Motivating Students in the Classroom
Learning in the classroom is largely dependent on the levels of motivation amongst the students. While certain students are naturally enthusiastic, others require inspiration and stimulation. A teacher has an important role to play in motivating a student. Each student has an individual level of motivation, which should be enhanced by the teacher. A student can be intrinsically motivated which means that motivation stems from self interest, desire to acquire knowledge on the subject material, and a sense of enjoyment (Kirk, 2011). A student can also be extrinsically motivated; this means that the student’s desire to succeed is fuelled by a desire to achieve a certain goal, for example, to pass examinations (Davis, 2011). The teacher influences motivation through his teaching style, behavior, course structure, type of assignments, and informal interactions with pupils (Davis, 2011).
General Strategies for Motivating Students
It is best to understand what the existing needs of the students are before capitalizing on them. A student will be more motivated if the incentives offered in studying the course will fulfill their personal motives for taking up the course (Kirk, 2011). Examples of motives could be: the need to learn a particular skill so as to complete an activity; to explore new experiences; the need to sharpen skills to surmount challenges; achieve competency; or to interact with others. When the course is able to satisfy these needs, the student will feel rewarded and will be able to keep up the learning process better than the prospect of high grades. As emphasized by Davis, (2011), the teacher should be able to design the assignments, discussions, and class activities to attend to these needs.
Students should also be encouraged to participate actively in class activities. They should be involved in creating, designing, writing, solving, and doing things so as to help them in their learning process (Kirk, 2011). It is usually better to solve a problem or ask a question rather than telling it to them directly. The students can be asked to suggest various solutions to a problem or the outcome of an experiment, this serves to engage them mentally in the class. In addition, group work should be encouraged whenever possible. All these techniques serve to ensure that the students are participating actively in their classrooms (Davis, 2011).
A teacher can also involve the students in finding out what makes the students find their classes motivating. This can be done by asking students to recall a class where they were highly motivated and to articulate what aspects made the class fulfilling (Davis, 2011). Similarly, they can be asked to recall a class where they lacked motivation and articulate the aspects which caused this unfortunate state. In this way, the teacher may be able to formulate and restructure a course to impart maximum motivation to the student.
Specific Strategies in Motivating Students
Incorporating Motivating Instructional Behaviors
The teacher should display high expectations which are realistic. Kirk, (2011), points out that when a teacher holds the student’s potential in high regard, the student may fill more motivated and inspired. When the teacher projects the message to the students that they can be hardworking and interested in the course, the students are likely to conform to that image. When preparing assignments, examinations, or presentations, the teacher should set realistic goals for the students. Realistic goals are those which are high enough to be met, but not too high as to inevitably frustrate the students. It is vital that the student believes that he or she can achieve the goal; the teacher must therefore provide the students with the occasions for success (Davis, 2011).
The students should be helped to set their own goals which they can achieve. They should be supported in focusing on continual improvement, not on succeeding in one exam or test. The personal goals which are set should be attainable so that the student does not get frustrated in the process of trying to achieve unattainable goals (Davis, 2011). The teacher should be engaged in assisting the student to evaluate progress through self-critique, strength analysis, and improving weaknesses.
As a teacher, it is good to tell students what the requirements are to succeed in your class. This will help them to have a clear picture and set goals accordingly. The teacher should also position himself or herself as being approachable to solve problems or address inquiries (Kirk, 2011). The teacher should help the student get self motivated by using language which implies the success of the student and not emphasize the teacher’s authority or create too much competition amongst the students. It is more productive to have the students work as teams and focus on self improvement than to encourage competition between them.
Configure the Course to Promote Motivation
The teacher can structure the course in such a way that it can relate to the interests of the students. This can be done by creating assignments or example which the students can relate to. For example, a chemistry teacher may enlighten the students on the contribution of chemistry towards solving nature’s problems, like environmental concerns (Davis, 2011). The teacher should also take time to explain to the students how the course will help them attain their goals in various dimensions either personally, professionally, or educationally.
During certain occasions, the teacher can change the routine by allowing the students to choose which work they will do. For example, present them with options during term papers or let them choose between two locations for a class field trip. Other methods which can be used to break routine include: discussions; role playing; group work; demonstrations; audiovisual presentations; case studies; and many others (Davis, 2011).
De-emphasizing Grades
A teacher should encourage the students to focus on mastering the content of the subject rather than earning top grades (Kirk, 2011). This will assist the students to gain interest in the subject matter and therefore turn their energies towards learning. It is recommended that teachers should not use grades to control bad behavior like decreasing grades due to disciplinary issues. The teacher can also encourage learning by designing tests which make use of the particular type of learning which enable students to evaluate and synthesize facts.
Motivation through Feedback
It is important to give students prompt feedback about their work. Praise and rewards should be given publicly. Studies have demonstrated that praise works by building the confidence and esteem of a student (Kirk, 2011). Negative feedback should be dispensed carefully, with focus being directed at the task and not the student as an individual. The students should be encouraged to earn from commendable work done by their classmates so that the thoughts, and knowledge expressed.
Conclusion
Motivation levels in students can be raised by an educator who pays attention to his students and is interested in their self improvement. The teacher can employ several strategies to raise the motivation of individual students. These strategies generally focus on changing the perception of the student into finding value in the course. They also shape the attitude of the teacher from a more rigid approach into one that centers the educational, emotional, academic, and professional needs of the student. This entails understanding the needs of the students so that course materials and instructions can be structured to fulfill those needs as opposed to simply passing examinations. As a result, the student will experience satisfaction from the classroom and therefore will be motivated to engage in the learning process.
References
Davis B. (2011). Motivating students. Available at http://www2.honolulu.hawaii.edu/facdev/guidebk/teachtip/motiv.htm
Kirk K. (2011). Motivating students. Available at http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/affective/motivation.html
