Techniques Used to Motivate Students in the Classroom
If you are a teacher, it can be difficult working with students who don't seem interested in the material you are presenting. Unmotivated students may not want to do the work they are assigned, and are likely to receive lower scores on homework and tests. This may be especially bothersome to you if you enjoy the subject you are teaching, but students do not. No matter the situation, employing certain techniques in the classroom will have a motivating effect on your students.
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Make Material Relevant
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Students may not be motivated if they can't see how the material relates to them and their lives. For instance, many students find subjects such as history or math boring, as well as not useful to their everyday lives. Find ways to relate your course material to student's lives and hobbies, as well as current trends that the students are familiar with. Use teaching methods that incorporate technology that students already enjoy using. You can post a lecture as an online video, for example, or make the lecture available to download as an MP3 file, which students can listen to at any time.
Clear Goals
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Goals are major motivating factors in the classroom. Without clear goals, students aren't sure what they are supposed to be doing, and naturally feel bored and unchallenged. Clear, challenging goals let students know what you expect from them. Don't make goals too challenging, though, as this is more likely to frustrate students than motivate them. Encourage students to set some goals for themselves, as well. Help students set goals that make sense for them. For example, students usually benefit from setting a goal of raising their homework scores.
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Empower Students
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Make your classroom a semi-democracy by allowing students to have options, which makes them feel empowered. You can let students vote to decide where they will go on the next field trip, for example. Allow students to choose, from two or three topics, which topic interests them the most, then explore that topic in further detail. This motivates students because they have a say in what they are taught. Students who are interested in the lesson plan are much more likely to experience success.
Don't Focus on Grades
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Although grades can be a good indicator of how students are doing in the class, avoid grading every homework assignment that you give to students. Making homework grades a large portion of a student's final grade can backfire. Some students may cheat to get the grade they want, or they may simply give up and choose not to turn in assignments at all. If you assign homework, put less emphasis on grading it, and use it instead as a learning tool. Tell students to do the problems, then come to you with any they don't understand. Emphasize that they are much more likely to succeed on exams if they complete the homework.
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References
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