A Battle of Attrition - Time to Suit Up

One of my biggest concerns as a future educator is finding effective ways to motivate students to take an interest in Science and education in general. A student that isn't excited to be in your class or motivated to succeed in their education isn't likely to perform at their best. Since this is our goal as teachers, to unlock the full potential of our students, interest and motivation has been a big part of my lesson planning process. I think that science is a FASCINATING subject, but unfortunately, not everyone feels the same (crazy right!?). So, today I want to talk about one of the easiest ways to motivate your students. I'm sure that, like myself, many educators begin starry-eyed and idealistic, hoping to change the world one student at a time. Unfortunately, for some educators, this zeal is lost for a variety of reasons. How many of you remember sitting in a classroom with an instructor who seemed to have given up on motivating students and bringing excitement to their class? Students pick up on this easily and it has detrimental effects on student morale and performance. We as educators MUST continue to bring energy and excitement about our subjects to our classrooms or risk losing our students' interest. Now, not every student can be persuaded by the instructor's energy alone, but it can be pivotal to many. Don't give into the weathering effects of daily life, instead strive to be the driving force behind student motivation. If the instructor isn't motivated and excited to be in the class, how can we expect students to reciprocate? Student interest is a major factor effecting performance and can be affected simply by the instructor's classroom presence and energy level. Don't fall prey to disinterest or apathy! I had an instructor tell me yesterday, "Teachers have to be great actors", and this applies directly to the teacher's classroom persona. Sure, we all have bad days, bad mornings, and slumps in motivation, but we can't afford to let that affect the way we deal with students on a day-to-day basis. The show must go on, so put on your professional "happy face" and get inspired to inspire. It's time to fight the good fight and do all that we can to stay motivated in the classroom!