This is the second in a series of three blogs about teacher-student motivation I’ve started to write.
I wrote my first blog about this topic having an inspiration from a video about animal imprinting. In that video a newborn duckling started following a puppy upon coming out of its egg. Apparently, ducklings follow the first moving object they see as soon as they hatch.
I started to ponder the question of why our students sometimes follow us as if we were mother/father ducks. It’s an incredibly satisfying moment. I’m not referring to being a mother/father duck, I’m referring to that feeling that we get when we have a sense that we are leaving a positive imprint on our students.
So what makes people feel attracted to our classes? What motivates people to learn with us? Carl Rogers, the American psyhologist, suggested that there are three core teacher characteristics that help to create an effective learning environment. These are: respect, empathy and authenticity.
We may know loads of teaching methodologies which will aid us. From my experience, I can say, I just love learning about the most current trends in pedagogy. I’m also aware that respect, empathy and authenticity are key to generate a positive psychological environment for learning.
“It is our attitude and intentions rather than our methodology that we may need to work on” (Carl Rogers).
People can tell when we have a positive attitude towards them, when we acknowledge them and when they see we are true to ourselves. Students engage in our classes naturally when we respect them and when we take our time to listen to, observe and assist them.
I have a hunch that students will choose to “follow” us when we help to create the conditions for them to feel confident, relaxed and capable of learning.
So what do you think? What can you tell us about your experience? And last but not least, what moves us to teach in such a positive way?
Your welcome to post your ideas, which I will share in my third blog.
Cheers!
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I have found this series of blogs very interesting to read! Thanks! I do agree with you on the factors which are key to cultivating students´ motivation. I also feel that our teaching strategies and materials as well as our attitudes play a vital role in shaping a positive response from our students. Nevertheless, it is equally true that some students are more ready to learn than others. They seem to have an innate passion for learning and are always enthusiastic about the activities we present them with, even when these are not so creative or original. I think learners who have this quality are easier and more likely to be imprinted by their teachers. So, going back to your question “why do we teach A & B in the same way but we leave an imprint on just one – A or B?”, I would say that the teacher’s methodology and attitude are only part of the equation when attempting to answer this question. We should also take into account the learners’ wish and willingness to learn. Learners who have a passion or thirst for knowledge and who can feel their teachers are passionate about their jobs and do their best to do a great job are sure to regard their lessons as unforgettable experiences.
ResponderEliminarThanks again!
Marisa Mechetti
I think you're right on, Georgina. I'd add that a relaxed confidence in front of the class helps a lot too. Students want to know that you're a leader and that you're confident you can help them.
ResponderEliminarLet me give an example. I was teaching a TOEFL prep class and virtually no prep--just got thrown in there. In addition, the class had a bunch of evening students who'd been working all day and were basically at the school to keep their visa status. I responded by trying to get them to tell me what they wanted from the class. Then, I thought, I'd build it around that.
While it was a good idea in theory, in practice, they all had different ideas and it fell apart. If I had it to do over again, I'd have just decided on a general direction and then let them help me sort out the details. Because I came in showing little confidence about what we'd be doing, I lost them.
I don't mean to diminish empathy, because it really is important. Just saying that you need to be a leader too or they won't trust you. Know what I mean?
Jeremy
blog.stuartmillenglish.com
Thank you Marisa! I'd like to highlight something great you added
ResponderEliminar"We should also take into account the learners’ wish and willingness to learn. Learners who have a passion or thirst for knowledge and who can feel their teachers are passionate about their jobs and do their best to do a great job are sure to regard their lessons as unforgettable experiences." I go along with you 100%.
Cheers!
Thank you Jeremy, yeah it's true. A relaxed and confident attitude in front of the class helps us take the lead. I was planning to write about the authoritative quality of teachers and the role of setting positive limits in the third part of this series. Being a leader is so important. I had written in my first draft for this blog sth I learned about three stages in the teaching process: observe, mirror, lead.
ResponderEliminarCheers and welcome to the blog!
Nice article, thanks for sharing this informative article with us. Fahim Moledina
ResponderEliminar