tudents. It's the key to drive them to reach their potential and achieve their future dreams and goals. Student motivation is a necessity so that the learning becomes a continuing, improving, interesting and hopefully enjoyable process.Motivation to learn should be encouraged and developed from an early age. Young children have a natural curiosity to explore and learn about new things. As they grow older their motivation to learn may diminish (if not properly nourished), so you as a teacher, have a responsibility, to find ways to motivate your students.
Read On!!
There are so many ways for you to motivate your students but here are my top 7.
1. Develop a trusting relationship with your students. Show then that you care and you will create a genuine bond with them. Gain your students' respect and in most cases they will reciprocate. This is vital in establishing an atmosphere where learning is a positive, meaningful and valuable experience.
2. Everyone likes to make their own decisions, create their own personal choices, and have control of their lives. Students are no exception. So, as much as possible, give students more control. Allow students to choose their own ways of completing assignments, learning new or complex tasks, etc. Having control of your own rights, is a very resourceful motivational technique.
3. Relate assignments and class projects to real life situations. A common complaint of students is "What good is learning this, I'll never use this again?". So as they say "Keep it Real". In today's world, with all sorts of technology available, computers, the Internet, U Tube and other forms of video that can be brought into the classroom, it's easier and easier to put some excitement into your lessons and project assignments and keep your students interested and motivated.
4. Implement a reward system. Teaching strategies that offer praise and involve a reward system have proved to be extremely beneficial in motivating students. Teaching in primary grades is quite different than in junior grades and the reward system and prizes will differ, but for example, points can be awarded for achieving different tasks and awards such as free time, parties, educational books or other simple prizes are great motivational tools. Just make sure that your students realize that the reward system is a reward for finishing a task not for just participating!
5. Classroom games and class meetings to discuss personal topics like hobbies are fabulous for motivating students and team building. It's amazing how it does wonders for students' self esteem and camaraderie. Games and team building activities may also attract the unmotivated students you have in your class.
6. Having students help with some of the many jobs that need to be done in the classroom, will not only make your life as a teacher easier but classroom jobs are also a great student motivational tool.
7. Classroom displays help to make your classroom a stimulating and motivating environment in which to learn! Displaying their work for others to see, motivates students to learn, work and produce good quality results. Remember too, that it is important that students play a important part in decorating the classroom. When students feel ownership of their classroom, it motivates them and creates a positive learning environment.
Two important thoughts to keep in mind as you finish reading this article. Always display care, concern and encouragement for your students, and never give up on any unmotivated students or they will give up on themselves.
Honey Krumholz has taught elementary school for 33 years. She is presently a college supervisor and mentor to student teachers. She presents seminars on teaching strategies at York University in Toronto. Visit her website and get her effective teaching strategies on a wide variety of topics, for example, different games for classroom motivation http://www.priceless-teaching-strategies.com/classroom_games.html
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