How to motivate your students?

MOTIVATION

• Securing attention,

• Developing interest,

• Sustaining interest, and directing interest into action.

 

One of the most challenging aspects of becoming a teacher is learning how to motivate your students. It is also one of the most important. Students who are not motivated will not learn effectively. They will not retain the information; they will not participate, and some of them may even become disruptive. A student may be unmotivated for a variety of reasons: They may feel that they have no interest in the subject, find the teacher’s methods unengaging or be distracted by external forces. It may even come to light that a student who appeared unmotivated actually has difficulty learning and is in need of special attention.

While motivating students can be a difficult task, the rewards are more than worth it. Motivated students are more excited to learn and participate. Simply put, teaching a class full of motivated students is enjoyable for teachers and students alike. Some students are self-motivated, with a natural love of learning. However, even with the students who do not have this innate drive, a great teacher can make learning fun and inspire them to reach.

If you think back to when you were a student, which teacher caught your eye? Was it the one that stood at the front reading from a book or sheet of paper in an uncommunicative tone? Or perhaps it was the one who was animated and engaged, who showed they were genuinely passionate about their subject? Chances are it was the latter, but being this kind of teacher can feel challenging after years of working in the classroom.

 

Why is motivation important?

A motivated teacher is crucial to a successful classroom. They will look at teaching through a different lens, and, in doing so, motivate their students in their learning too. Motivation helps to energize, direct and sustain positive behaviour over a long period of time. It involves working towards goals and tailoring activities to achieving this purpose. Motivation also helps to drive creativity and curiosity, sparking the desire needed for students to want to learn more. It is not just a case of getting students interested in learning at the moment, but also in growing the underlying goals and aspirations pushing their entire academic studies. That is about motivating them beyond the initial task or feeling of accomplishment and appreciating how ‘deferred gratification’ plays into the role of education in order for them to work towards a higher, larger goal. This is known as ‘intrinsic motivation’ and research has found it to be of key importance.

 

How is motivation fostered through teaching?

The classroom environment plays a key role in how motivated a student is. They need to be in a positive environment in which they feel valued and respected. It is also essential that they feel as though their input is heard. If they are learning in a caring, supportive and inclusive space, they will feel much more motivated to learn. However, as well as the overall environment making a difference, having a motivated teacher is also crucial. The way the teacher presents the information to them will help to dictate how they feel about it. If you share it as something worth being excited and animated over, this will shape their behaviour and response. They will feel more inspired to do well as they will want to do justice to a subject that you have taught so passionately even if it is not their primary interest in life.

A motivated student will feel genuine pride in the work they have done, which is a crucial feeling to carry through in life. It helps keep students actively interested in what they are studying and pushes them towards continuing their education. Motivation in the classroom enhances their performance in all aspects of their school work and helps them become goal-oriented, motivated individuals in life. It also encourages them always to finish a task and do the best that they can with all they set their mind to.

 

How Motivation Affects Learning and Behavior

Motivation has several effects on students’ learning and behaviour. First, motivation directs behaviour toward particular goals. Motivation determines the specific goals toward which people strive; thus, it affects the choices students make. Motivation also leads to increased effort and energy. Motivation determines whether a student will pursue a task, even a difficult one with enthusiasm or a lacklustre attitude. Motivation increases the initiation and persistence of activities. Motivation will increase students’ time on task and is also an important factor affecting their learning and achievement.

Motivation enhances cognitive processing. Motivation actually affects what and how information is processed because motivated students are more likely to pay attention and try to understand the material instead of merely going through the motions of learning in a superficial manner. Motivation determines what consequences are reinforcing and punishing. For example, students with a high level of motivation for classroom achievement and high GPAs are reinforced by receiving a grade of ‘A’ and they will feel punished if they receive a grade of ‘F.’

 

How to introduce motivation into the classroom

Part of being a motivated teacher comes through your general behaviour and attitude. There is a lot to be said for teaches that regularly smile, offer a happy and cheery outlook on life and generally come across as upbeat and pleasant to be around regardless of how they are actually feeling. Making your classroom a warm, colourfull and stimulating environment is also key to creating a positive space. It is also vital that you reward your students for good work as you go along. It does not have to be all the time, as then it will come to be expected and will hold less value when you do praise them. Nevertheless, recognizing hard work and offering praise will ensure your students stay encouraged and feeling as though their work is on the right track forwards and that you are noticing their efforts.

Mixing things up is also key. If you are doing the same thing all the time, it will start to become boring and repetitive. Look at the materials you are teaching and think about how you can put a new spin on them. Perhaps you turn something into an acting activity, or maybe you can turn facts or figures into a song that will help to make it more memorable. Perhaps you can get students working together on a group activity. This is an excellent way of helping students motivate each other. Be creative and use posters, offer visual aids and diagrams, show movies and play games.

 

Setting expectations

Additionally, working in a different environment will help to keep students on their toes. Research has found that when we move around in various spaces while learning. We are able to recall more information better than if we had just stayed in one space. This is due to the associations the brain makes. The more you encourage movement in learning, the more the information is absorbed. Perhaps you do some work in the playground, some in the classroom and some off the school grounds. Maybe you look at taking your students on a field trip that will add a real-life dimension to their studies.

Setting expectations in the classroom is key and gives your students a standard to work towards. However, when you find your students need a nudge forwards, offering small incentives can help make learning fun. Encouraging competitive energy can help fuel students and push them further.

Finally, showing students how the information, they are learning is useful to real-life scenarios. Will help them to see the practical application that it holds. Often students will switch off when they do not see how it will ever benefit them. Nevertheless, if you can connect it to life outside the classroom, it will give it new importance and motivate them to listen more attentively.

Thus, motivation has a direct impact on how an individual learns. The effects of motivation usually are far-reaching because it increases an individual’s energy level, determines the persistence in reaching a specific goal, affects the types of learning techniques used and an individual’s thinking processes. According to human development professionals, there are two types of motivation, extrinsic and intrinsic. Extrinsic is determined by the individual’s outside surroundings and specific tasks. Intrinsic motivation can be found within the individual since the task can be viewed as valuable.

Consequently, when applying the effect that motivation has on the learning process, it is clear that people learn better based on the perceived value of the task, subject matter, personal goals, financial incentives and a wide array of different factors. Motivation can be increased or decreased based on many different factors. This is one of the reasons why teachers can have a substantial impact on their students learning since they are a part of the student’s intrinsic motivation environment. Some teachers are better at employing numerous positive motivation techniques and strategies than others. As a result, students can obtain a sense of satisfaction from excelling in a class, or they may receive low grades because they are demotivated.

For instance, if the teacher can explain to students how a specific subject matter can relate to real-life situations, the students are more likely to have a personal interest in learning what is being presented to them. One of the best examples of real-life value situations is the importance of learning fashion. Fashion teachers who know how to relay the value of knowing how to sew will have a better chance of gaining the students’ interest and keeping them engaged at all times. While some students are motivated by extrinsic factors, others may be motived purely by intrinsic factors. In these situations, the student may have a goal that they want to reach by a specific time. In order to accomplish their goals, the information that they learn is of great value to them.

Whatever the learner’s motivation factor is, it is clear that motivation and learning will often go hand in hand. Sometimes an individual motivation can be adversely affected. From past failures with a particular subject matter to teachers who fostered an intimidating learning environment, adults and children may be demotivated because of numerous situations. Getting motivated again is often hard, but it can be done. Motivation has a high impact on the learning process. Motivation alone can determine if the person will pass or fail. While some people learn more by outside influences, others may achieve more by their personal aspirations. Whatever the situation, everyone involved in any learning process should know how motivation affects learning.

 

Securing attention

You probably already have a few tricks up your sleeve to retain and regain your students’ attention. Nevertheless, it never hurts to add a few new tips and tools to your teacher tool belt. The following may help you wrangle your students’ focus back to the lesson or task at hand.

 

1.      Encourage Students: Students look to teachers for approval and positive reinforcement and are more likely to be enthusiastic about learning if they feel their work is recognized and valued. You should encourage open communication and free thinking with your students to make them feel important. Be enthusiastic. Praise your students often. Recognize them for their contributions. If your classroom is a friendly place where students feel heard and respected, they will be more eager to learn. A “good job” or “nice work” can go a long way.

 

2.      Get Them Involved: One way to encourage students and teach them responsibility is to get them involved in the classroom. Make participating fun by giving each student a job to do. Give students the responsibility of tidying up or decorating the classroom. Assign a student to erase the blackboard or pass out materials. If you are going over a reading in class, ask students to take turns reading sections out loud. Make students work in groups and assign each a task or role. Giving students a sense of ownership allows them to feel accomplished and encourages active participation in class.

 

3.      Offer Incentives: Setting expectations and making reasonable demands encourages students to participate, but sometimes students need an extra push in the right direction. Offering students small incentives makes learning fun and motivates students to push themselves. Incentives can range from small to large, giving a special privilege to an exemplary student, if the average test score rises. Rewards give students a sense of accomplishment and encourage them to work with a goal in mind.

 

4.      Get Creative: Avoid monotony by changing the structure of your class. Teach through games and discussions instead of lectures, encourage students to debate and enrich the subject matter with visual aids, like colourful charts, diagrams and videos. You can even show a movie that effectively illustrates a topic or theme. Your physical classroom should never be boring: use posters, models, student projects and seasonal themes to decorate your classroom, and create a warm, stimulating environment.

 

5.      Draw Connections to Real Life: “When will I ever need this?” This question, too often heard in the classroom, indicates that a student is not engaged. If a student does not believe that what they are learning is essential, they will not want to learn, so it is crucial to demonstrate how the subject relates to them. If you are teaching algebra, take some time to research how it is utilized practically, for example, in engineering and share your findings with your students. Really amaze them by telling them that they may use it in their career. Showing them that a subject is used every day by “real” people gives it new importance. They may never be excited about algebra, but if they see how it applies to them, they may be motivated to learn attentively.

 

6.      Be clear: At the outset of class or better yet, the school year, clearly communicate your expectations. If you have specific directions you will like to convey to your students for a project or activity, be sure to express them in a way that’s easy to understand and does not lend itself to confusion. Clear, effective communication is crucial to maintaining your students’ attention as the school year progresses.

  

7.      Be patient: Of course, classroom time is precious, but sometimes merely waiting quietly for each of your students to refocus their attention on the lesson, and on you, is a great way to express just how important it is for your students to pay attention to their teacher.

 

8.      Pump up the volume: A quick jam session where your class can sing along to one of their favourite tunes is a fun way to regain their attention. Before class begins, cue up a favourite song, and if needed, hit play to redraw your students’ focus to the song and then back to your lesson once the song ends.

 

9.      Play a game: Short, fun competitions may be all you need to keep your students’ attention. This strategy is best implemented when you see that their focus is straying.

 

10.  Strike a chord: You do not have to use words to regain your students’ attention. Try ringing a bell, striking a tuning fork, or turning off the lights to bring the class back around to the task at hand.

 

11.  ‘Fly like a butterfly, sit quietly like a bee’: If your students are up and out of their seats for an activity, and the time is right for them to return to their desks, ask them to do so while mimicking a butterfly or bee. Animals and insects that move both quietly and quickly are great options but stay away from those slow-poke sloths and turtles. Though quiet, class may end before they make it back to their seats.

 

12.  Narrate your count down: Count down from 10 while narrating your expectations to the class. Once you reach zero, your class will have had enough time to finish their work and end any conversations before moving on to the next task.

 

13.  Use clever attention-grabbers: Sayings like ‘everybody focus’ and ‘everybody freeze’ are fun and effective ways to win back your students’ attention.

 

14.  Call and response: If you say, “Alright, stop.” or all your students respond, “Collaborate and listen!” then you know you have regained your students’ eyes and ears.

 

Useful classroom management strategies

Of course, nobody is perfect, and there will be times when you lose students’ attention, and they are not on task. For these occasions, there are a wealth of classroom management strategies you can use to regain the attention of the class. Here are a few techniques:

Ø  Walk around the classroom as students are working. They are less likely to go off-task if you are available and watching.

Ø  Stand next to or behind individuals who are not paying attention, or move your position to a strategic point in the classroom where everyone, but in particular those who are not listening, can see and hear you clearly.

Ø  Have a code word. Choose a word before the lesson and display it on the board. Tell students that you will call out this word at times during the lesson, and they need to pay special attention. You could ask students to do an action, e.g. stand up and turn around, and give points to the first student who does so.

Ø  Silence. An old but useful trick is to stand at the front of the class in silence and wait for everyone to stop talking.

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