How to Motivate Students in the Classroom

How to Motivate Students in the Classroom

Why are they unmotivated? 

How to motivate students in the classroom is such a difficult topic!  So many students that I see are very disengaged for a variety of reasons.  These reasons are discussed in depth here, along with some methods to address various reasons.  However, there are some general statements that can be made as well.  In order to get them motivated, I think it is really important to find out what those reasons are.  There can be many varied reasons within one classroom. Are they disengaged because there's something going on with them outside of school?  How can they focus on academics when they're concerned about where they're going to sleep or where their next meal is coming from? Are they disengaged simply because they don't understand and they have not been successful in school in the past? Are they disengaged just because it's not their topic of interest? And there are probably as many more reasons as there are individual students. 

What to do about it?? 

Lots of Encouragement

So what can you do about that? It can be difficult to get students motivated, for sure!  Again it's important to be positive with students.  Don't assume that their behavior is coming from a negative place, or is directed negatively towards you.  Telling them something like "you're doing a great job," or "you're off to a good start, let's see if we can finish this up" or event "do you need help getting started?" can go a lot further. Also, helping them see the bigger picture and see the progress and successes that they are making is so important.  This alone be motivating. Constant encouragement that they can do it and that they will be able to have success will also be so important. 

Bigger Conversations

Having those bigger conversations, if the opportunity arises, with students about their goals, and  about not following blindly what their friends are doing is important. They may not have someone else in their life often talking to them about what they want (graduation? College?) and how those goals fit into what's happening today.  I have seen quite a few students who don't make the connection between what's happening today, and their longer term goals. 

Engaging Lessons?

Of course, you will hear recommendations to motivate students by making a lesson more engaging.While it is absolutely true making a lesson engaging and relevant to students is absolutely key, this is not the only way.  Doing something that gets their attention right away is so important but then we don't want them to lose that motivation the minute that it's not as engaging. 

I'm now working in a program with students who are recovering credits.  They are all behind on credits to be in the program.   In fact, much of their coursework is pre-packaged and is not particularly motivating or engaging all the time.  It has been interesting for me to look at what keeps them motivated.  For many students it's simply a desire to earn credits, to graduate, to be at the appropriate grade level, or to catch up to their peers. They are willing to do what they need to do.  It's been an interesting lesson in making engaging curriculum vs. other motivating factors. 

Our students are successful when they build positive relationships with the teachers, when they feel that they can be successful, and when they have some flexibility to get the help that they need. 

Ultimately I think the motivation has to come from within the students. If that means taking the time to do some mindset/reflection type of work, build relationships and work on things that are not content specific I think it will pay off.  There are other articles that have researched and had similar findings about student motivation. 

Two Resources I Want to Share with You

If you've been around here a while, you probably have been hearing me talk about two topics that have been on my mind a lot lately.  Namely, teacher self-care and balance with the rest of your life, and giving teens role models of other teen scientists.

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As I have been digging into these topics I came across two resources that I want to share:

1) Angela Watson is the author of the 40 Hour Work Week Program (which I have not done), the Truth for Teachers Podcast (which I love), and many other teacher resources.  Her newest resource is this book.

She describes herself as "productivity and mindset specialist, author, and motivational speaker for educators" and that she believes in "challenging the narrative of the overworked and unappreciated “super teacher.”

This book does a great job of that.  She is not teaching time management and productivity tips, but really addressing the underlying issues, both systemic and individual mindset to help us view our jobs and manage teacher stress and constantly increasing demands in a healthier way.

2) As you know I have been working on creating resources about meaningful examples of teen scientists.  In doing this work I have been lucky enough to correspond with a few of them.  One was Stella Bowles.  If you aren't familiar with Stella, here is a link to her website.  I am working on a differentiated reading comprehension passage about her now.  However, in talking with her, I found out that among her other amazing work, she has written a book!  The book is geared toward middle or high school students. It is currently in the classrooms of all the schools in the Canadian province where she lives, but she is looking to get it into more classrooms, including here in the US.  I think this would be a fantastic cross-disciplinary project, or even a book to read in class.  

It is both a great read, and yet another example of a teen really making a difference!  

If you end up checking either of these out, I'd love to hear your feedback! 

(note: affiliate links)

Aiming for Respect and Discipline in the Classroom

Aiming for Respect and Discipline in the Classroom

If you are struggling with classroom management and feel like it’s a struggle to have your students respect you and follow your discipline, here are a few key suggestions. 

My Background

Before I start, I want you to understand where I’m coming from. I have taught for 14 years in an urban district, with an overall free and reduced lunch rate of about 85%. Our population is mostly minority, largely African-American. I am not an expert on classroom management by any means, but as a small-stature, white female I have learned quite a bit over the last 14 years!

Relationships

First of all, respect and classroom discipline all comes back to building relationships. Relationships are the biggest key! You've probably heard it over and over again but it can't be said enough. So, how do you build relationships with your students? Be a little bit flexible. Get to know them as people. Share parts of yourself with them as you are comfortable. It doesn't have to be anything too personal. But don’t be afraid to show that you have a sense of humor and that you are a real person.

Be Flexible

Appreciate that they are people, not just students. That also might mean being flexible with how they do an assignment or giving them a little bit of a break on a particular day if you can see that they really need it. Treat an isolated day of non-compliance the way you would want to be treated if you weren’t feeling well or had an off day. However, when you see a pattern, treat it differently. But still with respect. Don’t humiliate and confront a student. Discuss it with him or her separately. Think about it, we go to work and we are not always at our best. We appreciate it when our co-workers help out, but we sometimes don't allow students the same flexibility. There may be a way to compromise with a student or to meet their needs while still getting them to do the work.

You are the Adult

Remember, you are the adult, and they are the child. I say this not to hammer home the idea of the student ‘listening to the adult’ and ‘following directions.’ Instead, I am suggesting that you can outsmart them! If you can make some small concessions and at the end of the day they are still doing work then you win! Remember the big picture, and don’t get into a confrontation with them. Keep your eye on the goal - their classwork and their learning and figure out a plan together to help them get there. If they're doing what they need to be doing in some format, then you're winning even if they didn't do it exactly the way that you had in mind.

Consistency

You can also help with discipline in the classroom by being really really consistent for a long period of time so that when students walk into your room they always know what the expectations are. They know that when you say something you will mean it. This doesn't mean being confrontational necessarily but being clear and then sticking to it. For example, if you ask students to be quiet when you're talking, and when they are talking, you may need to stop and remind them that it's your turn to talk and then wait. It will feel like you're wasting class time waiting. The waiting might be brutal. But, by establishing those norms at the beginning of the year, it will save a lot of trouble later. Similarly, if you expect students to pick up a folder or paper on the way in, and they walked by without doing it, remind them to come back and get it.

Plan for Success

Lastly, another step towards respect and discipline in the classroom is helping the students feel successful and feel like their time is not being wasted. I believe that even our struggling students want to feel that they can accomplish what they're supposed to be doing in class. Many students may get frustrated. You may be seeing what appears as disrespect or discipline problems but if, instead, students can focus their energy in a more positive way you may not see as many behavior problems in class.

Safety First

Also remember, safety first so if you are ever concerned about safety don't hesitate to have a student removed from your class.