Motivating students to learn is a struggle that all teachers face.
Since I also teach middle school social studies it is the challenge I personally face everyday.
The truth is motivating students to learn is one of the key components of effective teaching AND classroom management.
If students are not motivated to learn then they are most likely not involved in the lesson and if they are not involved in the lesson they are much more likely to cause classroom management problems.
Therefore, it is critical for teachers to increase student motivation to learn and the best way to do this is for teachers to spark student interest at the beginning of every lesson.
Here are six effective strategies for motivating students to learn I do at the beginning of lessons:
1. Use critical thinking questions ~ The great thing about using these types of questions is that they don't necessarily have a right or wrong answer so students are allowed to express their own opinions as opposed to simply being told to memorize facts.
Here's a quick example. Let's take a social studies lesson on the use of the atomic bomb to end World War II. To spark interest at the beginning of the lesson the teacher can ask students to all write down an answer to the following question... "Do you think President Truman was justified in dropping the atomic bomb to end WWII? Why?"
Teachers can then let students share their answers for a quick class discussion and then take a class poll. Now that the students are interested in the topic it is much easier for the teacher to start the lesson.
Then, at the end of the lesson, the teacher can take another poll to see if the student's opinions have changed.
2. Use music to teach ~ Music is one of the most underrated learning tools and is a great way to spark student interest. For example, when teaching a lesson on the slave trade and the Middle Passage I introduce the topic by playing the Bob Marley songs "Buffalo Soldier" and "Catch a Fire".
3. Use video ~ Video is one of the most misunderstood teaching tools and is often abused. However, if used correctly video can be a great tool increase student motivation to learn. The key is to use short clips from movies and documentaries at beginning of lessons rather than the end. Hollywood movies are great for this, but you can also use unitedstreaming.com to download short clips from documentaries on any subject for any grade level.
4. Relate what students are learning to what is going on in the "real world". This is obviously easier done with some subjects than others, but it can be done. Students need to know "why" they are learning something.
5. Relate what students are learning to what is important to them. The trick here is to get to know your students and learn about their own interests.
6. Use technology...or rather, have the student use technology to learn. Have them create podcasts, videos, web sites, brochures etc.
Increasing student motivation to learn can be challenging, but it is an essential element in being an effective teacher. The added bonus is you will also find yourself enjoying teaching much more when it doesn't feel like you are pulling teeth trying to get your students involved.
The process of motivating students through self goal setting is an important one, and one that is often overlooked. There is nothing better in not just a students life, but in all humans lives, the act of goal setting. In educating students, the best gift you could ever give them is foundations, and foundations are what goal setting is about.
Imagine for a moment a student's formal educational life. The student will go through maths, not for the ability to do algebra, but to be able to handle the opportunities and obstacles that life presents.
A student will learn English, not to be able to write a novel, but to be able to communicate effectively with others. This all comes together, but often the most important aspects that a student should learn, they will never learn.
As a custodian of individuals who will one day be at the forefront of generations, these little things which can make a big difference, are something that curriculum should encompass, but doesn't. As you learn these principles, you can impart them on your students.
So, why goal setting? Why is motivating students through self goal setting important? Humans are like goal striving organisms. We get hungry, we find what we need, and meet that need.
Goal setting becomes a system rather than a simple process of cars, houses, etc. Goal setting becomes an important aspect not just in material goals, but also other aspects, such as today, in the student's education.
But here is where golden things happen. Goal setting and goal achievement do 2 things. The first is that the achievement of a goal allows the student to gain confidence. The second point is the actual process of thinking what you want, and taking the steps. This again gives a confidence in self.
Shy people become confident, and failing students become major successes. Motivating students through self goal setting is the best way to get students to think for themselves. When a student knows what, and why, they can work to achievement.
When a student is not totally interested in education, but learns about goal setting, they often can find a relation between the topic and their own lives. For example, knowing maths allows the student to be confident with handling money, and perhaps stopping themselves from getting 'short changed'.
There are many examples in life, where people who gained the skill of goal setting changed there lives from being drop outs, to major successes. If there is one gift that you can give your students it is motivating students through self goal setting.
I sincerely hope that you will consider this information. Self worth is an important topic, and so is confidence. A confident student can lift their hand up, to give an answer, even if they are not sure. That student will push forward because they know what they want, and why they want it.
Both Adam Waxler & Koz Huseyin are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Adam Waxler has sinced written about articles on various topics from Lose Weight, Interview Questions and Arthritis Signs. Want to learn more strategies to motivate students to learn? Sign up for the FREE Teaching Tips Machine Newsletter @