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How to Get Students Motivated to Learn

It all starts with a little inspiration.

By Mimo le SingePublished 6 years ago 3 min read
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Photo courtesy of blog.umhb.edu

Whenever a grade-level standard was put in place, I would always try to achieve it or even go beyond expectations. As the years went by, I realized that it is not that difficult to excel in school, if and when I can find the motivation to put exceptional effort into my studies.

The kinds of motivation built into our educational system today include scholarships, awards, and grants. These things motivated me as well, but the level of interest in my classes is what made me want to learn extensively about the material being taught. Interest, in fact, is one of the, if not the greatest motivation for success. Educational facilities can be strengthened in this way if there is an abundance of thought-provoking teachers, students acquiring knowledge in certain subjects, and the determination to prepare for post-secondary education.

Probably the biggest problem students face is that a lot of them do not actually know what their interests are or have not fully realized their capabilities. One way to spark interest in students is not only to engage them in a course filled with excitement, but to also grab their attention as a vibrant instructor. An instructor’s personality and overall charisma give students an idea of what to expect from a course in terms of their specific marking scheme, and the nature of classroom vibes, activities and assignments.

To use an example as a means to reinforce my point, a passionate teacher will have planned out his or her class schedule in such a way that entertains and connects with the students. This can include methods like referencing pop culture and/or well-known events during instruction, and speaking in a more casual yet endearing tone to motivate and encourage them to participate in class. Oftentimes, student-teacher relationships can generate in-depth discussions that demonstrate motivation in extensive learning and even hands-on experience on the student's end. The latter is apparent, given the number of student research assistants and supervisors for students that go on to do independent studies, for instance.

Lately, I have been noticing that the reason why students tend to enroll in specific courses is because they might already have some background knowledge in the subject in question, and wish to expand on their learning. This is where interest and motivation come in. If students feel that particular classes are going well for them, especially if they relate to what the students want to pursue in later years, then they would likely be curious in what the subsequent courses (usually those that require pre-requisites) have to offer. The idea in this case is exploring a topic in further detail with, at the very least, the basic knowledge and understanding required for intensive study.

Post-secondary education, or even career planning, is probably the main reason why most students are willing to take certain courses. Students do so assuming that the courses will assist them in whatever it is they wish to pursue in the real world. In this scenario, students usually have high expectations in what should be taught in correlation with university or college courses, the demand or difficulty of the classes, and how the lessons should be taught or what the lectures should be like.

Once again, interest and motivation are the key characteristics that need to be taken from these expectations, in order for the students to: gain a sense of what their strong and weak points are, what aspects of the courses prove to be useful in their post-secondary programs of interest, and to make that overall comparison between how the class may run now and how that level of education may differ when starting university or college. Another thought to consider is the level of enthusiasm and commitment to the field of study. These will determine if it is something students would go into and can see themselves doing for the majority of their lives in the workforce.

Although it may appear as a broad idea at first sight, interest is built upon factors that lead to motivation as the outcome. When considering success in school, interest and the motivation to learn come in many different forms, as demonstrated by: having a captivating instructor with the ability to get students brainstorming even outside a classroom environment, having the skills or knowledge as a student prior to taking a course and seeking further opportunities, and narrowing down which courses would be assets for success in future post-secondary careers. It is amazing how interest alone can influence advancement in student learning.

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About the Creator

Mimo le Singe

First, there was Mailchimp. Then, there was Wordchimp. And now, you've got a “Storychimp” sharing writing-related advice and other random musings. Happy reading! All works are written by me, not by AI.

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