Teaching to Motivate
Motivation is a group effort. Motivation can be offered and encouraged, but motivation also must come from within. For a student to truly own their goals, education, accomplishments and success, they must share and participate in the motivation process.
So, let us consider the instructor half of the motivation circle.
An instructor has the opportunity to show learners how useful, interesting, applicable, and exciting their subject is. For example, I teach math and statistics. These are not commonly “loved†subjects. However, I love them both! I read math, statistics, and physics for fun each day to improve my skills and to deepen my own understanding. I truly believe that math is magical and holds the secrets of the universe.
I teach math with this type of enthusiasm. I take the time to show my students why and how math and statistics are not only incrediblely interesting, but also invaluable to all careers and majors.
I gauge my lectures by how I would feel if I had to listen to myself. Would I be bored or would I be on the edge of my seat – waiting to hear where the story will unfold to.
I have also found that clarity is very motivated just as ambiguity can be very discouraging. Attending college is enough of a challenge without having to play a guessing game during class. I make a point of creating clear and concise communication with respect to every aspect of the class.
I help student to realize that they can succeed and that it is OK if they do not understand a concept right away.
Learning math can be a unique experience because the concepts are new and as a teacher, I must related these new concepts to ideas that my students already have and know. This connection will realize and ground the concepts, thereby offering greater understanding and application.
In exchange for my absolute dedication, I expect my learners to try hard and then try again.
I encourage them to believe that they can, and that it is OK to read the textbook and solve the problems. Learning math specifically is interactive – the student and the instructor must both do their part.
