how to motivate students
some students seems to be taking classes without any motivation at all.they are there just so they have something to do. how to deal with those students?
Hi Cedrick,
I have found that I need to develop some way of reaching those students so that they are engaged in the learning process. This may be through games, activities or projects. Anything to get them thinking about how they are having fun while learning content.
Gary
A couple of tools that can help you is to find out what brought the students to your class in the first place. Finding out what they are interested in can help motivate them. Also, if you are motivated to teach, they will usually pick up on that and be motivated to learn. Smile and the world will smile with you.
Hi Craig,
Good advice on getting to know your students. An instructor needs to show respect and support of students. This can be started by how you start a new class. Getting to know your students helps you develop a plan for how you are going to deliver the content and manage the classroom
Gary
First of all I would check with the admissions department. A student who is just there so they have to do something is someone who will not be motivated to go to work after sucessfully completing the course. This will effect the overall school performance and also affect other students.
The question to them is, do they really want to stay in that frame of mind or learn and do something positive in their life.
If your class is different and interesting and takes everyones input you can motivate anyone.
I FEEL THAT IF THE STUDENTS INTRODUCE THEMSELVES AND DESCRIBE THEIR REASON FOR THE CLASS, THEY WIKL B ECOME MORE RELAXED WITH THE CLASS AND FEEL A COMRADSHIP WITH ONE ANOTHER. IT IS ALSO NECESSARY FOR THE INSTRUCTOR TO GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF HERSELF OR H ISSELF TO REDUCE THE TENSION OF THE FIRST DAY. IT ALLOWS THE STUDENTS TO SEE THE INSTRUCTOR AS HUMAN.
I usualy speak with my students to find out if there may be any personal issues that will prevent him/her from being motivated. Sometime I try the reward approach such field trips, guest speaker and the student/teacher method.
Hi Larry,
In all of your teaching you should strive to keep the class varied and interesting for the students. In addition, keep introducing activities and content that will engage each student in the learning process. Knowing something about each student will help you greatly in that effort.
Gary
I try to figure out how to get them excited about what they are learning. One way I do this is play jepordy with the students using the game as review for midterm or final. They really enjoy this because they tend to watch jepordy at home, so I relate adult conversation and games to class.
Hi Annie,
This is one of my favorite games to use as well. I have found that students of all ages and status really like to play Jeopardy. The game format I use is on PP point so I can project it up on the screen and our classroom quickly becomes a TV studio with a very excited audience and contestants that are trying very hard to win. What a great time we have.
Gary
I think that the motivational problems that I see aren't going to be solved by a game of jeopardy. I have seen that work for getting a class prepared for a test, but some students only have a general idea of what they want to get out of the course.
So they get discouraged when I ask "what do you want to do after you graduate?" because they don't know. How do you motivate them to come up with realistic and attainable goals?
Hi Sam,
Something I use to help students to set career goals after graduation is a matrix if their skills and desires.
I ask them to list the things they like to do and a list of the things they do well. I then ask them to combine the two lists and see what jobs fall within them. I have found that this simple exercise gets the students to thinking about the critical next steps to their lives. They need to be planning for employment in areas for which they are trained, like to do and produce good results. I then talk to them about what options they have that are within their grasp. We, the students and I then talk about what next steps they need to take to make their career search possible. I have had very good success with this approach.
Gary
I offer the students the option of doing some of their assignments in a group or to play games with their term words. Some students have to be told on a constant basis that they can do it.
It is great to mix things up because people have different learning styles and to keep the class a little fun
Hi Jennifer,
Variety in presentation is a great way to appeal to the different learning preferences of students. What of some of the different ways you use to bring variety to your students?
Gary
One of the ways in which I bring variety to the classroom and my students, is by providing students with the opportunity to become involved and engaged with the class and material. For example, one of the course requirements/assignment was a presentation. Each student were required to conduct a group presentation on Comparing Two Health Care Delivery Systems i.e.( United States Health Care VS South Africa) Most students in the class, had never conducted an individual, much less a group presentation before, and this was the perfect opportunity for my students to develop leadership skills, research skills, problem solving, project management skills, and team work. Initially, my students thought that I had lost my sanity. However, I illustrated the importance of developing leadership and good verbal skills as future Medical and Health Care Professionals
Hi Reva,
I commend you for helping to develop the "soft skills" skills of your students. Those skills that are essential for career success but not directly related to the content. Many instructors do not include training opportunities for development of these skills, yet they have to be a part of the student's skill set.
Gary
I do this on the first day of every class to help motivate and get the students started on a positive note.
