Maintaining Student and Teacher Motivation: Understanding Factors and Challenges

Maintaining Student/ Maintaining Student/ Teacher Motivation Teacher Motivation

HEADINGS HEADINGS Introduction. Introduction. Factors in a motivating teacher. . Interaction to motivate students . . The environment in which students learn. . Teachers motivation. Factors in a motivating teacher Interaction to motivate students The environment in which students learn Teachers motivation. Challenges in the motivation of teachers. Challenges in the motivation of teachers.

Introduction Introduction Teaching is the greatest job on earth, proclaims Dan Teaching is the greatest job on earth, proclaims Dan Langendorfer, a 16 Langendorfer, a 16- -yr. Classroom veteran. The key to yr. Classroom veteran. The key to maintaining his motivation, he says, is finding the joy in helping maintaining his motivation, he says, is finding the joy in helping students succeed: As teachers, we feel successful if the students succeed: As teachers, we feel successful if the students are successful. So, anything I do to make this happen students are successful. So, anything I do to make this happen makes me a happier person. makes me a happier person.

Motivation is one of the key issues in language learning and skills to Motivation is one of the key issues in language learning and skills to motivate learners are crucial for language teachers. motivate learners are crucial for language teachers. Motivation is an abstract, hypothetical concept that we use to explain why Motivation is an abstract, hypothetical concept that we use to explain why people think and behave as they do (D rnyei, 2001). people think and behave as they do (D rnyei, 2001). motivation motivation is responsible for the choice of a particular action and the effort is responsible for the choice of a particular action and the effort expended on it and the persistence with it. expended on it and the persistence with it. Therefore, motivation explains why people decide to do something, how Therefore, motivation explains why people decide to do something, how hard they are going to pursue it ,and how long they are willing to sustain the hard they are going to pursue it ,and how long they are willing to sustain the activity (D rnyei, 2001, 7). activity (D rnyei, 2001, 7).

Motivation is a combination of many different aspects that comprise Motivation is a combination of many different aspects that comprise a part of teachers' pedagogical knowledge. a part of teachers' pedagogical knowledge. Teachers must realize that to maintain and be successful with all of Teachers must realize that to maintain and be successful with all of the techniques at all times is impossible. the techniques at all times is impossible. Gaining experience and using some of these techniques will help any Gaining experience and using some of these techniques will help any teacher feel a little better about the quality of his or her teacher feel a little better about the quality of his or her teaching. teaching. The teacher must realize that the quality of a learning experience The teacher must realize that the quality of a learning experience lies in the teacher's ability to create that quality. lies in the teacher's ability to create that quality. Escalante puts this idea into perspective: "The owner of the future Escalante puts this idea into perspective: "The owner of the future will be the person who is the owner of his or her own human will be the person who is the owner of his or her own human resources, and human resources are the product of high quality in resources, and human resources are the product of high quality in education" education" (Meek, 1989, p. 47). (Meek, 1989, p. 47).

Teachers provide an extremely important product: the future the future. If we are going to maintain quality in that product, it will require the use of all the potential effectiveness within each individual teacher. The words of a former Teacher of the Year in the Philadelphia schools are a challenge to all teachers: "Human beings learn best by example and by doing; if Human beings learn best by example and by doing; if our students see us doing, it is possible that they may our students see us doing, it is possible that they may do more themselves" do more themselves" (Jantzen, 1988, p. 33).

* Three factors to be taken into consideration in a * Three factors to be taken into consideration in a motivating teacher motivating teacher: : 1. 1. How the individual style and personality of the teacher How the individual style and personality of the teacher is of utmost importance in motivating students to learn. is of utmost importance in motivating students to learn.

- In In the classroom, students want most to see instructors the classroom, students want most to see instructors as real human beings. as real human beings. - A warm, genuine, sense of humor can reveal humanness A warm, genuine, sense of humor can reveal humanness a comfortable, secure attitude with themselves as a comfortable, secure attitude with themselves as instructors, with their course material (knowledge), with instructors, with their course material (knowledge), with their students, and with their relationship with the their students, and with their relationship with the students. students. - Weaver Weaver and Cotrell ( and Cotrell (1987 systematic sequence for becoming more comfortable systematic sequence for becoming more comfortable using humor in the classroom : using humor in the classroom : 1987) established a ten ) established a ten- -step, step,

1 1. Smile/Be light hearted. . Smile/Be light hearted. ( If your inside beautiful, you can see the ( If your inside beautiful, you can see the whole world beautiful.) whole world beautiful.)

2. Be spontaneous/natural. 2. Be spontaneous/natural. a. a. Relax control a little/break the routine occasionally. Relax control a little/break the routine occasionally. b. Be willing to laugh at yourself/don't take yourself so seriously. b. Be willing to laugh at yourself/don't take yourself so seriously.

3. Foster an informal climate/be conversational and loose. 3. Foster an informal climate/be conversational and loose. (Years know more than books) (Years know more than books) 4. Begin class with a thought for the day, a poem, a short 4. Begin class with a thought for the day, a poem, a short anecdote, or a humorous example. anecdote, or a humorous example.

5. Use stories and experiences that emerge from the subject 5. Use stories and experiences that emerge from the subject matter. Use personal experiences. matter. Use personal experiences. (The tongue of experience has most truth) (The tongue of experience has most truth) 6. Relate things to the everyday life of students. Read the 6. Relate things to the everyday life of students. Read the student newspaper. Listen to "their" music; see "their" movies. student newspaper. Listen to "their" music; see "their" movies.

7. Plan lectures/presentations in short segments with humor 7. Plan lectures/presentations in short segments with humor injected. Plan a commercial break. Use a slide or overhead. injected. Plan a commercial break. Use a slide or overhead. 8 8. Encourage a give . Encourage a give- -and students. Play students. Play off their and- -take climate between yourself and take climate between yourself and off their comments. Learn their names. comments. Learn their names.

9 9. Ask students to supply you with some of their jokes, stories, . Ask students to supply you with some of their jokes, stories, or anecdotes. Share these. or anecdotes. Share these. ( He who loves a thing often talks of it) ( He who loves a thing often talks of it) 10. Tell a joke or two. Do outrageous things. Admit you're no 10. Tell a joke or two. Do outrageous things. Admit you're no good at it. Appear human. good at it. Appear human.

Along with using humor, it has been found that Along with using humor, it has been found that teachers who motivate students have high expectations teachers who motivate students have high expectations of of them. them. Teachers can determine a standard of quality and Teachers can determine a standard of quality and expect students to meet that standard. When teachers expect students to meet that standard. When teachers set a sufficiently high standard set a sufficiently high standard with clearly ways of attaining that standard, students will begin to ways of attaining that standard, students will begin to have more success in meeting high expectations. have more success in meeting high expectations. with clearly specified specified

2. How interaction and worthwhile tasks can be used 2. How interaction and worthwhile tasks can be used to motivate students. to motivate students. Although Although a teacher's personality is of great importance in a teacher's personality is of great importance in motivating students, teachers can also elicit students' desires motivating students, teachers can also elicit students' desires to learn by a variety of teaching techniques. to learn by a variety of teaching techniques. Most Most teachers think that motivational teaching has to be teachers think that motivational teaching has to be entertaining entertaining. . Palardy and Palardy (1987) point out that "regardless of the Palardy and Palardy (1987) point out that "regardless of the cause, and regardless of the teachers' years of experience, cause, and regardless of the teachers' years of experience, teachers who are uneasy are going to communicate that teachers who are uneasy are going to communicate that uneasiness uneasiness to their students , When to their students , When this happens, the door to restlessness among restlessness among students students is wide open is wide open" " this happens, the door to

Also important Also important to interaction between the teacher and students. In his interaction between the teacher and students. In his book High Impact Teaching, Brown (1988) emphasized book High Impact Teaching, Brown (1988) emphasized the following statements repeatedly: "Teaching is the following statements repeatedly: "Teaching is interaction that facilitates learning (If you can't interact interaction that facilitates learning (If you can't interact with them, you can't teach them)" . with them, you can't teach them)" . to any learning experience is the any learning experience is the The reason many teachers cannot interact with The reason many teachers cannot interact with students is that they have not developed respect for students is that they have not developed respect for the students. the students.

Brown (1988) presented five postulates for Brown (1988) presented five postulates for establishing and maintaining an atmosphere of mutual establishing and maintaining an atmosphere of mutual respect between teachers and students : respect between teachers and students : Teaching is interaction that facilitates learning. Teaching is interaction that facilitates learning. Differences must not only be tolerated, they must be Differences must not only be tolerated, they must be affirmed. affirmed. Values are neither right nor wrong; they simply exist in Values are neither right nor wrong; they simply exist in all of us. all of us. Freedom to choose is one of the most precious rights Freedom to choose is one of the most precious rights we have. we have. Those who dare to teach must never cease to learn. Those who dare to teach must never cease to learn.

3. The environment in which students learn 3. The environment in which students learn. - Personality of the teacher and the learning tasks in the classroom Personality of the teacher and the learning tasks in the classroom can be developed to create more effective teaching through can be developed to create more effective teaching through motivation. motivation. - A quality atmosphere for learning in the classroom can also be a A quality atmosphere for learning in the classroom can also be a motivational factor that contributes to effective teaching. motivational factor that contributes to effective teaching. - Most teachers have experienced that, as the year progresses and Most teachers have experienced that, as the year progresses and the pressures mount, there is a tendency to limit the creativity in the pressures mount, there is a tendency to limit the creativity in lesson plans in order to survive until the next holiday. lesson plans in order to survive until the next holiday. - The stack of papers on the desk leaves little time for the teacher to The stack of papers on the desk leaves little time for the teacher to do anything beyond the minimum. do anything beyond the minimum. - Escalante Escalante used several motivational techniques with his traditional used several motivational techniques with his traditional teaching methods. In his school he was known for handing out large teaching methods. In his school he was known for handing out large amounts of homework as well as daily quizzes amounts of homework as well as daily quizzes

-Mathews Mathews ( (1988 if it were vitamin C. The more he gave, he thought, the if it were vitamin C. The more he gave, he thought, the better off they would be" . In addition to the large amounts better off they would be" . In addition to the large amounts of of work. work. 1988) remarked, "He passed out homework as ) remarked, "He passed out homework as - - Escalante expected the students' work to meet a certain Escalante expected the students' work to meet a certain standard of quality ,for him, the use of these "routines" was standard of quality ,for him, the use of these "routines" was as motivational as other techniques. as motivational as other techniques. Since motivation can be facilitated by the classroom Since motivation can be facilitated by the classroom atmosphere, it is important to look at some of the aspects atmosphere, it is important to look at some of the aspects of this atmosphere. of this atmosphere.

Palardy Palardy and strategies: strategies: and Palardy Palardy ( (1987 1987) discuss nine preventative ) discuss nine preventative 1 1. Teachers must feel comfortable with themselves, their . Teachers must feel comfortable with themselves, their students, and their subject matter. and their subject matter. students, 2 2. Teachers must believe in their students' capacity . Teachers must believe in their students' capacity . . 3 3. Teachers must ensure that their instructional activities are . Teachers must ensure that their instructional activities are interesting and interesting and relevant. relevant. 4 4. Teachers must match their instructional activities with their . Teachers must match their instructional activities with their students students capabilities capabilities. . 5 5. Teachers must involve their pupils in setting up "the rules". . Teachers must involve their pupils in setting up "the rules".

6. Teachers must make certain that their 6. Teachers must make certain that their students and understand "the routine.". and understand "the routine.". students know know 7. Teachers must identify their problem times. 7. Teachers must identify their problem times. 8. Teachers must remember that 8. Teachers must remember that students adults". adults". students are not "little are not "little 9. Teachers must give evidence that they genuinely like 9. Teachers must give evidence that they genuinely like and respect their and respect their students students. Most of these techniques can . Most of these techniques can be seen as caring actions taken by a teacher whose be seen as caring actions taken by a teacher whose role goes far beyond merely being a school district role goes far beyond merely being a school district employee. employee.

Teachers motivation: Teachers motivation: - Learning is a process of interaction between teachers and Learning is a process of interaction between teachers and students as they both participate in the learning process, but students as they both participate in the learning process, but with more weight given to teachers to show the way. with more weight given to teachers to show the way. - Motivation of teachers helps to retain teachers at their work Motivation of teachers helps to retain teachers at their work places and it includes materials and psychological needs as places and it includes materials and psychological needs as pay on its own does not increase motivation among teachers; pay on its own does not increase motivation among teachers; however however financial financial motives are likely to be dominant among motives are likely to be dominant among teachers in less developed countries. teachers in less developed countries.

Challenges in the motivation of teachers Challenges in the motivation of teachers (Teachers (Teachers are key determinant of student achievement in the quality of are key determinant of student achievement in the quality of teaching teaching ). ). - Governments should have good intentions to motivate teachers Governments should have good intentions to motivate teachers ,but main problem is scarcity of resources. main problem is scarcity of resources. - Governments must design policies and programs aimed specifically at Governments must design policies and programs aimed specifically at improving teachers incentives improving teachers incentives . . - Governments should motivate teachers by enhancing the status, morale Governments should motivate teachers by enhancing the status, morale and professionalism of teachers. and professionalism of teachers. ,but the the As it has been argued by the Global Campaign for As it has been argued by the Global Campaign for Education (GCE 2003), the the governments should governments should also increase revenue collection, fight seriously also increase revenue collection, fight seriously against corruption and increase more accountability for public servants against corruption and increase more accountability for public servants entrusted to provide services to teachers entrusted to provide services to teachers. . Education (GCE 2003),

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