It is becoming increasingly difficult for teachers to motivate students. This is mostly due to the excessive number of distractions, the heavy workload, and other social stress that they are bombarded with daily. However, there are a few ways a teacher can and should motivate students to get the maximum focus and effort out of them.
Use visual aids: We live in a society where the media is the main source of input for children. The brain often receives and retains visual facts easier than information received by audio (speech).
Excitement is contagious: The students will directly reflect the emotions of the teacher. If you’re excited about the subject, your students will be too. Energise your classes; it’s hard to laze at the back of the classroom when the teacher is bouncing around the room.
Sincerely care: There is a natural barrier between students and teachers and it’s often hard for to connect. Students need to be shown that they are cared for and thought about. This is easily done by asking what goals they have in life and setting targets to reach them, sharing personal experiences and recognising when their work and behaviour has been good.
Work as a team: It’s more fun and exciting when an educational problem is tackled as a group. Young people love being in a gang and, in these situations, the weaker and stronger students can help each other and gain experience of working in teams.
Take the time to explain: Many student problems can be traced back to them simply not understanding an assignment properly. When time is taken, students can comprehend why the problem is important, when in life they might need to use it and what exactly is expected of them.
Public Praise: There are few things that humans crave more than public acknowledgment. This powerful motivational method should be used sparingly as too much can take the light off the “celebrities” of the classroom. But, when used properly, public praise can encourage students to give their all.