The website Mind Tools features a brief interactive quiz about motivating team members in the workplace. The questions and suggestions are very applicable to the classroom, as well. Taking the quiz gives an overall rating, and then a detailed run down of suggestions for increasing motivation. Two quotes that are classroom ready:
Effective motivators understand that work design has a strong impact on performance. When a person finds a job inherently unsatisfying, there’s not much you can do to motivate him or her. Job design and enrichment combine to match characteristics of the job with workers’ skills and interests: The more variety, challenge and autonomy there is to a job, the more intrinsically satisfying it will be.
You have to be in a position to show or tell people everyday that you appreciate their contributions. Once or twice a year in formal review process is not enough!
So, TBoT readers, what are your best strategies for motivating students?
