Motivation
My students aren't motivated - how can I help them?
Instructors have a lot to do with their students' motivational level. A student may arrive in class with a certain degree of motivation. But the instructor's behavior and teaching style, the structure of the course, the nature of the assignments and informal interactions with students all have a large effect on student motivation. We may have heard the utterance, "my students are so unmotivated!" and the good news is that there's a lot that we can do to change that.
Hi Leonardo,
Nicely stated! Motivation is key! As mentioned, Students are all driven by different factors. Find out what motivates your students and cheer them on.
Patricia Scales
It is my opinion; a learner is more likely to be successful when they are motivated. What motivates a student/learner can differ from person to person. It can range from self-satisfaction in having knowledge, to passion of a certain subject matter, to providing support for one’s family, etc. To better serve our students it is important that we facilitators have some sense of what motivates them. A simple question “Why are you here†can motivate a student when he or she finds themselves struggling in a certain situation.
Hi Stephanie,
You are on point! Engery begins with the insructor! The instructor has to be the best entertainer every single day to make the students excited.
Patricia Scales
When my son was younger, I would walk through the daycare/preschool and listen to the way the teachers read to the small kids. Their voices were excited, enthusiastic, punctuating important words and their faces were animated. I couldn't tell if these women had had good or bad days. Their students were riveted. When I feel myself getting tired during lecture and becoming monotone, I think of those teachers to jolt my energy. I ask myself, would I be listening to me right now? It's sometimes not what's being said, but how we say it.
Hi Teresa,
Instructors must serve as great motivators. Some of our students only have us as motivators. We must continue to be their biggest cheerleaders.
Patricia Scales
Instructors as catalyst for learning should
always keep the fire burning for the motivation
of adult learners to take ownership of their
education towards attainment of career goals.
I find that students become more motivated and excited about a topic if I can relate the topic to a real-life experience that has occurred in my experience. I can then ask students to think of some other scenarios where this may occur. This really helps them to relate the topic to something that they may experience in their externship or their future career field.
Hi Michael,
Students love it when we make learning fun. Students retain more when learning is made fun.
Patricia Scales
Hi Melissa,
I agree! Variety is key! Students' interest really needs to be sparked to sell them on coming back the next day.
Patricia Scales
I tend to find that utilizing humor in the classroom while presenting the material required in the class. It keeps everyone's attention and make learning fun !!!!
I do agree with what everyone says, but sometimes you can have all the energy in the world, and students are still not motivated. I found that some groups need to be arranged differently. I found that if I set up a round table discussion and have the students get more involved as a group it helps. Some students are just not as receptive to the traditional lecture/note taking set up. Some need more personal and active learning. The more you can do to "change it up" will help students want to come in, they will never know what your going to do next! When your students leave at the end of the day, they should be excited to come back the next day...
Hi Virginia,
Motivation has to come from the student, however, as instructors we can do all we can to help motivate the student. We have to be our students biggest cheerleader.
Patricia Scales
Motivation in attitude, mind and over all thoughts are key for an instructors daily performance. This I believe will enhance the instructors positive behavior, teaching style, informal interactions with students and have a large effect on student motivation.
Virginia
We continually provide feedback on where the student stands in the class, with respect to their grades. When they see what they need to make on the next tests in order to pass, or how many assignments need to be turned in before the deadline, they become motivated to catch up.
Hi Tuan,
We really have to be our students biggest cheerleader and really cheer them on. I have been told that sometimes I have more confidence in them than they have in themselves.
Patricia Scales
Yes, never give up on them. I have t convince them that what ever I can do, they can do. All they have to do it try their best to do it. Invest the time and heart in to it they will get it back.
Hi Joe,
Never lower your standards for students, but it is fine to modify your lesson in order to reach your students.
Patricia Scales
Agree, you have to be ready to modify your lesson to accomidate your students needs. It always needs to be done with the instructor being pumped for their subject. As the others have stated you must be motivated yourself in order for your students to be motivated.
Hi Donna,
I concur! No one wants to be bored. It is always a good idea to have variation in teaching methods, such as role playing, mock learning, simulations, case studies, sceanarios, group projects, etc.
Patricia Scales
