Checking Our Methods: The teacher's role in student motivation

When I walk into a classroom for the first time and take my seat at a desk, there is only one question on my mind -"Will I succeed in this class?"

There are many factors that affect how a student performs (a behavioral outlook) and/or learns in a course. Many of these variables remain within the student's control: study habits, motivation, interest in the topic, and general content knowledge. Yet, there are key ingredients which the teachers either add or subtract that will serve to spoil or preserve a student's learning experience.

The question has often been asked: "How does a developing new teacher successfully motivate an unmotivated student?" But before we seek to answer this question, let us borrow a helpful problem solving technique and re-frame this question. With out seeking to gain another perspective on this question, one is left with the assumption that the problem is centered on the student, it being the student's fault for her/his lack of motivation. This factor cannot be completely ruled out because a student obviously has a choice of their attitude towards learning. However, to fail to look beyond a student's current attitude to the challenges and circumstances that affect the student's motivation is a simply irresponsible and naive mistake. Could it be possible that a student's lack of motivation is not the students fault, but is rather the application of faulty pedagogy? As teachers, we must be willing to take responsibility for our part in un-motivating children to learn. While we may not be the primary cause for a lack of motivation, we must assess if we are at all contributing to the over all cause in anyway, shape, or form.

Because many classes are high stake, students want to know what is expected of them -they are primarily searching for trust, consistency, and fairness: "Will this teacher follow through on their promises? Are their expectations for this class reasonable?"

Children and students of all ages are also affected by their social environment -how can a student focus on learning when they are afraid of being bullied, embarrassed, or rejected by their peers? Educators must realize that they play multiple roles simultaneously, filing as the sage, the enforcer, the mediator, the encourager, the counselor, the guide, the expert, the visionary, and the role model. Needless to say, there is a lot on the shoulders of teachers today. Still, the role of the teacher is vital to the development of their student's overall attitude towards education.

When considering a specific student who is lacking motivation, it may be best to begin by approaching the student and inquiring about their attitude towards learning. What is working for them? What is not? Why? Sometimes as teachers, we jump ahead of ourselves and fail to ask the obvious and essential questions. Sometimes we forget to ask the students themselves about the challenges they face. Too often, teachers tend to skip this crucial step. As teachers, we must be open to hearing constructive criticism about our methods, teaching styles, and use of mediums, and student interaction. Perhaps, just a simple conversation with a student about their challenges in a class can fix certain problems.

IT may be possible that the student lacks and intrinsic motivation due to a self-fulfilling prophecy that “I can’t do it!” In this case, the teacher acts as an investigator to unearth the cause of this negative self-image. With this new found information, the teacher then experiments with creating an personalized learning environment where the students believe that success is possible, the student, being able to won the possess and internalize a positive sense of self worth and satisfaction. The teacher then monitors this progress, adding and subtracting, modifying and clarifying for the student as he/she develops.

It is easy for a teacher to feel overloaded by the weight of 90-150 individual student teacher relationships that occur over a quarter or semester of study. Each one is as unique and different as each student is, students individually having different needs, desired outcomes, and levels of motivation. A well prepared, intentional, seasoned, and educatively aware instructor will set a course of study in motion in a way that preemptively solves a myriad of potential problems before they arise. Teachers can prepare their units and lessons strategically by:

• Considering student interest
• Creating flexibility in each lesson
• Providing clear and rational expectations
• Preparing with the end result in mind
• Listening to the feedback of previous students
• Following a creative approach to instruction
• Implementing multiple mediums that are content driven

A teacher’s demeanor are also powerful in the classroom. The message is not just what you say, but how you say it. Teachers should use these following techniques to motivate and encourage their students towards learning:

• Enthusiasm about the learning task
• Maintaining a positive attitude about the subject
• Being consistent and encouraging in teacher student interaction
• Showing empathy
• Providing timely and appropriate feedback
• Consistent with discipline in the classroom
• Showing and earning the respect of each student


And sometimes teachers find themselves assisting students that are dealing with problems that are beyond their scope of knowledge and expertise. In such cases, it is important for teachers to be willing to collaborate with others, i.e. parents, professionals, counselors, and other teachers. It is my belief that it is the teacher’s responsibility to do all that is within their power to assist students who are struggling in school. But before we go blaming students or families for a lack of motivation, we teachers should be firmly and accurately assessing ourselves to see we are the cause of the problem.