| As an adjunct education professor I am often | | | | interested in the topic it is much easier for |
| asked, "How do I motivate students to learn?" | | | | the teacher to start the lesson. |
| | | | |
| Motivating students to learn is a struggle | | | | Then, at the end of the lesson, the teacher |
| that all teachers face. | | | | can take another poll to see if the student's |
| | | | opinions have changed. |
| Since I also teach middle school social | | | | |
| studies it is the challenge I personally face | | | | 2. Use music to teach ~ Music is one of the |
| everyday. | | | | most underrated learning tools and is a great |
| | | | way to spark student interest. For example, |
| The truth is motivating students to learn is | | | | when teaching a lesson on the slave trade and |
| one of the key components of effective | | | | the Middle Passage I introduce the topic by |
| teaching AND classroom management. | | | | playing the Bob Marley songs "Buffalo |
| | | | Soldier" and "Catch a Fire". |
| If students are not motivated to learn then | | | | |
| they are most likely not involved in the | | | | 3. Use video ~ Video is one of the most |
| lesson and if they are not involved in the | | | | misunderstood teaching tools and is often |
| lesson they are much more likely to cause | | | | abused. However, if used correctly video can |
| classroom management problems. | | | | be a great tool increase student motivation |
| | | | to learn. The key is to use short clips from |
| Therefore, it is critical for teachers to | | | | movies and documentaries at beginning of |
| increase student motivation to learn and the | | | | lessons rather than the end. Hollywood movies |
| best way to do this is for teachers to spark | | | | are great for this, but you can also use to |
| student interest at the beginning of every | | | | download short clips from documentaries on |
| lesson. | | | | any subject for any grade level. |
| | | | |
| Here are six effective strategies for | | | | 4. Relate what students are learning to what |
| motivating students to learn I do at the | | | | is going on in the "real world". This is |
| beginning of lessons: | | | | obviously easier done with some subjects than |
| | | | others, but it can be done. Students need to |
| 1. Use critical thinking questions ~ The | | | | know "why" they are learning something. |
| great thing about using these types of | | | | |
| questions is that they don't necessarily have | | | | 5. Relate what students are learning to what |
| a right or wrong answer so students are | | | | is important to them. The trick here is to |
| allowed to express their own opinions as | | | | get to know your students and learn about |
| opposed to simply being told to memorize | | | | their own interests. |
| facts. | | | | |
| | | | 6. Use technology...or rather, have the |
| Here's a quick example. Let's take a social | | | | student use technology to learn. Have them |
| studies lesson on the use of the atomic bomb | | | | create podcasts, videos, web sites, brochures |
| to end World War II. To spark interest at | | | | etc. |
| the beginning of the lesson the teacher can | | | | |
| ask students to all write down an answer to | | | | Increasing student motivation to learn can be |
| the following question... "Do you think | | | | challenging, but it is an essential element |
| President Truman was justified in dropping | | | | in being an effective teacher. The added |
| the atomic bomb to end WWII? Why?" | | | | bonus is you will also find yourself enjoying |
| | | | teaching much more when it doesn't feel like |
| Teachers can then let students share their | | | | you are pulling teeth trying to get your |
| answers for a quick class discussion and then | | | | students involved. |
| take a class poll. Now that the students are | | | | |