Teachers and Motivating Students

Being a teacher is one of the most difficult professions that one can be in. And on top of it motivating your children/ students can be more challenging. No matter which section or standard we talk about, there are times when even the best of students are not motivated to study. Making them do the homework or study might be very tough. Thus, it becomes responsibility of the teacher to motivate their students to study hard and keep their spirits up and high. Why is it that there is so much hype about students being motivated, all the times? Well, the answer is that it is proven that the students who are motivated and interested in learning, learn more and in an efficient manner. Whereas, the students those who are not motivated or are not attentive while studying, do not perform well in their studies and exams. After all, motivation is a psychosomatic feature that induces the desire to accomplish a particular goal or target. 

Since, teachers spend maximum time with their students in school it becomes their duty to keep their students motivated. I understand that it is not as easy as it might sound, as every student is different from other. But as teachers on are on the frontline, they need to do it. I have assembled few of tips that might help teachers in motivating their students. They have been furbished as below:

Open and Positive Communication

The foremost important step that teachers should take towards encouraging students is to have an open and positive communication with students. Just like, for any doctor to give remedy for the disease it is important to know all the symptoms; in the same manner for a teacher to motivate their students, it is important to know and understand what all are the worries of a student that keeps them away from concentrating towards studies. And this is only possible with proper communication and positive attitude of teachers towards their students.

This is more important for the reserved students, so that they can strike a rapport with teachers and have a detailed discussion with their teachers. This will help in building a trust relation with two of them; thus leading to students being confident and motivated to give their best shots.

Button Teaching Methods

Another effective way of boosting the confidence and motivation level in students is to switch between teaching methods that you (teachers) follow in class. When teachers follow same teaching method everyday students get bored easily and lose their focus in studies. Especially is the subject is boring or difficult to grasp.

Try to enliven the classes with being excited about what you are teaching in class, turn the simple texts into poem or enactments, bring in audios and videos or make presentations; to teach in effective and enchanting form. This will help students to take interest and will keep them motivated to study.  You can also induce group activities in class and have open quiz more frequent, so that you can assess whether students have understood or not. Also, try using a combination of different textbooks and study materials. For a change skip using the normal textbooks and use more of different writers with different examples.

To keep the students motivated it is necessary that students have interest in whatever you are teaching them in class. If they are not attracted, they will not understand and get demotivated.

Push Your Limits

If you really wish to motivate your students, then you need to push your limits. Be attentive to the issues that these students have and then try to find out the solutions for them. Say for example a student is facing in understanding an assignment or a topic, after the class spare some extra time with him or her, so that student understands it. Show the students, how to do some research and how to take proper notes; so that it helps him in a long run. Get some extra papers and give a little more attention to such students, so that they feel stirred to study.

Reward

Another way of encouraging a student is to praise them in front of their friends and if possible, give them a reward of some sort. It is not necessary to give big rewards; it can be as small as Rs. 5 chocolate or a pen. This will give them a sense of pride and will up shoot their level of confidence. You can have weekly competitions or even ask students to come with a class newspaper where the best student’s names are added in bold. This will make the student realize that their work is being acknowledged.

You can also take students for trips to museums or parks, as a reward for entire group of students or class if they have successfully completed the task assigned by you. Say for example, if they have been a disciplined class or the passing percentage is 100%.

Be Springy

We understand that you are teacher and you have all the rights to exercise control over children, but then it should not be same at all days. I mean, don’t be too bossy over children or always be strict with them. There are days when you need to become child and give some control to students. Have discussions or story telling or simply discussing students’ likes and dislikes in class. By bringing them in non-study environment, you will be in better position to understand their issues. This will also give you an idea about what all changes you need to incorporate in order to stimulate students.

Never Turn Down any Doubt

Being a teacher, you need to be always ready for unexpected doubts that these students might come up with. There might be times when the doubt might be irrelevant to the subject/ topic that you are teaching, but then it needs to be answered. You can either solve the doubt there and then or ask the students to give you some time to find an answer to their question. Many of us, instead of answering them tend to scold them for asking a doubt. This is not a correct action and will create distrust in you.

Students are young minds, which have so many questions to pose! So be tactful and solve their doubts in effective manner. Tell them it is normal to have a doubt and ask them. This way it will help you in enhancing motivation level in them.

Track Performance

Once the students are motivated, it is compulsory to maintain the level; which is more difficult than motivating them. Thus, you need to constantly track their performance and appreciate them for coming so far. You need to set realistic goals and targets for them and help them in achieving it. Also, give them timely feedbacks and make sure that there are trying to incorporate the tips and the feedbacks that you have shared with them. Include parents too, in this exercise.

Connections

Last, but not the least act to motivate your students would be to draw connections between the subjects and their personal life. Give examples are easy to apprehend and make sure that they are taken from everyday life and activities. Give examples that they can relate to easily. This will help in them in easy and long term understanding of the subjects or the topics.

I strongly believe that it is not only teacher’s duty to motivate their students; but also parents’ duty. Teachers need to put in little hard work and offer help whenever students ask for it, but it is also necessary to keep in mind that teachers should not go too beyond their limits. Teachers should clearly explain to their students, what is it that they are expecting from them (Students) and explain them their limits. Also, do dree up a little and bring excitement to your voice while teaching. When you look different you are tend to be noticed more and when you sound exited in teaching you will be heard more. Thus, you need to be more proactive and more attentive if you need to motivate your students in proficient manner.

Happy MOTIVATING to you!!