Many high school or college students spend their years of stressed studies, anxiously and suffering long before, during and even after exams. They believe that it is the most important thing in life and forget that there are much more important things.

Being aware of this, that studying is only part of life, and that there are more important things - such as health, relationships, family - will help you feel more relaxed and you will even enjoy studying more.

They find posts for part-time study on college and school pinboards much more valuable than other social and extra-curricular pins. While it is a good thing, the excess of it causes stress and leads them away from who they actually are – social beings.

For this, it is a teacher’s and the school/college administration’s responsibility to keep students motivated. In this post, we will discuss how teachers and the Administration keep students engaged and motivated.

How Can Teachers Motivate their Students?

As journalist Horace Greeley said, "the teacher who tries to teach without inspiring the student's desire to learn is trying to forge a cold iron."

It is certainly very logical that the basis of learning is the desire to learn new things. And, sometimes, being able to motivate the little ones should involve rethinking the way they teach. There are no two thoughts about the importance of a teacher in being the igniting force behind a student’s motivation level.

Maybe at first, it may sound a bit overwhelming, and maybe you don't know very well where to start changing things. That's why we bring you ten strategies that we hope can guide you in this adventure. Take note!

1. Positively reinforce them: It will be very difficult for them to believe in themselves if you do not do it before, so you must also demonstrate it with some frequency. Remember that they are the centre of your learning, give them the prominence they deserve!

2. Use different methodologies: Since not all students respond in the same way, it is important to mix the way they work so that everyone can enjoy what they like best. Individual, team activities, research, games... the limit is your imagination!

3. Give feedback to your students: It is very important that you explain where they were wrong and how they can improve for the next occasion, or they may feel lost and lose motivation soon.

4. Do not be afraid to innovate: Take advantage of the children's fascination with new technologies and try different ICT tools in your classes, adapting them to their needs and the topic to be addressed.

5. Be creative in the use of space: Change the scenario from time to time, using the different spaces of the school or the environment (patio, park, library...) or changing the order of furniture can be great ideas for doing different classes.

6. Set achievable goals: The challenges you pose must be difficult enough to require significant effort (do you know the term ' comfort zone '?), But realistic enough that they do not always end in frustration.

7. Use their experiences as an educational resource: Relating the content with the experience of your students will allow them to see the usefulness of what they are learning, and it will be much easier to retain knowledge about it.

8. Be close and attentive: Treat each student in a personalized way, trying to dedicate exclusive time to talk with them about academic or extra-curricular topics.

9. Help them overcome frustration: Your students need support to recognize and overcome anxiety and frustration. For your part, analyze and study their different capacities and adapt the tasks to them.

10. Make curiosity your best tool: Have you ever thought about starting all your classes with a question that catches the attention of your students? This is a way to arouse your curiosity about the subject, but surely you can find many others adapted to your preferences and characteristics.

What can the Administration do?

Apart from keeping the students disciplined, the Administration of a school or college plays a great part in motivating students. The provision of education is not in any way limited to academics. It is much more than that. And that is where the Administration plays its part. Here are a few ways they can do so:

1. Arrange extra and cocurricular activities: Engaging students in extra and co-curricular such as debates, sports, social work, parties and social events is all part of the Administration's job. This way, the students get a more holistic educational experience and helps them keep focused on their academics.

2. Provision of a good facility: The building or facility of the school is vital in the growth of a student as a person and a professional. Schools and colleges that are equipped with all of the state-of-the-art facilities provide better ground for students to learn — for instance, having a fully equipped library that has both physical and digital books can provide students more reasons to be at the library than those which aren't.

3. Make the pinboard a source of motivation: The school pinboard is normally used to either advertise or to inform. The Administration can make it a source of motivation too. Information and ads, while they are a good thing, can always be outdone with a touch of motivation. Here are ten quotes we have seen pinned at some of the finest institutions.

   1. “The man who does not read books has no advantage over the one who cannot read them.” — Mark Twain

   2. “Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.” — Malcolm X

   3. “The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you.” —B.B. King

   4. “Don’t go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first.” – Mark Twain

   5. “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” – Thomas Edison

   6. “If you don’t go after what you want, you’ll never have it. If you don’t ask, the answer is always no. If you don’t step forward, you’re always in the same place.” – Nora Roberts

   7. “Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle.” – Christian D. Larson

   8. “One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world.” ―Malala Yousafzai

   9. “The important thing is not so much that every child should be taught, as that every child should be given the wish to learn.” —John Lubbock

   10. “Never let the fear of striking out stop you from playing the game.” — Babe Ruth

Conclusion

When students are supported both by their teachers and their school/college's Administration, their potential is truly maximized. And it is essentially the responsibility of the education system to ensure the potential of students is enhanced rather than being compromised. Following these simple steps can make a world of difference, and it is how we can move towards a better version of the world we currently live in!

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