motivating students
with some students motivation is very hard for them some have jobs and familey that take up a lot of thier time even with the want that they have for the school it may make it hard for them with these students I ask them what can I do to help you, with the understanding I'm not giving you a free ride but how can I make it a little bit easyer for that student. For other students it seems that they will rebut any thing that you try, these are the ones that realy need your help and these are the ones that cann't bring themselves to recieve it in any form, at least not in public.
Hi Charles,
For the hard to reach student I feel that you continue to reach out so they know you care and they can decide whether or not if they will accept the offer of support. Beyond that you can't do much else. This way they will respect you for what you are trying to do for them.
Gary
I agree, it is so necessary to reach out to each and every student. Alot of them have personal problems, work until the early hours of the morning, family life. I make it a point to find the time to engage them, talk to them, help them on an individual basis and most of the time they make it through my class. I have been teaching this class for over a year and have just a handful that have not passed.
One student in my last class came out and said he did not want to be here. I was up aganist a brick wall with this student. We tslked to him more about this and he said he was being forced to come to school by his parents. How do you motivate this student?
Hi Lloyd,
Sometimes you just aren't able to reach a student like this. When I do have such a student I try and talk with the individual so he/she understands that I understand their situation. I have had good success with such students once we develop respect for and rapport with each other. I try and offer them alternative ways they might be able to use the course content beyond what is typically thought of. My point is I try to show them alternatives so they will see that by completing the course they will have additional skills sets they can call upon even if they don't like the career field or want to work in it.
Gary
You can have the student & parents (as long as the student agrees) to come in and talk with you on the importance of getting the education that they have agreed to do. It might be more work for you to show them (in your success) why it is important to continue. Some students just are not ready to have that be their main focus at that point in their life. Maybe it is the parents who need to be educated on listening to their child as to what isimportant to them. This may go beyond the classroom and require the assistance of your administration.
Hi Tiffany,
You hit upon a very key point in student career planning. The career choice has to be the student's. The parents already have careers but sometimes they forget that since they want the best for their children they make the career choice. This puts the student in a very difficult position and that is why what you are doing is so good. Talk with both and try and develop a relationship that enables the parents to see it is best to let their child make the career choice.
Gary
