ABSTRACT.
Teaching involves leadership in guiding students and taking actions that create a motivating environment. Amongst the challenges faced by teachers are facing unmotivated students and developing positive attitude towards their stay in school and success, in learning. Sometimes it becomes hard for these teachers to identify the unmotivated learners and the reasons behind their lack of motivation. Assisting an unmotivated student may not perfect the student to A+ grades but may improve on their efforts towards learning and develop positivity in attitude. As much as it is the teacher’s responsibility to motivate learners, parents and principals play a critical part when involved. Research indicates that learning at home and completion of assignments, in the right manner, requires motivation and assistance from parents. This implies that educators should involve parents in motivating the learners and in the establishment of concepts that lead to lack of motivation and interest.
In her research, Dominguez Camille found autonomy, perception to failure and transitioning as the reasons accruing to lack of motivation. She indicates that to overcome the loss of motivation, learning requires motivation and assistance from parents (Dominguez, 2003). Kenneth shore, on his part, indicates the need of principal and parents involvement in understanding a learner’s needs and the causes of lack of motivation (Kenneth, 2001).
The two articles provide a reflection of the challenges that teachers face in identifying the needs of every learner and providing motivational material that suits the causes of lack of motivation. There is the need for parents’ involvement and participation in identifying the needs of a learner and means of motivating them without adding more pressure on them. The question on the impacts of a parent’s involvement in determining the success of a learner is, therefore, crucial. Success is, therefore, a factor of motivation and this can only be achieved through an understanding of the causes of lack of motivation and how parents can be involved towards the achievement of the strategy.
There exists a correlation between success and motivation (Dominguez, 2003). Understanding why a student lacks motivation and interest is a challenge for most educators, but is usually the first step to success. In this study, the author findings on the reasons behind students’ lack of motivation, relate to family issues (Kenneth, 2001). Parents realize that, in cases of loss of motivation, their roles tend to change but the challenge is on how to make their role a contributor to the success.
A parent can be involved through the provision of learning areas at home, study schedules, assisting learners in making choices, and asking questions on different subjects. However, this finding is limited on the differences in parental skills and availability to motivate the learners. Different parents have different skills that may bias the process of success due to their differentiated means of delivery.
Identifying unmotivated students is not a hard task for trained educators and parents. However, how a parent handles the learner’s areas of weaknesses determines the success of the learner (Dominguez, 2003). For instance, if a parent scolds a teacher on a child’s failure, the educator may be challenged on explaining the causes of the failure. However, if a parent is patient enough to listen to the educator on the intended success strategies, then it becomes easier to motivate the learner. Success has an element of diversity; a student may be excellent in Math but lacks motivation in Science. The articles omit the consideration of the influence of parents in developing the attitude towards some subjects. For example, a parent who dislikes science may influence a child’s attitude towards the same. There lacks the element of willingness of the learner to develop the attitude in strategizing for success.
Overall, the authors provide a significant strategy in ensuring a learner’s success. Understanding a learner’s emotions about a subject is crucial in strategizing for success. Motivating a student towards success should involve the educator, principals and parents. Parents should take account of weak learning areas of the students and discuss with the teachers on how to motivate the learners, other than making the teachers fully responsible for the success of the learners.
The findings in these articles relate to my future expectations, as a teacher. The author expresses the hardships experienced by educators in dealing with different students with ranging capabilities and weaknesses (Kenneth, 2001). The findings are applicable in my career since they update on future expectations and different methods on managing student’s success.
Reference.
Dominguez, C. (2003). Involving Parents, Motivating Students. Principal Leadership, Vol. 4(4).
Kenneth, S. (2001). Motivating Unmotivated Students. Principal (Reston, Va.), Vol. 81(2).
