work world. You are helping them to get ready for career success with this approach.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
I set the standards for the industry, I believe that giving the students what will be exected of them they will force them to take ownership. I have found that students want to be challenged. It can be shown in other ways other then the simple written test.
by always keeping things fun...have to know the facts too...but fun will keep them interested
keep telling them how good there doing, keep motivating them in the caree path there taking
Knowing your subject matter, getting pumped up about the sbject matter, explaining how the course content is applied outside the classroom. the list goes on and on.
