8/11/2019 Tipsheet 21 Ideas to Improve Student Motivation
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TIPSHEET - 21 Simple Ideas To Improve Student Motivation
The 'e(t le((o"(, 'ook(, a"& !aterial( i" the worl& wo"*t %et (t+&e"t( ex)ite& a'o+t
lear"i"% a"& willi"% to work har& i# they*re "ot !otiate&. e" the !o(t well-
i"te"tio"e& a"& e&+)ate& tea)her( (o!eti!e( la)k the (kill( to kee ki&( o" tra)k, (o
whether yo+*re a "ew tea)her or a" exerie")e& o"e, try +(i"% the(e !etho&( to
!otiate yo+r (t+&e"t( a"& to e")o+ra%e the! to lie + to their tr+e ote"tial.
1. ie (t+&e"t( a (e"(e o# )o"trol.
While %+i&a")e #ro! a tea)her i( i!orta"t to keei"% ki&( o" ta(k a"& !otiate&,
allowi"% (t+&e"t( to hae (o!e )hoi)e a"& )o"trol oer what hae"( i" the )la((roo!
i( a)t+ally o"e o# the 'e(t way( to kee the! e"%a%e&. For exa!le, allowi"% (t+&e"t(
to )hoo(e the tye o# a((i%"!e"t they &o or whi)h ro'le!( to work o" )a" %ie the! a
(e"(e o# )o"trol that !ay /+(t !otiate the! to &o !ore.
2. De#i"e the o'/e)tie(.
t )a" 'e ery #r+(trati"% #or (t+&e"t( to )o!lete a" a((i%"!e"t or ee" to 'ehae i"
)la(( i# there are"*t )learly &e#i"e& o'/e)tie(. St+&e"t( wa"t a"& "ee& to k"ow what i(
exe)te& o# the! i" or&er to (tay !otiate& to work. t the 'e%i""i"% o# the year, lay
o+t )lear o'/e)tie(, r+le(, a"& exe)tatio"( o# (t+&e"t( (o that there i( "o )o"#+(io"
a"& (t+&e"t( hae %oal( to work towar&(.
3. reate a threat-#ree e"iro"!e"t.
While (t+&e"t( &o "ee& to +"&er(ta"& that there are )o"(e+e")e( to their a)tio"(, #ar
!ore !otiati"% #or (t+&e"t( tha" threat( are o(itie rei"#or)e!e"t(. Whe" tea)her(
)reate a (a#e, (+ortie e"iro"!e"t #or (t+&e"t(, a##ir!i"% their 'elie# i" a (t+&e"t*(
a'ilitie( rather tha" layi"% o+t the )o"(e+e")e( o# "ot &oi"% thi"%(, (t+&e"t( are !+)h
!ore likely to %et a"& (tay !otiate& to &o their work. t the e"& o# the &ay, (t+&e"t(
will #+l#ill the exe)tatio"( that the a&+lt( aro+"& the! )o!!+"i)ate, (o #o)+( o" )a","ot )a"*t.
4. ha"%e yo+r ()e"ery.
)la((roo! i( a %reat la)e #or lear"i"%, '+t (itti"% at a &e(k &ay i" a"& &ay o+t )a"
!ake ()hool (tart to (ee! a 'it &+ll #or (o!e (t+&e"t(. To re"ew i"tere(t i" the (+'/e)t
!atter or /+(t i" lear"i"% i" %e"eral, %ie yo+r (t+&e"t( a )ha")e to %et o+t o# the
)la((roo!. Take #iel& tri(, 'ri"% i" (eaker(, or ee" /+(t hea& to the li'rary #or (o!e
re(ear)h. The 'rai" loe( "oelty a"& a "ew (etti"% )a" 'e /+(t what (o!e (t+&e"t(
"ee& to (tay !otiate& to lear".
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5. ##er arie& exerie")e(.
ot all (t+&e"t( will re(o"& to le((o"( i" the (a!e way. For (o!e, ha"&(-o"
exerie")e( !ay 'e the 'e(t. ther( !ay loe to rea& 'ook( +ietly or to work i"
%ro+(. " or&er to kee all (t+&e"t( !otiate&, !ix + yo+r le((o"( (o that (t+&e"t(
with &i##ere"t re#ere")e( will ea)h %et ti!e #o)+(e& o" the thi"%( they like 'e(t. Doi"%
(o will hel (t+&e"t( (tay e"%a%e& a"& ay atte"tio".
6. (e o(itie )o!etitio".
o!etitio" i" the )la((roo! i("*t alway( a 'a& thi"%, a"& i" (o!e )a(e( )a" !otiate
(t+&e"t( to try har&er a"& work to ex)el. Work to #o(ter a #rie"&ly (irit o# )o!etitio"
i" yo+r )la((roo!, erha( thro+%h %ro+ %a!e( relate& to the !aterial or other
oort+"itie( #or (t+&e"t( to (how o## their k"owle&%e.
7. ##er rewar&(.
eryo"e like( %etti"% rewar&(, a"& o##eri"% yo+r (t+&e"t( the )ha")e to ear" the! i(
a" ex)elle"t (o+r)e o# !otiatio". Thi"%( like i88a artie(, wat)hi"% !oie(, or ee"
(o!ethi"% a( (i!le a( a (ti)ker o" a aer )a" !ake (t+&e"t( work har&er a"& really
ai! to a)hiee. o"(i&er the er(o"alitie( a"& "ee&( o# yo+r (t+&e"t( to &eter!i"earoriate rewar&( #or yo+r )la((.
9. ie (t+&e"t( re(o"(i'ility.
((i%"i"% (t+&e"t( )la((roo! /o'( i( a %reat way to '+il& a )o!!+"ity a"& to %ie
(t+&e"t( a (e"(e o# !otiatio". :o(t (t+&e"t( will (ee )la((roo! /o'( a( a riile%e
rather tha" a '+r&e" a"& will work har& to e"(+re that they, a"& other (t+&e"t(, are
!eeti"% exe)tatio"(. t )a" al(o 'e +(e#+l to allow (t+&e"t( to take t+r"( lea&i"%
a)tiitie( or heli"% o+t (o that ea)h #eel( i!orta"t a"& al+e&.
. llow (t+&e"t( to work to%ether.
While "ot all (t+&e"t( will /+! at the )ha")e to work i" %ro+(, !a"y will #i"& it #+" to
try to (ole ro'le!(, &o exeri!e"t(, a"& work o" ro/e)t( with other (t+&e"t(. The
(o)ial i"tera)tio" )a" %et the! ex)ite& a'o+t thi"%( i" the )la((roo! a"& (t+&e"t( )a"
!otiate o"e a"other to rea)h a %oal. Tea)her( "ee& to e"(+re that %ro+( are 'ala")e&
a"& #air, howeer, (o that (o!e (t+&e"t( are"*t &oi"% !ore work tha" other(.
10. ie rai(e whe" ear"e&.
There i( "o other #or! o# !otiatio" that work( +ite a( well a( e")o+ra%e!e"t. e"
a( a&+lt( we )rae re)o%"itio" a"& rai(e, a"& (t+&e"t( at a"y a%e are "o ex)etio".
Tea)her( )a" %ie (t+&e"t( a 'o+"ty o# !otiatio" 'y rewar&i"% (+))e(( +'li)ly, %ii"%
rai(e #or a /o' well &o"e, a"& (hari"% exe!lary work.
11. ")o+ra%e (el#-re#le)tio".
:o(t ki&( wa"t to (+))ee&, they /+(t "ee& hel #i%+ri"% o+t what they "ee& to &o i"
or&er to %et there. "e way to !otiate yo+r (t+&e"t( i( to %et the! to take a har& look
at the!(ele( a"& &eter!i"e their ow" (tre"%th( a"& weak"e((e(. St+&e"t( are o#te"
!+)h !ore !otiate& 'y )reati"% the(e ki"&( o# )riti+e( o# the!(ele( tha" 'y hai"%
a tea)her &o it #or the!, a( it !ake( the! #eel i" )har%e o# )reati"% their ow" o'/e)tie(
a"& %oal(.
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12.
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allowi"% the! to (ee i(+ally /+(t how !+)h they are lear"i"% a"& i!roi"% a( the year
%oe( o".
20. :ake thi"%( #+".
ot all )la(( work "ee&( to 'e a %a!e or a %oo& ti!e, '+t (t+&e"t( who (ee ()hool a( a
la)e where they )a" hae #+" will 'e !ore !otiate& to ay atte"tio" a"& &o the work
that*( re+ire& o# the! tha" tho(e who re%ar& it a( a )hore. &&i"% #+" a)tiitie( i"to
yo+r ()hool &ay )a" hel (t+&e"t( who (tr+%%le to (tay e"%a%e& a"& !ake the
)la((roo! a !+)h !ore #rie"&ly la)e #or all (t+&e"t(.
21. >roi&e oort+"itie( #or (+))e((.
St+&e"t(, ee" the 'e(t o"e(, )a" 'e)o!e #r+(trate& a"& &e!otiate& whe" they #eel
like they*re (tr+%%li"% or "ot %etti"% the re)o%"itio" that other (t+&e"t( are. :ake (+re
that all (t+&e"t( %et a )ha")e to lay to their (tre"%th( a"& #eel i")l+&e& a"& al+e&. t
)a" !ake a worl& o# &i##ere")e i" their !otiatio".