Teachers: passion/commitment
Teachers need to become more passionate and go above and beyond the call of duty. They need to somehow find a way to relay compassion and a caring attitude to their students. Teachers need to remember why they came into their profession in the first place.-- Maricela Gonzalez, Jan 25, 2008, EDCI 4322-01
I feel teachers should just try their best to reach out to these students. Most importantly, they should not give up on them (the students) or on themselves. They just have to keep on trying until the students realize that the teacher really is concerned with their progress—Shirley, Jan 28, 2008, EDCI 4322-01
Teachers need to learn to never lose hope and believe that they can make a difference in the lives of their students. As a woman and a minority, it saddens me to see masses of young Hispanics full of potential drop out and never receive a high school diploma. When I am a teacher, I hope to influence all my students to want to graduate and receive higher education. Teachers need to keep the faith that all students can succeed and the determination to help every student to the best of his/her ability in order to become a successful individual of society.-- Juanita Torres, Jan 29, 2008, EDCI 4322-60
I think it is crucial for teachers to be attentive to their student’s needs and to be fair in involving everyone not just good students in class.—Cavin, Jan 30, 2008, EDCI 4322-60
Teachers: making the class FUN
Teachers should find exciting ways of teaching their curriculum by finding new ideas of teaching it in a fun way in order to get students' attention.—Rose, Jan 25, 2008, EDCI 4322-01
Teachers need to see out of the box and try to find new and fun ways to teach. We need to get students more involved—Helen, Jan 28, 2008, EDCI 4322-01
I believe the teachers have to have some learning strategies and techniques to maintain the students excited about education. I feel that making the class fun, making the students feel comfortable and using different resources as movies, internet, websites, presentations and some other materials the teacher can get the student’s attention.—Nanynka, Jan 24, 2008, EDCI 4322-01
I think by personalizing lessons and having more interactions with students, a teacher will be better prepared to accomplish the goals of education, which are to have a safe learning environment and to optimize learning.—Irina, Jan 26, 2008, EDCI 4322-01
I believe the teachers have to have some learning strategies and techniques to maintain the students excited about education. I feel that making the class fun, making the students feel comfortable and using different resources as movies, internet, websites, presentations and some other materials the teacher can get the student’s attention.—Nanynka, Jan 24, 2008, EDCI 4322-01
Teachers can change that by doing different things that are unexpected to them. Just like this class the first day, I was expecting to get the syllabus and the professor lecturing. Instead we played a game, even as adults we like to play games. Teachers should try to have the students participate more and show them that they can learn things on their own—Suki, Jan 26, 2008, EDCI 4322-01
We as teachers cannot force our students to succeed, and we cannot force the parents to force their children to succeed. The only thing we have power over is WHAT WE DO. I believe it is very important to take upon us the responsibility to do everything we possibly can in order to get a concept across to our students. If we put all of our effort into teaching and treat our students as responsible people, they will notice it. When I have a strict teacher who puts a lot of work into the lesson, I find that I do a lot more and learn. Frankly, I feel like it is a huge waste of my time when I have a mediocre teacher, and I think that is why high school students are not motivated. --Eldon Clark, Feb 4, 2008, EDCI 4322-60
In my opinion the only thing teachers can do is motivate student in class to do better in life. Integrate fun lesson plans and in corporate students opinions to what best works for them.—Cassi, Feb 4, 2008, EDCI 4322-60
Teachers: help the students understand the value of education
Teachers should play an important role in motivating students. They spend a significant amount of time with them, and it has to be used properly in order for the students to gain high expectations of themselves.—Forest, Feb 2, 2008, EDCI 4322-60
In my opinion, the government or the schools have to find different ways to make the students to learn like talking to them, but not just start in high school, since kinder or elementary already begin creating a culture about learning and the importance of education.-- Nanynka, Jan 24, 2008, EDCI 4322-01
I think it is up to the teacher and also the parents to motivate their kids and make them understand the importance of a good education…If we could show students the negative outcome of dropping out and the positive outcomes of graduating then maybe we could convince more students to stay in school.—Mike, Jan 29, 2008, EDCI 4322-01
As teachers we need to help them understand that the choices they make — like marrying, becoming parents, falling courses, or behaving badly enough to get suspended can seriously disrupt their ability to finish school. I think that communication is a key factor amongst dropout students and if it is improved then maybe the dropout rate might start dropping.-- Blanca Nunez, Feb 1, 2008, EDCI 4322-60
Teachers: provide students emotional support
I think teachers need to provide more encouragement for a good study habits established in the first grade and beyond set the stage for future success. The parents need encourage and support their children. Their support helps the children become students who reach success.-- Luz Martinez, Jan 24, 2008, EDCI 4322-01
It's important for teachers to find time to help those who struggle in understanding. Rewarding or acknowledging students for a job well done can be motivation for them. –Rose, Jan 25, 2008, EDCI 4322-01
A hug or a "you did a good job" can for the most part work and I found that by just saying “I am proud of you" really makes an impact.-- Janette, Jan 24, 2008, EDCI 4322-01
I heard a lot of points on how to be a good teacher but I was surprised that no one else thought of or said to LISTEN to his/her students. I think that is most important and if you listen to your students including everything else (rules, guidelines, etc.) they will guide you and show you how to best teach them all both individually and as a whole.—Lucy, Jan 29, 2008, EDCI 4322-60
To learn more about Low Motivation, High Dropping Out
Low Motivation, High Dropping Out-- Understanding ...
Demotivator 1: The Individual
Demotivator 2: The Teachers
Demotivator 3: The Parents
Demotivator 4: Education System
Demotivator 5: The Environment
Motivation Solution: Pay them?
Motivation Solution 1 & 2: The Individual & Parent...
Motivation Solution 3: The Teachers
Motivation Solution 4: Education Policy
2 comments:
The best motivation is instrinsic motivation, the motivation the student embraces because it is to their own personal internal benefit, their own satisfaction. That is what we are seeking with an ongoing student time-capsule and 10-year class reunion project we started 3 years ago in our innercity middle school. The central message is for students to connect with their own futures and focus on that future. Personal goals are the focus. Students write letters to themselves as 8th graders that are placed by them on the shelf for their class, one of 10 shelves, inside a 350-pound vault bolted to the floor in our school lobby. They know their letter will stay there until they return for their 10-year 8th grade class reunion.
At that reunion they also know they will be invited to speak with the then current 8th grade class about their recommendations for success. They are warned to prepare for questions such as "If you were 13 again would you do anything differently?"
The more we can get our middle school students to think about answering such a question in 10 years, the more they will work. Also fewer will drop out.
The first students who wrote letters in 2005 are now juniors and that class has over 50 more students than last year's junior class. Something is working. Google "dropout" and "cure" to see our web site.
Thank you for your comments and sharing with us about the student time-capsule and 10-year class reunion project. I am really excited to hear about and it in some way supported my theory about student motivation. While I was working on my dissertation, I developed a learning model which I call Mutual Value Theory (MVT) learning model. Although this theory was originally developed with the purpose to create powerful interpersonal communication, I found it also works with student motivation. The MVT learning model states that in order to create Powerful Interpersonal Communication in the classroom, four values need to be created: 1) self-value, each communicator must highly value themselves; 2) perceived self-value, each communicator must perceive themselves as being highly valued by others (positive teacher-student, student-student relationship); 3) other-value, each communicator highly value others (care and respect others); and 4) course-value, each communicator highly value the course (e.g., topic, content, materials, activities, or assignments).
The fundamental philosophy behind the MVT learning model is that intrinsic motivators (self-confidence, motivation, joy of learning, attitudes, sense of achievement, friendship, connection with others, and emotions) have much more powerful and lasting effects than extrinsic motivators (e.g. incentives, rewards, financial support, assessments, test/note-taking skills) in facilitating student learning. When students believe that they can achieve (self value), their teachers and peers highly value them (perceived self value), they respect and trust their teachers and peers (other value), and they value education and consider it both important and enjoyable (course value), they will be motivated to learn even when they encounter external obstacles (finances, work, family obligations, illness, or stress).
I am currently testing this MVT model in my own three courses and as well as two courses I taught last semester. The result was incredible. I am amazed by how motivated my students were, how much they enjoyed learning, and how well they have learned. What amazed me most was that how much potential each individual student has and how wonderful each student is! It was the most rewarding teaching experience I have ever had and both my students and I are enjoying learning together tremendously. I am once again convinced that all students can learn, want to learn, are able to learn well, and also have the desire to succeed if they are provided with the right kind of environment, teachers, instruction, and other conditions.
I am fascinated about the project you are doing. Based on my MVT model, your program is focusing specifically on one of the four MVT values: course-value. If I am right, the goal of your program is to make the students realize the importance of education and learning and how their learning can affect their future. I personally think this is a very powerful tool to motivate students. Good luck with your program!
Dengting
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