Holding the attention of children and teenagers in the classroom and being able to encourage them to study has never been such a challenge as it is today. One of the main reasons is the continued presence of technology, which has brought many benefits to teaching but has also become a huge competitor for teachers. So, how to motivate students to study, once they enter the school with a flurry of information in the palms of their hands, through their smartphones?
Although the motivational cycle is internal, based on the satisfaction of a set of physiological, safety, social, self-esteem, and self-fulfillment needs, as stated by the famous Maslow Theory, in this case, we will understand the verb “motivate” in the sense of stimulating students to enjoy studying and see the importance of learning so many different contents.
Therefore, the teaching-learning process must foster transformative actions. This means designing a new classroom model, using technology, measuring performance, and understanding what each student is like. This is a task force that must have the support of principals, coordinators, teachers, and family.
With that in mind, we wrote this post with some measures to encourage your students to study motivation. Follow the next lines.
Focus on the learning process, not just the outcome
Although the human being is constantly tested to achieve the best results in studies, work, and even leisure, and the demand to win is uninterrupted in our society, the school that values only the result runs the risk of devaluing creativity and the student effort.
In this sense, the concept of classification assessment falls apart. If a school wants its students to feel motivated, the pedagogical work must necessarily be focused on the path taken to build knowledge. The objective is for the student and the teacher to be able to identify the high points and the difficulties, and for both to notice the progress in learning, which will culminate in a good performance.
By focusing on the teaching-learning process, in addition to being stimulated, students will be able to have a much clearer notion of how they are reacting to the content covered and where they need to improve.
Find out what the students’ greatest interests are
In order for teachers to achieve greater success in their classes, they need to know the profile of the student they are dealing with. In any class group, there are different abilities, interests, temperaments, goals, aptitudes, and difficulties.
Therefore, it is important that the school maintains an open dialogue with students so that professionals (teachers and managers) know what their students’ interests and styles are, in order to explore them during pedagogical activities.
Consequently, the classroom needs to become an environment for dialogue that encourages students to reflect, both about themselves and the environment, so that they explore self-knowledge and unite diverse knowledge. The teacher also leaves the historical role of the holder of knowledge and becomes a mediator of dialogue along the learning journey.
Adopt active learning methodologies
One of the worst sensations in the classroom is watching the hands of the clock over the teacher’s head and seeing that time seems to stand still. At this point, the last thing the student is thinking about is the explanations given.
However, in order for this picture to be inverted, active learning methodologies are increasingly being explored. Today, especially guided by the use of technological resources, these methodologies aim to encourage the student, making them responsible for building their own knowledge. Check out these examples:
- Gaming: explores the concept of games (games, in English) to encourage students to overcome challenges and proceed towards more complex stages. Virtual learning environments can help a lot;
- Hybrid teaching: blends online and offline learning. From a virtual learning environment, for example, the student continues his studies in the classroom, fulfilling tasks that will complement the in-person classes which redirect to the Login page.
- MypascoConnect Portal: This helps the Parents, Students, and Teachers to create documents, spreadsheets, presentations, taking notes, sending emails, scheduling classes, and more – all of which are very essential in learning. Try to see an overview of MyPascoConnect dashboard applications. This helps the Parents, Students, and Teachers to create documents, spreadsheets, Seminars, presentations, taking notes, Project presentations, sending emails, scheduling classes, and more – all of which are very essential in learning.
- Flipped Classroom: is a consequence of hybrid teaching. The student may be asked to start their studies autonomously in a virtual environment and then take the knowledge obtained to the classroom so that the activities can be continued, mediated by the teacher;
- Project-based learning: from a challenge or proposed theme, students must start a journey until reaching a real solution. This will involve division into groups, research, exploration of the school environment, and “hands-on” activities. One of the biggest examples is the maker movement, which is in vogue in digital culture.
Implement digital tools
Since young people are completely familiar with technology, the school must invest in innovation in the classroom. The smartphone, which was the enemy of teachers, should be welcomed. And it is also worth knowing the benefits of the so-called internet of things in education and programming classes to develop logical thinking.
If possible, develop a personalized virtual learning environment with a responsive design, meaning that it can be used on all digital devices, allowing the student to study from wherever they are. In addition, promote constant training so that the faculty also become familiar with the use of these technologies and creatively explore all the possibilities (groups on social networks, forums, blogs, video presentations, chats, etc.).
Value a respectful student-teacher relationship
The teacher must be a positive reference for the student in the classroom. Thus, the school must foster an interrelationship of respect, in which the teacher has support from the direction so that his authority is maintained, while the student must also feel valued when finding a space conducive to dialogue.
Although each teacher has a methodology and profile that must be respected in their individuality, the school also needs to encourage an environment that brings the student closer to the teacher, in order for their relationship to be fruitful and make learning light and joyful.
Encourage the correct provision of feedback
Since we talk about valuing the teaching-learning process, rather than considering only the result, the school needs to be sensitive to a careful analysis of the students’ behavior and attitudes and how this interferes with their performance.
Thus, as in modern companies, the feedback culture is important to establish a horizontal relationship between the parties (in this case, teacher and student), so that together they can plan the best way to increase performance in the classroom.
When providing feedback, the teacher must also be open to listening to the students’ opinions, in order to enhance their performance and even recognize mistakes that may have hindered the process so far.
Knowing how to motivate students to study involves understanding their needs and developing a strategy that meets their individual profiles.
This includes renewing the pedagogical project, exploring different teaching techniques, having digital resources available. However, note that all these points have in common human relationships and the personalization of teaching.
