Motivation: What a crucial element for success and student engagement! Motivating students is not as easy as chanting "You can do it!" or "Let's go!" Sparking students interest and motivating them intrinsically or extrinsically is both important and challenging. Under the assumption that all students have different interests and learn in different ways it would be safe to conclude they are also motivated differently. I have discovered a model referred to as the "6 C's of Motivation" which I think is a great way for beginning teachers to tackle the battle of motivating students. This model gives options for different approaches to motivating students. The 6 C's are: choice, challenge, control, collaboration, constructing meaning and consequences.
Choice
When students are offered choices and allowed to select a particular type of assignment based on personal interest their motivation to do the project increases. Often students who choose a topic based on a feeling or value experience increased motivation for learning as well.
Challenge
As teachers it is important that we challenge our students. If the bar is set to low students will become disengaged and less motivated because of being bored. If the bar or expectations are set too high students will become overwhelmed and less motivated. It is important to set expectations just beyond the skill level of the student to challenge the student but not produce anxiety. This are is referred to as flow and also demonstrates the highest level of motivation for students.
Control
Students who are involved in the process of classroom control they experience self regulation, responsibility and independence. Involving students could be allowing them to help in decision making, organization of content or choosing team partners. Allowing students a balanced version of control increases motivation in the classroom.
Collaboration
Students who work collaboratively often showed a deeper engagement and persistence. Students have the opportunity to share learning strategies and perspectives and help each other. This is often a motivator for students. Group work should be closely monitored by teachers to avoid unbalanced of work.
Constructing Meaning
Students motivation to learn increases if they can understand the value of the knowledge or how it relates to them or the real world. As teachers it is important that we set meaningful goals for students to help promote motivation.
Consequences
Students are motivation when they are given opportunities to display their work. Most students enjoy having their work and learning achievements appreciated and recognized by others. For examples students could hang posters on the wall, present their work at a science fair, or publish their work on websites. This creates a positive feeling about ones own work, responsibility and effort.
Choice
When students are offered choices and allowed to select a particular type of assignment based on personal interest their motivation to do the project increases. Often students who choose a topic based on a feeling or value experience increased motivation for learning as well.
Challenge
As teachers it is important that we challenge our students. If the bar is set to low students will become disengaged and less motivated because of being bored. If the bar or expectations are set too high students will become overwhelmed and less motivated. It is important to set expectations just beyond the skill level of the student to challenge the student but not produce anxiety. This are is referred to as flow and also demonstrates the highest level of motivation for students.
Control
Students who are involved in the process of classroom control they experience self regulation, responsibility and independence. Involving students could be allowing them to help in decision making, organization of content or choosing team partners. Allowing students a balanced version of control increases motivation in the classroom.
Collaboration
Students who work collaboratively often showed a deeper engagement and persistence. Students have the opportunity to share learning strategies and perspectives and help each other. This is often a motivator for students. Group work should be closely monitored by teachers to avoid unbalanced of work.
Constructing Meaning
Students motivation to learn increases if they can understand the value of the knowledge or how it relates to them or the real world. As teachers it is important that we set meaningful goals for students to help promote motivation.
Consequences
Students are motivation when they are given opportunities to display their work. Most students enjoy having their work and learning achievements appreciated and recognized by others. For examples students could hang posters on the wall, present their work at a science fair, or publish their work on websites. This creates a positive feeling about ones own work, responsibility and effort.