Motivational+Strategies+for+Students

 **I would like to request ideas for student motivation. I have taught school for six years and am now studying to be a media specialist. I've found that if students are motivated, they are so much more successful. There are many techniques of motivation. One simple one is quotes or sayings that can be shared or posted in the classroom. Another is to use humor. Anytime kids laugh they get into a more positive mood and are motivated. There are many great books that can motivate students. Visual learners are inspired by seeing films, pictures, and graphics. Other learning styles require other motivational techniques. I would like my classmates to please kindly share ways that you motivate students, or ways that a teacher inspired you in your school career, maybe funny stories, inspirational quotes, favorite books, or anything you think of to share that could be used as a motivational strategy in the K-12 classroom.**

I talked a lot about __choices__ in my classroom. One quote that I often used was actually one from my dad. He once told me "the two most important things in life are the ones no one could ever take away-one is your salvation, the other is your education." Every child I taught heard that at least once. I also had motivational pictures, posters, and books throughout the room. I did use rewards such as AR prizes(for reading) and Character Charms(for good behavior-responsibility, diligence, etc,). I also discussed and posted quotes from the book Inspirational Quotations by Spencer Kagan. Many of our assignments revolved around quotes from this book. It's great!!!!!!! -M. Aplin

I have went over motivational quotes one year with my classes and let them write their own personal motto. Here are some of the quotes that were used to model for them: The expert in anything was once a beginner. To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong- Joesph C. Pearce Success is failure that tried one more time- unknown I am not a genius. I am just passionately curious- Einstein Don't wait for your ship to come in- swim to it!- unknown These are just a couple that I use for examples to help them think. Also, I have centers such as song writing, curiousity corner, etc. that really motivate them in behavior and getting work accomplished! KAdams

I currently teach a survival skills program with at-risk and middle school students. This is my second year doing this program and I have learned some things that can motivate students. Students like to see examples of things rather it be through video or written on a flip chart. Students would rather you show them things rather than read it to them. It seems that they get bored when all you do is read the material. Games are also a good way to motivate students. Students like to learn hands-on.ABoylan

Students like to teach other students what they learn. Allowing them to research and teach each other would have them all engaged. I would always give them one topic with different tasks. For example, if we were studying authors, I may have one research the biography and the other research the works. I would have them present their information to each other and then "team teach" the class. They really liked to do this. I guess they were motivated because they felt important...and they also knew everyone would have expectations. ---M. Aplin

I have second graders and they are motivated by having something in common with either the characters in the story we are reading or the author of the book. I capitalize on this and motivate my students by finding small things that at least one person has in common with the character or author and casually mention it to the class. They usually become intrigued enough to want to explore the story further to see if they find additional things in common. KDavis

I love everyone's great ideas! Keep them coming! Oh, yeah, don't forget to put your name at the end! :) Erin

I love to motivate my students with a riddle at the beginning of a math lesson. I will usually walk around the room and say I am thinking of a number and then give the attributes of that number. I will go through all the motions of writing down my number to make sure that I don't "cheat". This gets the students in the right frame of mind to do math. The problem or riddle I give sometimes has pictures or something tangible that they can touch and feel. They love trying to figure out the answer. KDavis

I think that quotes made by a famous person,author,sports hero,teacher,etc could be a great way to motivate students. There are so many famous people that others look up to. There is a quote that one of the teacher's says every morning at the middle school where I do my survival skills program. It seems to get students motivate to want to learn and know that they have a choice. He says after the morning announcement-" Have a great day or not the choice is yours". He also ends with a quote from someone in history or someone famous today.ABoylan

I am not teaching yet as I have stated before but one thing that I have learned through my classes and being in the classroom through my program is to make the curriculum interesting. I teach middle and high school students in this program and it has to be interesting to them. If students are not interested in what you are teaching them,they are definitely not motivated to learn. Interest brings on motivation. ABoylan

When I start a unit I try to incorporate different things that the students can actually connect with. When we start our unit on weather our grade level will invite one of the local meterologist to come to our school and talk with the students. When we have the unit on consumer products we usually will have a peanut or cotton farmer come and talk with the students. They bring in some of their products for the students to see and touch. KDavis

Have a brainstorming session about things that motivate them or things THEY could do to motivate each other. This could be a fun exercise to get them motivating themselves by trying to motivate others. They could do anything from putting anonymous notes of encouragement in a box to be read at the end of the week, day, etc. or making posters for the hall, classroom, cafeteria, etc. There are many ways I think they could particpate in peer motivation. Also, a mentoring program may be good motivation. --M. Aplin