|
How to Motivate Your Students
An excerpt
from LWW's LiveAdvise Teaching Strategy Reference
Library
If you are already a good instructor, adding the motivator role will
make you a GREAT instructor. Have you seen the Fish
Philosophy ? It is a true story about men who work in a fish market
in Seattle, WA. These men define their beliefs as "Make Their Day,"
"Be There," Choose Your Attitude," and "Play . "
By following these four concepts every single day , they maintain high
levels of customer and job satisfaction. These beliefs have become their
credo:
- "Make Their day"-Make each person you deal with feel important.
- "Be There"-You have to be present both mentally and physically
while completing a task.
- "Choose your attitude"-You have control over your attitude,
and your attitude can make you or break you.
- "Play"-You can add fun to the daily routine through play.
What does the "Fish Philosophy" have to do with motivating
students? Everything! Adopt the "Fish Philosophy"; make it your
credo as an instructor, and you will be known as a motivating teacher.
You will move from "Good to Great"!
Make Their Day: What do you feel like if you go to
a meeting and the person in charge doesn't know who you are? How motivated
are you to participate in the meeting? Your students feel the same way.
You can make them feel important simply by learning your students' names
as soon as possible and referring to them by name. There are other things
that you can do, things that illustrate respect for your students' time
and needs. Here are a few suggestions:
Start and end class on time.
Explain why certain assignments are given and explain their relationship
to the course.
Allow students to make choices; give them options and flexibility
in their assignments.
Encourage self-expression and originality.
Keep your word.
Negotiate learning goals with individuals at the beginning of the
course.
Assess student progress regularly with tests and written assignments,
and return the assessments in a timely manner.
Allow students to share their ideas and learn from each other.
Model the process of brainstorming, and demonstrate that all ideas
are worthy of consideration.
Provide positive feedback to students in front of their peers.
Give special privileges or rewards for achieving goals. For example,
students who attend all classes and complete every assignment on time
can earn an extra 5 points on the final grade.
For further information on the additional three parts of the Fish
Philosophy credo and how you can translate them into motivating students
in your classroom, make sure you tune in next month to LWW's LiveAdvise
info-email!
For information on how you can access LWW's LiveAdvise
reference library on teaching strategy, see the contact information within
the email your received.
|
|
Copyright © 2005 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins - All Rights Reserved
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 530 Walnut Street Philadelphia,
PA 19106-3621 |
