Why a motivated teacher is key to the classroom?

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Offline Afroza Akhter Tina

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Why a motivated teacher is key to the classroom?
« on: May 15, 2018, 02:18:12 PM »
Why is motivation important?

A motivated teacher is crucial to a successful classroom. They will look at teaching through a different lens, and, in doing so, motivate their students in their learning too. Motivation helps to energise, direct and sustain positive behaviour over a long period of time. It involves working towards goals and tailoring activities to achieving this purpose. It also helps to drive creativity and curiosity, sparking the desire needed for students to want to learn more.

It isn’t just a case of getting pupils interested in learning in the moment, but also in growing the underlying goals and aspirations pushing their entire academic studies. It is about motivating them beyond the initial task or feeling of accomplishment and appreciating how ‘deferred gratification’ plays into the role of education in order for them to work towards a greater, larger goal. This is known as ‘intrinsic motivation’ and research has found it to be of key importance.


How to introduce motivation into the classroom?

Part of being a motivated teacher comes through your general behaviour and attitude. There’s a lot to be said for people that regularly smile, offer a happy and cheery outlook on life and generally come across as upbeat and pleasant to be around – regardless of how they’re actually feeling. Making your classroom a warm, colourful and stimulating environment is also key to creating a positive space.

It’s also important that you reward your students for good work as you go along. It doesn’t have to be all the time, as then it will come to be expected and will hold less value when you do praise them. But recognising hard work and offering praise will ensure your students stay encouraged and feeling as though their work is on the right track forwards and that you’re noticing their efforts.

Mixing things up is also key. If you’re doing the same thing all the time, it’ll start to become boring and repetitive. Look at the materials you’re teaching and think about how you can put a new spin on them. Perhaps you turn something into an acting activity or maybe you can turn facts or figures into a song that will help to make it more memorable. Perhaps you can get students working together on a group activity – this is a great way of helping students motivate each other. Be creative – use posters, offer visual aids and diagrams, show movies and play games.

Additionally, working in a different environment will help to keep students on their toes. Research has found that when we move around in various spaces while learning, we are able to recall more information better than if we had just stayed in one space. This is due to the associations the brain makes. The more you encourage movement in learning, the more the information is absorbed. Perhaps you do some work in the playground, some in the classroom and some off the school grounds. Maybe you look at taking your students on a field trip that will add a real-life dimension to their studies.

Setting expectations in the classroom is key and gives your students a standard to work towards. However, when you find your students need a nudge forwards, offering small incentives can help make learning fun. Encouraging a competitive energy can help fuel students and push them further – this could range from offering a special privilege to having a class pizza party if they all achieve a certain grade. There’s a reason sales companies offer staff bonuses – it always motivates!

Finally, showing students how information they’re learning is useful to real-life scenarios will help them to see the practical application that it holds. Often students will switch off when they don’t see how it will ever benefit them, but if you can connect it to life outside the classroom, it will give it new importance and motivate them to listen more attentively.


Afroza Akhter Tina
Senior Lecturer
Department of English, DIU

Offline fatema_diu

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Re: Why a motivated teacher is key to the classroom?
« Reply #1 on: May 28, 2018, 10:42:48 AM »
'Research has found that when we move around in various spaces while learning, we are able to recall more information better than if we had just stayed in one space.'
loved this idea most.

Offline Afroza Akhter Tina

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Re: Why a motivated teacher is key to the classroom?
« Reply #2 on: May 29, 2018, 09:15:29 AM »
Thank you Apu.


Afroza Akhter Tina
Senior Lecturer
Department of English, DIU

Offline irina

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Re: Why a motivated teacher is key to the classroom?
« Reply #3 on: July 15, 2018, 01:01:39 PM »
As I see it, you are an enthusiastic researcher on motivational topics.

Keep going.

Offline Afroza Akhter Tina

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Re: Why a motivated teacher is key to the classroom?
« Reply #4 on: July 16, 2018, 10:08:52 AM »
Thank you for your inspiring words dear Irina Ma'am.




Afroza Akhter Tina
Senior Lecturer
Department of English, DIU

Offline asma alam

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Re: Why a motivated teacher is key to the classroom?
« Reply #5 on: July 16, 2018, 12:32:13 PM »
Dear Tina,
 Your post is really very much inspiring. I also believe that honest appraisal of a teacher helps the student to be confident and active.

Offline Ms Jebun Naher Sikta

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Re: Why a motivated teacher is key to the classroom?
« Reply #6 on: September 17, 2018, 01:18:17 PM »
 :) 8) Thanks for this nice post maam.