6 Great Tactics for Increasing Motivation For Students

Probably every good teacher wants to inspire and motivate their students. Despite the importance of education and the impact it has on students’ future, not all students actually find themselves motivated enough to work hard in school or in college. Moreover, lack of motivation is actually one of the main reasons students drop out of school.
Unfortunately, not all students are able to motivate themselves well – but that’s where adults can help them. Both teachers and parents have enough authority to do so – however, they need to know where to start and what to do in order to succeed.
The techniques for parents and for teachers are different, so today I want to focus on the last ones. Here’s how you are able to motivate your students if you are a teacher.
1. Step away from the traditional program.
I know that it might sound too radical, but I’m not talking about forgetting the program completely. Being a teacher, you probably know a lot about a subject you teach – and are passionate about it enough to find ways how to make the whole learning process more interesting and modern.
For example, if you teach literature, you can encourage your students to start book blogs or give them some tips on how to improve their writing with the help of the term paper writing service. You could also start a discussion about poets and writers living in the past – for example, discuss with students what would they do if they lived today and how would their lives change.
2. Hand over a bit of control.
We know that a teacher is in charge of all lessons, but what if this would change for a bit? For example, you could offer students to take your place during one of the lessons and give a lecture on a certain topic.
Offering them to voice their opinion is also a good idea. You could encourage them to tell their thoughts about a certain topic even if their opinion is different from yours. You could also ask them what they like and dislike during your classes and then try to adjust the program according to their comments.
3. Create the right environment.
It could be challenging, but it’s very important for students’ growth and development. Praise your students for the things they do well, tell them that everyone is able to master the program you are teaching, and try not to focus too much on their mistakes. A positive environment can do wonders to students’ motivation – that’s why it is so important for you to create it.
4. Try to turn competition into a positive thing.
It’s hard for many students to compete with each other, as the ones who fail often feel demotivated. However, when a competition is friendly and positive, it can motivate students to try harder and work more. It’s up to you to turn a competition into a good thing – for example, you could use games to do so, encourage students to work in teams, and give them other opportunities to demonstrate their skills and knowledge.
5. Be persistent.
Of course, some students are harder to motivate than the others. In this case, you should be very persistent. For example, when a student doesn’t know the answer to a certain question, tell them that you believe in them and that’s why you are going to ask them another question soon. Even if the student still doesn’t know the answer, ask them another question later. Don’t forget to remind that you’re doing so because you believe this student is smart enough to handle it – and trust me, this will work (even if it might take some time).
6. Show your own enthusiasm and interest.
It’s hard to motivate someone to become interested in a thing that doesn’t seem interesting even to you. That’s why you have to demonstrate your passion to the students – and show your interest in their lives as well. Ask them about things they like, things that inspire them, get to actually know them, and become not only a teacher but also a friend to them.
Remember that sometimes it isn’t about a subject – it is about a teacher. Many students become interested in certain subjects not because they actually interest them but because they are taught by a teacher who loves their job and makes the whole process interesting and entertaining.
Of course, it can be hard to motivate students all the time, but you actually don’t have to do so. All you need to do is put some effort at first to awaken students’ motivation – and then simply to keep this fire burning with the help of interesting lectures and tasks.
I hope that you find this post useful and will be able to implement some of these tips in your work. If you know more techniques for motivation, feel free to share them with us in a comment section!