The teaching and learning process is fun and rewarding for both the students and the teachers; however, there are cases where students feel like they are not giving their full potential to achieve their goals and succeed in the classroom. In such scenarios, it is up to the teachers to take the matter into their own hands and push students towards success.
The main problem that students face on a daily basis in a learning environment is a lack of motivation. If students have reached the point where they have little to no motivation, it can be challenging to even complete the simplest tasks assigned to them. This is where teachers come to the play. Teachers can boost students’ motivation and create a healthy learning environment using different methods.
This guide answers the frequently asked question, “How to motivate students to learn?” So, if you are a teacher interested in helping your students be the best version of themselves, keep reading!
The Role of Motivation in Students
Motivation is a powerful predictor of both learning and achievement. Students who are more motivated to learn, stay in class longer, make more of an effort, learn more thoroughly, and perform better on standardized tests. Motivation is a necessary component of effective teaching and learning. Motivated students are far more likely to reach their full potential and achieve success. This not only results in more positive behavior in students but also makes a significant contribution to a sense of well-being.
Forms of Motivation: Extrinsic & Intrinsic
When speaking of motivation, there are generally two types of motivation, those being intrinsic and extrinsic. These two forms of motivation are entirely different from one another and affect people differently.
Intrinsic motivation originates from inside the individual, while extrinsic motivation originates from outside. While both sorts of motivation are vital, their influence on how you work and the results are different. Intrinsic motivation refers to the process of working towards achieving a specific goal because you find it personally fulfilling. On the other hand, extrinsic motivation refers to completing a task or behaving in a certain way to avoid punishment or earning a reward.
Extrinsic motivation can be beneficial in various settings, and it can also contribute to burnout or loss of efficacy over time. Working toward an external reward can be helpful when you need to finish an activity that you would otherwise dislike.
On the other hand, intrinsic motivation is usually a more effective long-term strategy for attaining objectives and finishing tasks in a way that makes you happy.
Both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation can complement each other to help you complete a task. While working on different projects, you may be extrinsically motivated to complete them to meet a deadline. You may be internally motivated to finish them because you appreciate the project, and it will fulfill your internal goals.
Why is Motivation Important for Students
Motivation is defined as an attitude toward learning. As a result, it influences whether a student will give up or persevere and how thoughtfully they will reflect on their learning. The more a student is motivated to pursue an activity, the less likely they will accept simple answers to complex concerns.
In short, intrinsic motivation is important since it encourages critical thinking that is both robust and adaptable. The importance of extrinsic motivation, on the other hand, lies in the fact that it leads to more academic persistence.
It fosters growth
One of the main reasons motivation is important for students is that it fosters students’ growth. A highly-motivated student can improve and grow constantly when facing challenges and fixing mistakes. Motivating your students as a teacher will encourage problem-solving techniques and critical thinking, promoting student growth and constant improvement.
It increases self-confidence
Self-confidence and motivation go head to head in a learning environment. When teachers motivate their students, it helps them increase self-confidence and leads and encourages students to perform better and deliver higher results overall. Motivated students are confident in themselves and are not afraid to try new things even if they fail since they know that such effort will help them grow.
It cultivates resilience
Both types of motivation are essential since they cultivate resilience. Individuals who participate in intrinsically stimulating activities report that their self-consciousness and other stressors diminish during the activity. These can be best noticed when a student is completely absorbed in a task and has fewer cognitive and emotional resources to concentrate on their social image.
In addition, motivated students are better equipped to emotionally recover from a poor test grade or harsh criticism from a teacher or peer. Students that are intrinsically motivated are less likely to disengage in such situations since they are not motivated by fear of failure or criticism. Negative feedback has a demotivating effect on all students, but highly-motivated students experience it less.
How to Improve Students’ Motivation: A List of Simple Ideas
As a teacher, you can use various methods to improve students’ motivation. A successful teacher will help students achieve their goals by using the right strategies that increase student motivation. Giving students a sense of leadership and setting clear goals, using competition, and rewarding all can be very effective methods to improve student motivation in the classroom and out.
Give students a sense of ownership
The first thing a teacher can do to increase student motivation is to give them a sense of control and ownership. While teacher instruction is essential for keeping students engaged and motivated, giving students some control and autonomy over what activity takes place in the classroom is one of the best ways to keep them interested and motivated. Allowing students to decide on the type of assignment they will take on, for example, can give them a sense of control that may motivate them to be more successful.
Set clear learning goals
If you want to keep your student motivated at all times, it is essential to set clear learning goals. If there aren’t clearly defined objectives, it can be challenging for students to complete the task given or even behave in class. To stay motivated at work, students want and need to understand what is expected of them. Set clear objectives, guidelines, and expectations for students at the start of the year so that there is no misunderstanding and students have goals to work toward.
Get them involved
Finding a way to involve every student in the class activity can help increase motivation. While not all students will enjoy working in groups, many will find it enjoyable to solve problems, conduct experiments, and collaborate on projects with their colleagues. In addition, students can motivate each other to achieve goals through social interaction. Teachers must, however, ensure that groups are balanced and equitable so that no students are overworked.
Create a safe environment
To increase motivation in a learning environment, creating safe and welcoming conditions is essential. Some students grow so anxious about the idea of failing to the point where it blocks them from even taking another step towards achieving their goals. Letting these students know that struggling with an assignment isn’t the end of the world motivates them the most. As a teacher, you should encourage students regardless of the outcome and make sure they aren’t so overwhelmed by the expectations you’ve set.
Get out of the classroom’s comfort zone
One of the best methods of motivation for students is getting them out of their comfort zone. When doing different activities in the classroom, it is important to constantly challenge students with new and unexpected puzzles in order to keep them on their toes at all times. This element of surprise will keep them motivated and always looking forward to finding out what’s awaiting them next.
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Use competition and rewarding
Competition in the classroom isn’t always a bad thing since, when done right, it can inspire students to concentrate and achieve their goals. Encourage a friendly atmosphere of competitiveness in your classroom, and offer opportunities for students to show off their knowledge or abilities.
Furthermore, providing your students with the opportunity to earn prizes is a great motivator. Consider your students’ personalities and requirements while deciding on acceptable rewards for the students in your class.
Praise students for their success
There is probably no other type of motivation that works as effectively as encouragement. Giving praise for students’ accomplishments and successes is critical since it encourages them to finish more work. Teachers can motivate students by publicly praising success, expressing recognition for a job well done, and sharing their exemplary work.
Encourage students by giving feedback
Students who struggle with classwork may become discouraged and frustrated, which can drain motivation. Teachers must provide appropriate learning feedback in these instances to assist students in understanding where they went wrong and how they may improve next time. Developing a system for giving constructive feedback might assist students in remaining motivated to work hard and constantly improve.
Acknowledge individual needs and setbacks
Finding out where the problem lies is the first step toward solving it. Acknowledging students’ individual needs and setbacks can help them stay motivated and make them want to overcome those obstacles. Once their needs and setbacks are noticed, the teacher can also help students get better and succeed.
Motivational Strategies for Students
Teachers who are willing to improve their students’ motivation levels can use various techniques. Becoming a role model teacher, creating a safe and respectful learning environment, and growing a community of leaders are the best motivational strategies for students that are proven to work in almost every scenario.
Be a role model and inspirational
Inspirational teachers portray success to their students. Achievements such as completing a race, owning a small company, or receiving an award are all examples of teacher success. All teachers have accomplishments to share. Therefore, students can learn what success is and how to pursue it by studying the teacher’s triumphs. When students decide they want to succeed, they pay close attention to the actions, choices, and even sacrifices that lead teachers to success.
Teachers provide opportunities for students to do so in their daily routines, assignments, and interactions with them. Hard work, a willingness to struggle, and the ability to learn from our mistakes are examples of these behaviors. Students internalize their teacher’s behaviors and strategies in order to achieve their own objectives.
Develop respect for others
One of the best strategies to increase student motivation is fostering an environment where everyone is respected and heard. Knowing that students can freely express their thoughts and ideas without being judged by others will motivate them to express their opinions and give their full potential in every assigned task. The fact that students are accepted into this full of respect environment you have created encourages them to give their best effort and achieve great results.
Grow a community of leaders, not only learners
It is a well-known fact that traditional teaching consists of teachers delivering lectures and students taking notes, followed by independent work to assess understanding. Transforming this outdated concept to include more time for students to talk to other students fosters true community and creates leaders in the classroom. The teacher’s lecture and the independent work activity should be collaborative and cooperative. This is the time for students to process information and ask questions.
Highly-motivated learners engage in what could be described as the “problem solving” phase of their development with new ideas, and together they arrive at new learnings. This gradual transfer of obligation from teacher to student promotes a deeper understanding of the material rather than rote memorization; thus, students are self-directed and motivated learners and leaders rather than passive observers of the instructor’s knowledge.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, student motivation is the key to success in a learning environment. Highly motivated learners quickly achieve their goals and help others in doing so. However, most students may sometimes need a push by their teachers in order to be motivated and perform well. Now that you have found out how to encourage and motivate students, you can go on and use the methods provided above to help your students grow and achieve their goals!