Ideally, all teachers want their classroom environment to be one where all students are motivated, by doing so students are engaged and they can put their best work forward. However, for some teachers, this can be tough and to do so they need to make sure that two types of motivation are balanced. These two types of motivation are approach(which indicates a reason to move towards) and avoidance (which indicates a reason to move away from). The following instructions can help instill motivation which will further propel students in the future.
Define Clear Objectives:
One way to develop a greater sense of motivation in students is to define clear objectives. As soon as they enter the classroom the objective for the day should be clearly defined. Students can become irritated if they are not presented guidelines that they should be constantly working towards. It is the teacher’s responsibility to detail goals at the beginning of the year so students have tasks that they are motivated to continuously work towards.
Change Scenery:
Constantly learning subject matter in a classroom environment can become dull for students after some time. As a result of this, teachers should try to incorporate a change in scenery when it comes to lesson plans this keeps the material fun and urges students to stay motivated and willing to learn new material. Examples could be the following participating in school trips, bringing in a guest to speak to the class, going to the library for research, or conducting lessons outside. This is refreshing for the brain and it could add the spark many need to stay motivated.
Encourage Success:
Encouraging success is another way that teachers can develop a greater sense of motivation in their students. Students are prone to frustration when they feel that they are struggling with a topic or if they feel like they are behind in class compared to their peers. In situations like this teachers should work hard to push the idea that being successful is never out of reach. Giving positive feedback or providing suggestions for students encourages them to stay motivated and overcome any problems that they might be facing.
Don’t over-rely on rewards:
When it comes to motivating students it is ok to give rewards to encourage students, but it is also important that teachers stray away from relying on rewards to frequently. Constantly rewarding students does not always result in sustained motivation, and students may choose only to be invested in their work if some type of benefit is being given to them. Try to create a balance so that students chose to stay motivated for the better of themselves as opposed to hoping they receive a reward each time.
Be enthusiastic about material:
Enthusiasm can be contagious, and people tend to feed off of positive energy. Students are more eager to learn and willing to stay motivated if their teacher is enthusiastic about the material they are teaching. No one is motivated to learn in a dreary classroom environment, so it begins with the teachers to make sure the environment is positive and that there is a genuine passion for the material they are teaching.
We need students to stay motivated to help create the best possible future. It all begins in the classroom, teachers can use the following steps to enhance a sense of motivation in students.