The best lessons, books, and materials in the world won’t get
students excited about learning and willing to work hard if they’re not
motivated.
Motivation, both intrinsic and extrinsic, is a key factor in the
success of students at all stages of their education, and teachers can
play a pivotal role in providing and encouraging that motivation in
their students. Of course that’s much easier said than done, as all
students are motivated differently and it takes time and a lot of effort
to learn to get a classroom full of kids enthusiastic about learning,
working hard, and pushing themselves to excel.
Even the most well-intentioned and educated teachers sometimes lack
the skills to keep kids on track, so whether you’re a new teacher or an
experienced one, try using these methods to motivate your students and
to encourage them to live up to their true potential.
21 Simple Ideas To Improve Student Motivation
1.
Give students a sense of control.
While guidance from a teacher is important to keeping kids on task
and motivated, allowing students to have some choice and control over
what happens in the classroom is actually one of the best ways to keep
them engaged. For example, allowing students to choose the type of
assignment they do or which problems to work on can give them a sense of
control that may just motivate them to do more.
2.
Define the objectives.
It can be very frustrating for students to complete an assignment or
even to behave in class if there aren’t clearly defined objectives.
Students want and need to know what is expected of them in order to stay
motivated to work. At the beginning of the year, lay out clear
objectives, rules, and expectations of students so that there is no
confusion and students have goals to work towards.
3.
Create a threat-free environment.
While students do need to understand that there are consequences to
their actions, far more motivating for students than threats are
positive reinforcements. When teachers create a safe, supportive
environment for students, affirming their belief in a student’s
abilities rather than laying out the consequences of not doing things,
students are much more likely to get and stay motivated to do their
work. At the end of the day, students will fulfill the expectations that
the adults around them communicate, so focus on can, not can’t.
4.
Change your scenery.
A classroom is a great place for learning, but sitting at a desk day in
and day out can make school start to seem a bit dull for some students.
To renew interest in the subject matter or just in learning in general,
give your students a chance to get out of the classroom. Take field
trips, bring in speakers, or even just head to the library for some
research. The brain loves novelty and a new setting can be just what
some students need to stay motivated to learn.
5.
Offer varied experiences.
Not all students will respond to lessons in the same way. For some,
hands-on experiences may be the best. Others may love to read books
quietly or to work in groups. In order to keep all students motivated,
mix up your lessons so that students with different preferences will
each get time focused on the things they like best. Doing so will help
students stay engaged and pay attention.
6.
Use positive competition.
Competition in the classroom isn’t always a bad thing, and in some cases
can motivate students to try harder and work to excel. Work to foster a
friendly spirit of competition in your classroom, perhaps through group
games related to the material or other opportunities for students to
show off their knowledge.
7.
Offer rewards.
Everyone likes getting rewards, and offering your students the chance to
earn them is an excellent source of motivation. Things like pizza
parties, watching movies, or even something as simple as a sticker on a
paper can make students work harder and really aim to achieve. Consider
the personalities and needs of your students to determine appropriate
rewards for your class.
8.
Give students responsibility.
Assigning students classroom jobs is a great way to build a community
and to give students a sense of motivation. Most students will see
classroom jobs as a privilege rather than a burden and will work hard to
ensure that they, and other students, are meeting expectations. It can
also be useful to allow students to take turns leading activities or
helping out so that each feels important and valued.
9.
Allow students to work together.
While not all students will jump at the chance to work in groups, many
will find it fun to try to solve problems, do experiments, and work on
projects with other students. The social interaction can get them
excited about things in the classroom and students can motivate one
another to reach a goal. Teachers need to ensure that groups are
balanced and fair, however, so that some students aren’t doing more work
than others.
10.
Give praise when earned.
There is no other form of motivation that works quite as well as
encouragement. Even as adults we crave recognition and praise, and
students at any age are no exception. Teachers can give students a
bounty of motivation by rewarding success publicly, giving praise for a
job well done, and sharing exemplary work.
11.
Encourage self-reflection.
Most kids want to succeed, they just need help figuring out what they
need to do in order to get there. One way to motivate your students is
to get them to take a hard look at themselves and determine their own
strengths and weaknesses. Students are often much more motivated by
creating these kinds of critiques of themselves than by having a teacher
do it for them, as it makes them feel in charge of creating their own
objectives and goals.
12.
Be excited.
One of the best ways to get your students motivated is to share your
enthusiasm. When you’re excited about teaching, they’ll be much more
excited about learning. It’s that simple.
13.
Know your students.
Getting to know your students is about more than just memorizing their
names. Students need to know that their teacher has a genuine interest
in them and cares about them and their success. When students feel
appreciated it creates a safe learning environment and motivates them to
work harder, as they want to get praise and good feedback from someone
they feel knows and respects them as individuals.
14.
Harness student interests.
Knowing your students also has some other benefits, namely that it
allows you to relate classroom material to things that students are
interested in or have experienced. Teachers can use these interests to
make things more interesting and relatable to students, keeping students
motivated for longer.
15.
Help students find intrinsic motivation.
It can be great to help students get motivated, but at the end of the
day they need to be able to generate their own motivation. Helping
students find their own personal reasons for doing class work and
working hard, whether because they find material interesting, want to go
to college, or just love to learn, is one of the most powerful gifts
you can give them.
16.
Manage student anxiety.
Some students find the prospect of not doing well so anxiety-inducing
that it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. For these students, teachers
may find that they are most motivated by learning that struggling with a
subject isn’t the end of the world. Offer support no matter what the
end result is and ensure that students don’t feel so overwhelmed by
expectations that they just give up.
17.
Make goals high but attainable.
If you’re not pushing your students to do more than the bare minimum,
most won’t seek to push themselves on their own. Students like to be
challenged and will work to achieve high expectations so long as they
believe those goals to be within their reach, so don’t be afraid to push
students to get more out of them.
18.
Give feedback and offer chances to improve.
Students who struggle with class work can sometimes feel frustrated and
get down on themselves, draining motivation. In these situations it’s
critical that teachers help students to learn exactly where they went
wrong and how they can improve next time. Figuring out a method to get
where students want to be can also help them to stay motivated to work
hard.
19.
Track progress.
It can be hard for students to see just how far they’ve come, especially
with subjects that are difficult for them. Tracking can come in handy
in the classroom, not only for teachers but also for students. Teachers
can use this as a way to motivate students, allowing them to see
visually just how much they are learning and improving as the year goes
on.
20.
Make things fun.
Not all class work needs to be a game or a good time, but students who
see school as a place where they can have fun will be more motivated to
pay attention and do the work that’s required of them than those who
regard it as a chore. Adding fun activities into your school day can
help students who struggle to stay engaged and make the classroom a much
more friendly place for all students.
21.
Provide opportunities for success.
Students, even the best ones, can become frustrated and demotivated when
they feel like they’re struggling or not getting the recognition that
other students are. Make sure that all students get a chance to play to
their strengths and feel included and valued. It can make a world of
difference in their motivation.
