SUBJECT: THURSDAY TIPS Volume 5, Issue 15 DATE: DECEMBER 12, 2013 Topic: How to Motivate Your Unmotivated Student Many students need a little push to get them more actively involved in their learning. Encouraging motivation can be as simple as providing an incentive that means something special. Here are some thoughts on this topic: 1. Dig beneath the surface. 2. Reinforce good study skills. 3. Agree on a specific goal. 4. Praise often, but don’t offer false praise. Summary Sometimes we interpret a behavior by the end result, as opposed to trying to determine what might have caused it. Before deciding that your student isn’t motivated, it may be helpful to do a little sleuthing. Maybe he’s dealing with an issue he isn’t able to articulate or identify. Is your student not working to potential in one or all of his classes? Is there a social issue or distraction influencing motivation and focus? Could there be a physical issue, such as not hearing everything the teacher is saying, or not being able to read the white board? Could it be that your student is tired because he’s not getting enough sleep? Before jumping to the conclusion that your student lacks motivation, it may be wise to take a closer look at the bigger picture. Educators agree that study skills are the foundation for effective and efficient studying. Without them, school will become exponentially more difficult. Observe your student doing homework and speak to his or her guidance counselor or a favorite teacher and determine: Is he or she easily distracted? Disorganized? Managing time poorly? Clueless about planning? Maybe a dose of study skills is what is needed. Active reading strategies, note-taking skills, and using a planner will absolutely encourage interaction with—and retention of—the material. If it’s decided that a motivating incentive is in order, make sure that the motivator and motivatee are on the same page. This means that both agree on the vision for what’s to be accomplished. Work with your student to set a specific goal that he or she wants to achieve over the next month. Is it to encourage your student to read for 30 minutes a day? To prepare and study for midterms in a thorough manner? To encourage more self-advocacy, perhaps by making appointment to meet with a teacher? Make sure the goal emphasizes the process, not a grade. If you want to encourage someone to continue do something, tell them how well they do it. Struggling students often have poor self-esteem and don’t see why they should even try. A little bit of praise can go a long way to building up a student’s self-esteem, and thus motivation. There is always something that can be praiseworthy – even if it’s only, “I’m so proud of you for giving that a try!” On the other hand, offering praise for minimal effort can have the opposite effect. There are many ways to motivate an unmotivated student. Analyzing why your student may not be working to his or her potential could be the key that unlocks blocked effort. Determining whether or not your student has good study skills can go a long way to finding the key to their academic success. If a tangible reward is used as an incentive, make sure all parties agree to the goal. Finally, encourage often, but be authentic in your encouragement. Rewarding and reinforcing achievement can offer the energy needed for a student to push through to the finish line. The key is to know your student’s individual strengths and weaknesses so that the appropriate strategies can be put in place to support them in achieving their goals. What topic would you like to see in Thursday Tips? Connect with us and let us know! Successful Study Skills 4 Students, LLC Skills for School, Tools for Life™ P.O. Box 644 | Southport | CT | 06890 203-30-S-K-I-L-L (203-307-5455) [email protected] S4StudySkills.com Copyright © 2013 S4 | Successful Study Skills 4 Students, LLC Reproduction in any sort without permission is strictly prohibited.