Motivating Students - A How to Guide For First Time Teachers

A classroom can be run 1,000 different ways, but the successful ones all have one thing in common and that's motivated students. The only way you have of creating this phenomenon is the way you choose to interact with your students on a daily basis. Motivating a student is no easy task. There's no tried and true method that can be relayed with a few words, but here are some general rules of them that will put you in the right direction:

Show that you care about each student individually. If a student knows that you care about them they will be motivated to succeed in your class. The first step was learning their names. You have to get this accomplished if you haven't already, as it forms the backbone to learning more and more about each of your students. Take the small windows of opportunity you have, say when circling the room when you check their work or give back corrected assignments. Try to engage them in small talk. Some will be more shy than others of course, but over time they will establish that trust and will open up to you and you will need to learn how to get them to stop talking.

The students need to know how they can succeed. You already laid the foundation by being very clear about your classroom rules. That was just the start. When the time is right you also need to let your students know what you expect from them with every assignment, quiz, and test, so that they will know what to do to win your favor. If in your student's mind are thoughts like I have no idea what he wants from me!" then you haven't set the correct expectations or they aren't clear enough or they are not consistent on a daily basis.

A student that is motivated views their teacher as a pro. You aren't fooling anyone if you think you're going to phone in your duties and the kids won't notice. They know if you've planned ahead for the class just as much as you know. It is evident by how comfortable you are with the material yourself. If you are fumbling with things and bumbling because you haven't prepared the kids will eat you alive. If they sense that your lesson plans are solid, that you've done the proper preparation, and that you're putting forth a strong effort for them, they will likewise work hard for you. At least in theory.
Once you've explored these three fundamental truths you can do more detailed things to get your students motivated. You can go the extra mile for them and start adding bright spots to their otherwise dreary day, and add a little bit of fun on a daily basis.

Posted in: Motivating Students - A How to Guide For First Time Teachers Show that you care about each student individually know how they can succeed motivated views their teacher as a pro