Motivation is vital in helping students stay motivated and interested, so that they learn and work hard. Without it, no matter how many or how good the classes are, the results won't be as effective.
Here are some tips that can help boost your student motivation.
Competition is often viewed negatively but that may not necessarily be the case. A healthy competition in a classroom setting with friends can push students to work harder as they want to do better than their peers. Such rivalry is not meant to have students belittle one another, but rather to motivate and have everyone strive to improve together.
If you have a study routine in place, studying will gradually become a habit. One of the main challenges with this is that you must have some form of self-discipline in order to follow your study routine dutifully. The effects of the study routine are not immediately apparent, as it normally takes 20-30 days for a habit to form. Therefore, if you want to reap the benefits of this technique, you'll have to put in some effort.
It is far more rewarding to understand concepts than simply memorize them and reproduce them during examinations. Understanding concepts can help keep you motivated.
Having a solid understanding of a subject makes you more willing to learn it since it will require you to apply principles or draw conclusions from a given set of facts.
This technique is a time management method developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s and is also called ‘spaced learning’. It’s a good way to help manage distractions and avoid procrastination. It helps to divide your work and breaks into regular and short increments so that you wouldn’t feel overwhelmed with your task.
Here are the steps to applying the Pomodoro technique:
Studying in a group can help keep you motivated, but it is also important to find the right companions to join the study group. They should have the desire to study and improve their grades as well and should not be a form of distraction to you.
A study group of no more than 4 students is advisable as it tends to become distracting if the group is any larger.
You are also able to share notes with your companions and since different individuals have different strengths and weakness, you will be able to teach one another.
Research has shown that short periods of light exercise after studying can help one to better recall the new information that they have learnt previously. Activities like swimming and jogging send oxygen, blood, and nutrients to your brain, which helps you to think and concentrate.
It’s understandable that many of us may not have the luxury of time because of our busy schedules to carry out physical activities, but a short 20-30 minutes of regular exercise is enough to help improve your motivation.
Choose something that you really want, be it a packet of chips, a cup of coffee, or even a movie. Whatever it is, use it as a reward after finishing your tasks. This will give you the motivation to accomplish what you need to as you will naturally look forward to getting rewarded.
For the reward system to work, it needs to be customized to you. This means that you should avoid setting goals that are impossible to accomplish as you will just end up feeling distressed if you are not able to meet them. The reward system is meant to make yourself feel rewarded and motivated, and not bring you down.