Using Teacher Presence to Motivate Students
Positive Student Learning Depends on Positive Teacher Relations
Dec 19, 2008
Motivating your students to learn depends on how well you manipulate your teacher presence effectively. In addition to how you stand in front of students and present yourself teaching academic content, teacher presence is really about how teachers build a positive relationships with students, which is just as important (if not more than) teaching academic content.
Many newer teachers think that by nurturing the interpersonal element in their classrooms they will not teach effectively. This is not true. In fact, many discipline problems often occur in classrooms where students are not engaged with the teacher on an interpersonal level. How many times have you heard students say: "That teacher does care – she just gives me a 70." These are often signs that the interpersonal element is missing.
Nurturing Your Teacher Presence
Every new teacher needs tips on how to motivate students using his/her teacher presence.
Here are a few for starters:
- Establish a trusting bond.
Say what you mean and follow through. Give students sometimes the benefit of the doubt. If they say that they couldn’t find material on the internet, believe them. Give them a feeling that you are listening to them even when they give you feedback. It may not be always what you want to hear. (You can also set the rules straight about how to give feedback as well.)
- Take a few minutes to greet the students before they enter the classroom. You’ll already see what a big difference in terms of how they respond to you during the course of the lesson.
Create an Interactive Lesson Plan
This doesn’t mean students should take over the lesson but involve quality opportunities for students to interact with each other via group or pair work. Use this interactive lesson plan on children’s uniforms which incorporates different modes of interaction.
You can distribute questionnaires on learning and reading styles in order to acquire a class and individual profile of your students. Explain to the class that this is your way for understanding what makes your class “tick.” Showing that you value their backgrounds sends a very powerful message to students. Continue to use this information to plan differentiated lessons that appeal to learning styles and interests.
It takes a very consistent and determined teacher to constantly motivate his/her students by nurturing the interpersonal element. By using some of these simple strategies, you’ll be well on your way to effectively engage even the most apathetic learners who have already been labeled as “passive” and “uninterested.” A smile helps a student bloom!
