Appealing to Students
Make class interesting. It can be difficult to motivate lazy students with boring classes. Teachers should strive to fascinate their students. The more a student enjoys class, the more they will retain information.
Design engaging lessons. Utilize the plethora of technology that is available to make lessons exciting and interactive for the students. Once you grab students’ attention they are more willing to listen and learn. For science lessons, bring in artifacts like insects, animals, fossils, plants, etc. Conduct experiments for history and science lessons. Organize scavenger hunts around the classroom or school. Go on virtual field trips. Use an interactive whiteboard for students use to complete math equations, answer questions, complete sorting activities, etc. Play video clips and movies relevant to lessons such as National Geographic videos, and historical videos. Put on plays for literature and history lessons. Let students teach the class certain concepts. Play music during lessons.
Dress up and utilize props. This works best for history and literature lessons. Teachers can use props and even dress up during the start of units. During Shakespearean units, speak with an accent and get into character. You can even ask to students to try it as well. When teaching a unit on medieval times, dress in old-fashioned clothing of the times. Bring in old newspapers featuring news from historical events. Show students old political cartoons during historical lessons.
Learn student interests. Incorporate the interests of your students in your lesson plans. You can gather this information at the start of the year by having students fill out “favorites” cards. EXPERT TIP Joseph Meyer Joseph Meyer Math Teacher Joseph Meyer is a High School Math Teacher based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is an educator at City Charter High School, where he has been teaching for over 7 years. Joseph is also the founder of Sandbox Math, an online learning community dedicated to helping students succeed in Algebra. His site is set apart by its focus on fostering genuine comprehension through step-by-step understanding (instead of just getting the correct final answer), enabling learners to identify and overcome misunderstandings and confidently take on any test they face. He received his MA in Physics from Case Western Reserve University and his BA in Physics from Baldwin Wallace University. Joseph Meyer Joseph Meyer Math Teacher Show students you care. Observing your students allows you to tailor your teaching to their needs. Over time, you'll be able to deepen their understanding of the subject matter. Students appreciate teachers invested in their growth, and building long-term relationships with students is incredibly rewarding.
Offer extra credit. Sometimes students become lazy when they feel they are not being properly awarded for their efforts in the classroom or when opportunities to boost their grades are unavailable. Let students earn extra points for additional assignments. Don’t offer extra points for bringing items in for the class like as tissue or pencils. Allow students to redo the test with the lowest score. Let students revise a project worth a lot of points.
Display enthusiasm. Sometimes students find classes to be dull, causing them to be unmotivated. Teachers ought to exude a certain sense of passion while teaching. When students are able to see their teacher lecture with some gusto, they are more likely to listen and participate. Smile when you are lecturing so students see you enjoy what you are teaching. Speak loudly and passionately, changing tone and avoiding sounding monotonous.
Establishing Classroom Consequences
Set clear expectations. Make certain that all of your students as well as their parents or guardians are aware of the expectations you set for the year. If you alert them about the types of behavior you require, students and parents can be held accountable. During open house or welcome back events, explain your class expectations and have handouts readily available. Send home student/parent contracts in which both parties sign a document acknowledging the class expectations and the promise to work hard.
Sustain expectations. Don’t change established expectations and be sure to uphold them all year round. If students begin to see leniency they will try to take advantage.
Maintain consistency. Hold every student accountable for adhering to the expectations you set and be as consistent as possible. Make sure to be fair with the consequences. Fair doesn’t mean equal. Set individual expectations for those students that need them. Don’t let certain students get away unacceptable behaviors.
Reward students for good behavior and grades. Students should always be recognized for exhibiting model behavior and receiving excellent grades. Give free time on Fridays to well-behaved students. Provide points for participation. Let students choose small trinkets like erasers, pencils, notepads, games, stickers, books, etc.
Motivating Your Children (For Parents)
Speak to your children. Sit down and discuss your children’s’ classes and teachers to gather information. This will help you to gauge their level of motivation. Have a conversation at the kitchen table while eating a snack to make the discussion more informal. Ask about recent school projects or partner work. Find out what the teacher is like and how much he or she interacts with your child. Determine if your child is having any behavior issues. EXPERT TIP Josh Jones Josh Jones CEO, Test Prep Unlimited Josh Jones is the CEO and Founder of Test Prep Unlimited, a GMAT prep tutoring service. Josh built the world's first and only score guarantee program for private GMAT tutoring. He has presented at the QS World MBA Tour and designed math curricula for Chicago Public Schools. He has over 15 years of private tutoring and classroom teaching experience and a BA in Math from the University of Chicago. Josh Jones Josh Jones CEO, Test Prep Unlimited Remind your child why they're going to class and studying. Help your child get motivated by explaining why what they're learning in class is relevant to their future. Put their education in terms of how it helps them reach their life goals.
Reward good grades and effort. Be sure to recognize their success to show them you are proud of them. This will also encourage the positive behavior to continue. Create a chart to document acquisition of good grades. Make a separate chart for hard work, effort, and behavior.
Review assignments. Make sure to check if your child has homework each and every day. Take a look at their assignment notebook to see if they wrote down coursework or test dates.
Revisit difficult concepts. If you notice your child didn’t score so well on an assessment, review the incorrect questions and explain the right answers. Ask your child what they can recall about the concepts to determine their retention. Discern whether your child is unmotivated or just discouraged. These are very different and you must determine what you are dealing with to tackle the problem. Consider tutors. If you notice that your child is not unmotivated but struggling with particular concepts, set them up with a tutor. Provide assistance. Perhaps your child needs a little assistance and encouragement to increase their motivation. Try working with your child to complete assignments or prepare for an assessment.
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