Motivation children

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Home : 2004 : November : 17

Motivation children
By Leah Davies

Maybe one or two of the following ideas may be helpful:

1.Provide a caring, supportive environment where children are respected and feel a sense of belonging.
2.Believe that every child has the ability to learn.
3.Involve
children in making classroom rules and consequences that are clear and understandable to all.
4.Emphasize children's strengths; do not dwell on their weaknesses.
5.Get to know your students' interests, talents, goals, and the way each learns best.
6.Treat each child fairly; exhibit no favoritism.
7.Use consistent discipline and maintain an organized, calm classroom

that is conducive to student concentration.
8.Vary your teaching methods and make the lessons interesting and enjoyable. For example, play a game like "Jeopardy" to review a unit or a form of Bingo to learn new words.
9.Network with other teachers to plan and adapt lessons to meet the students' needs.
10.Define work in specific, short-term goals that can help children associate effort with success.
11.Assist students in seeing that failure is not usually due to lack of ability but to ineffective study habits.
12.Teach children helpful study and time management skills.
13.Help children understand that it is not always easy to develop proficiency in a subject; it takes time and effort.
14.Make expectations clear and provide feedback and credit for work well done.
15.Refrain from offering nonspecific praise for little effort (see past article, Effective Praise).
16.Never embarrass or ridicule a child.
17.Assign homework that is specific to the educational needs of the child.
18.Expect low-performing children to accomplish achievable tasks.
19.Enhance the status of "doing one's best" and provide group recognition for effort and/or excellence.
20.Emphasize cooperation rather then competition; support opportunities for students to help one another.
21.Assist children in dealing with frustrations by helping them discover ways to cope with problems.
22.Provide the opportunity for all children to lead a classroom activity.
23.Avoid practices that discourage student initiative. Instead of offering help when none is requested or giving the answer, ask questions that encourage thought and offer suggestions of how to find a solution.
24.Use tangible rewards sparingly. Keep in mind that they may negatively effect children's pursuit of learning for pure pleasure.
25.Provide intangible rewards for unusual student effort or success. For example, a child may receive extra computer time, choose a book to be read to the class, assist the librarian, lead a class game, or eat lunch with the teacher.
26.Remember that many low-achieving students deny the importance of studying and stop working to avoid the shame of having tried and failed.
27.Understand that when students refuse to begin or complete their work, or copy from another child, they may be doing so to protect their self-image.
28.Establish a close working relationship with parents of children who are struggling. Together determine ways to provide a routine, decrease distractions, and help their child acquire good study habits at home.
29.Encourage parents to assist their child in forming healthy habits such as getting enough rest, eating well and exercising so that they will be ready to learn at school.
30.Realize that no teacher is perfect or does everything well. Discover your strengths, learn from your mistakes, and concentrate on doing your best.