HOW TO MOTIVATE UNMOTIVATED STUDENT TO LEARN EFFECTIVELY

HOW TO MOTIVATE UNMOTIVATED STUDENT TO LEARN EFFECTIVELY

By MEY Sopheakdei

Throughout history, everyone is always motivated from both their parents and their models or everyone they met. Actually, teachers also play important role in motivating students to learn more effectively and there are many ways of motivation that the teachers use every day. Lack of student motivation is one of the biggest problems that educators face. However, Motivation is a key factor for both successful teaching and learning and students who are motivated will learn more than the ones who are unmotivated. Teaching effectively and learning effectively is the result of using motivation method. Even though we have to find out the ways to or important suggestions for teacher to motivate unmotivated student to learn effectively, we also have to explore why the student is unmotivated because he or she cannot do the assign homework, classroom instruction does not engage, students do not see the bonus of the mark, or lack of positive relationship with the teacher. Actually, we will learn some techniques to motivate students to learn more effectively after we know the causes of the consequences. I expect that the more obstacles for teacher to teach effectively and the students to learn effectively are, students cannot do the assign work, classroom instruction does not engage, and lack of positive relationship with the teacher.

The students are unmotivated to learn because:

He or she cannot do the assign work: everyone is different from each other in the class. This means that some students are lack of ability to do homework or classroom work. When he or she meets this obstacle he or she will not have the willing to students. Sometimes that student does not like teacher at all when he or she cannot do any work in class or homework. Actually, I myself did not want to study when I did not know how to do class work or homework. I have this kind of experiences and I think it is crucial for the teacher to know. I think every student has the feeling like me. Even in public school, when students cannot learn properly and cannot do work they always complaint about that teacher. Moreover, they hate that teacher every much and they do not want to attend that class anymore. Whenever they see or meet that teacher they usually say something bad about that teacher. When the students hate that teacher, they do not have the willing to learn. When teacher provide me any work that I do not know how to deal with I will be afraid of going to school and sometime I am absent for the day of submitting work. I will be ashamed when I meet the teacher.

Classroom instruction does not engage: the students are unmotivated to learn because teacher ignores them in class when he or she explain the lesson or give the instruction to do any work. Students will feel isolated from other students in class. The student is distracted or off-task because classroom instruction and learning activities are not sufficiently reinforcing to hold his or her attention. Sometimes their attention or feeling is not in the class room, for example, student looks out the window at passing traffic or looks at the other students playing at the playground. This means that teacher does not pay attention much on student’s attention on the lesson. Actually, when I do not want to learn because the lesson is not interest I always draw the picture and look out through the window.

Lack of positive relationship with the teacher: Humans are highly social beings, positive teacher attention can be a very powerful motivator for students. However, teachers often do not make adequate use of simple but effective tools such as praise to promote positive interactions with their students. Students will feel lonely in the classroom because they feel afraid of talking to the teacher. Actually, the student’s apparent avoidance of opportunities to talk to the teacher and the students will ignore with the teachers. Actually, I myself when I do not have good relationship with the teacher I study with I feel lonely and isolated from the class or environment learning, so I do not want to learn anything at all and sometimes I feel boring with the class. Even though I sit in the class I do not have feel to learn. I do not understand what the teacher explains at all. I will have a deep stress and my result of study will be bad. 

How to solve these unmotivated students:

He or she cannot do the assign work: Students who are not motivated because they lack essential skills need to be taught those skills in which they will not be able to do assign work or class work. When the teacher see that one or two students in the class, do not learn effectively because the lack of basic knowledge he have to encourage them to learn more by standing closely to them or helping them doing any difficult work. However, teacher has to think that his lesson should match with those unmotivated students with lack of knowledge in doing any work. Teachers have to draw unmotivated students to listen to his explanation bur throughout the lesson, provides adequate explanations and detailed instructions for all concepts and materials being taught. Actually, when the unmotivated students do the things right the teacher has to praise them by saying “good job” or “I am proud of you”. The students will have the emotion and willing to learn when they can do that kind of work. Of course, they are happy with their work. For example, I myself have that kind of experience. When I could solve the exercises the teacher provided I was extremely happy and had the strong willing to learn with that teacher again.

Classroom instruction does not engage: Teacher has to draw unmotivated student to listen to his instruction by staying near his or her and sometimes teacher has to ask some questions to drawing students’ attention. Teacher knows himself which student is unmotivated student because he has the feel of recognition. However, teacher should provide the opportunity of choice in which teachers who allow students a degree of choice in structuring their learning activities typically have fewer behavior problems in their classrooms than teachers who do not. One efficient way to promote choice in the classroom is for the teacher to create a master menu of options that students can select from in various learning situations. For example, during independent assignment, students might be allowed to, choose from at least two assignment options, sit where they want in the classroom, and select a peer-buddy to check their work. Student choice then becomes integrated seamlessly into the classroom routine.

Lack of positive relationship with the teacher: the relationship between students and teacher is the most important motivation for teaching and learning effectively. When the students can talk to the teacher easily and happily they will enjoy learning. They will be happy with the exercises that the teacher provides for them. One thing that is essential is the students will enjoy coming to class regularly. I think every student will have some kind of problem in which he or she wants to find someone to talk to and teacher is the most crucial for them to approach to. Of course, approachable teacher will help students having confidence in their study.

All in all, motivation is the most important way to help students to learn more effectively both in class and at home and the key to learning successfully is motivation. Actually, if the student has a good reason for learning effectively and successfully by being motivated they will succeed in learning. Throughout obstacles and solution above can help both teacher teaches effectively and student learns effectively by solving those obstacle and practice good techniques. When the teacher sees the disadvantages of unmotivated students and being unmotivated from the teacher, teacher has the obligation to motivate student to learn effective. However, teacher has to understand student’s feeling. When the students cannot do homework do not complain or put any pressure teacher should explain the important reason and motivate them to do it. On the other hand, teacher has to know the student’s ability in which it connects with the teacher’s instruction. Teacher has to give clear instruction that can let the student understand the lesson clearly. Last but not least, teacher has to build good relationship with every student because good relationship will build the trust of the students. Students will think that that teacher is approachable teacher. Students will have intention to learn with that teacher and the teacher will teach effectively and students will learn successfully.