Unwilling and de-motivated students are always a cause of worry for parents, teachers and specially the student themselves. In this article, I want to share the real-life experience of motivating such students.
Since childhood, or at adolescent period, many children suddenly lose their interest in studies, and right from doing their homework to prepare for the examinations, the struggle starts at home, at school and between the student and their parents as well as their teachers. In most cases, this results into bad score, depression, arguments and in most extreme cases, suicides.
To avoid such situation, we need to take some precautionary measures and try to prevent such misfortunes in advance. Here's some observation how it definitely works.
I as an experienced teacher both in schools and in homes, have followed certain methodologies, that helped the so-called "bad students" score highest in the class and finally heading towards higher studies and careers.
In all these cases, what was the basic triumph was not making of a student, but the development of a personality who started respecting themselves in contrast to the condemnation and shame in the class, among relatives and even at home.
Few students were merely at primary level, some were in high schools and few in colleges. But the common feature in all of them is the self-hatred and defiance against the established rules and regulations. The most news that can upset anybody is, the grievances and grudges against parents who are unwilling to understand their ward's emotional needs. And there is the gap, which is needed to be filled up, to be rectified and modified.
And it is never too late as long as they are alive.
Here is what philosophy I followed while taking up the responsibility of a teacher.
1. We need to remember each student is unique in their nature
Whenever we are interacting with a student, whether it is our own child or a student, we need to remember from the very beginning, that we cannot generalise anybody, so it is better to take careful steps from the first few steps itself.
2. Ask to write a paragraph about their favourite things.
To establish a good communication and trust with the antagonistic student, we can start with asking them to write down whatever comes in their mind about their favourite things. Don't correct that page even if there are grammatical mistakes, use that writing as the basic informative page about the child.
3. We need to observe their learning habits
Each student has their own learning habits. some are good in remembering, some are not, some are visual learners whereas some are auditory learners and some are tactile and reading-writing learners.
Once we come to know the tendencies, we need to arrange for them the study and demonstrative methods that suits them best.
4. Observe their favourite subject
All students have their own set of choices regarding the choice of subjects, which helps them choose their career in the later stage. But in the primary stage, when all subjects need to be studied, we have to keep in mind that those subjects are having some elements which they don't feel comfortable with. For example, a poem needs to be memorised as it is, and those who are not expert memorisers will find it uninteresting. So, while teaching a poem, we need to categorically convert it into a sequence of events and then slowly step by step we need to make them memorise the sequences, then the way they are expressed and then the particular sequence of wordings, it may take time more than usual, but we have to deal it with patience.
5. Never condemn a student for their mistakes.
Students are learners, they aren't experts. It is very natural for them to commit mistakes. We should never condemn them for their mistakes. Instead we should take it very practically and create an atmosphere of sports, as though it is a fun competition whether with other students or with his earlier records, that he commits lesser number of mistakes. This will develop a healthy competitive attitude and encourage them to target an ambition or goal at a small scale.
6. Explain the necessity of study in life, the philosophy behind learning.
Most of the students are studying today as a rat race, without knowing why they are studying. Those who enjoy the rat race, are racing, but those who are a bit more logical just don't understand why they need to study at all.
To them the entire matter of study seems to be meaningless, unless we explain them the whole story of mankind which has differentiated itself from other animals in search of a comfortable life. So, they need to understand, unless they want all those discomfort coming back to their lives, they need to remain connected in the society and for that they need to do the needful.
Finally, each student has to be given the realisation that he is studying for his own benefits and not to satisfy others. It is not because of parents, teachers and the society he is learning, but he is learning for themselves in order to have a good relationship with everyone which will give them a sense of self-worth and self-satisfaction.
Since childhood, or at adolescent period, many children suddenly lose their interest in studies, and right from doing their homework to prepare for the examinations, the struggle starts at home, at school and between the student and their parents as well as their teachers. In most cases, this results into bad score, depression, arguments and in most extreme cases, suicides.
To avoid such situation, we need to take some precautionary measures and try to prevent such misfortunes in advance. Here's some observation how it definitely works.
I as an experienced teacher both in schools and in homes, have followed certain methodologies, that helped the so-called "bad students" score highest in the class and finally heading towards higher studies and careers.
In all these cases, what was the basic triumph was not making of a student, but the development of a personality who started respecting themselves in contrast to the condemnation and shame in the class, among relatives and even at home.
Few students were merely at primary level, some were in high schools and few in colleges. But the common feature in all of them is the self-hatred and defiance against the established rules and regulations. The most news that can upset anybody is, the grievances and grudges against parents who are unwilling to understand their ward's emotional needs. And there is the gap, which is needed to be filled up, to be rectified and modified.
And it is never too late as long as they are alive.
Here is what philosophy I followed while taking up the responsibility of a teacher.
1. We need to remember each student is unique in their nature
Whenever we are interacting with a student, whether it is our own child or a student, we need to remember from the very beginning, that we cannot generalise anybody, so it is better to take careful steps from the first few steps itself.
2. Ask to write a paragraph about their favourite things.
To establish a good communication and trust with the antagonistic student, we can start with asking them to write down whatever comes in their mind about their favourite things. Don't correct that page even if there are grammatical mistakes, use that writing as the basic informative page about the child.
3. We need to observe their learning habits
Each student has their own learning habits. some are good in remembering, some are not, some are visual learners whereas some are auditory learners and some are tactile and reading-writing learners.
Once we come to know the tendencies, we need to arrange for them the study and demonstrative methods that suits them best.
4. Observe their favourite subject
All students have their own set of choices regarding the choice of subjects, which helps them choose their career in the later stage. But in the primary stage, when all subjects need to be studied, we have to keep in mind that those subjects are having some elements which they don't feel comfortable with. For example, a poem needs to be memorised as it is, and those who are not expert memorisers will find it uninteresting. So, while teaching a poem, we need to categorically convert it into a sequence of events and then slowly step by step we need to make them memorise the sequences, then the way they are expressed and then the particular sequence of wordings, it may take time more than usual, but we have to deal it with patience.
5. Never condemn a student for their mistakes.
Students are learners, they aren't experts. It is very natural for them to commit mistakes. We should never condemn them for their mistakes. Instead we should take it very practically and create an atmosphere of sports, as though it is a fun competition whether with other students or with his earlier records, that he commits lesser number of mistakes. This will develop a healthy competitive attitude and encourage them to target an ambition or goal at a small scale.
6. Explain the necessity of study in life, the philosophy behind learning.
Most of the students are studying today as a rat race, without knowing why they are studying. Those who enjoy the rat race, are racing, but those who are a bit more logical just don't understand why they need to study at all.
To them the entire matter of study seems to be meaningless, unless we explain them the whole story of mankind which has differentiated itself from other animals in search of a comfortable life. So, they need to understand, unless they want all those discomfort coming back to their lives, they need to remain connected in the society and for that they need to do the needful.
Finally, each student has to be given the realisation that he is studying for his own benefits and not to satisfy others. It is not because of parents, teachers and the society he is learning, but he is learning for themselves in order to have a good relationship with everyone which will give them a sense of self-worth and self-satisfaction.
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