Effective Teaching Strategies for Motivating Students

In most classrooms you will have students who will say they do not wish to be there and do not want to learn. While this frustrates teachers at times, in reality, the teacher creates the learning environment and can do much to motivate her students to succeed. By implementing effective teaching strategies, teachers can influence and motivate their students.

Be Accessible

Teachers have the potential of being the most influential person in the classroom. In order to influence your students, be accessible where they feel free to engage you on any topic. Students who walk in the classroom without desiring to know what you are going to say and do are your least motivated students. Be interested in their lives. If they know you care, they will start to care, too, about what happens in the classroom. While you are teaching, call them by name, keep your lesson content relevant to their lives as much as possible.Keeping examples in your lessons as close to real life as possible will motivate your students to listen and participate. Being accessible motivates your students to initiate more questions and be more open in what they have to say about class.

Be Communicative

Effective teaching strategies that result in motivating students are praising and rewarding students for participating. Communicate your expectations to your students and how you think they can succeed. If your students know you believe they can master the material you are teaching, they will start to believe it, too. Positive feedback, especially when they do not expect it, will serve to let them know you notice them and their work, which will motivate them to do even better.

Be Challenging

Students who feel like their expected classwork is far too below their capabilities or far too above their capabilities likely are not your motivated students. Strive to be challenging by giving class assignments that are just a bit above your student's current ability. They need to stretch and attempt hard topics and assignments in class, but be careful you pick just the right level of work. Use differentiated instruction or teaching strategies that are different for different students' needs since not every student is at the same level. Be enthusiastic about the topic you have to teach, and you may even motivate your students to make a career out of what they learned in your class.