If you think about it teachers have more than one job when it comes to their obligations to their students. They don't just teach them curriculum-driven academic subjects. But they also have to motivate them and inspire them to reach a higher level of achievement and success that will be staying with them for years to come. Inspiring your students will also increase class attention span to the subject being learned and increase overall classroom engagement. Here are the 7 best ways to inspire your students.
1. Field Trips
This is probably the most favorite way to inspire students because it's an idea that is loved by students and teachers. A change of scenery is never a bad thing and your students will thank you for it too! Field trips give teachers the ability to show students real-world examples of topics discussed in class and discover new topics that can drive discussions in the future. It's also important to have a reason for the trip and that it amplifies and complements what you been teaching them in class. Some good field trip ideas are going to visit museums, art studios, and science centers. And if you are a music teacher then concerts, plays, and performing arts are wonderful too.
2. New Technology
The rise of technology and software applications are rapidly changing the way education is presented today. As a teacher, you can't fall too behind the times because you can guarantee your students will lead the charge for new technology usage. You"ve already seemed them glued to their phones everywhere they go. So why not find a way to inspire them using the technology that they love so much?! For example, if you are a History or Science teacher you can try to incorporate VR (Virtual Reality) headsets in class to show them a new way of viewing landscapes, environments, landmarks, and other forms of visual representations. And with new educational apps popping up every day you can definitely find one to tailor to your class subject.
3. Bring Out The Games!
There's nothing more enjoyable and exciting than playing a great game! As a teacher, the sky is the limit to the many variations of games that you can create or discover for your classroom. Students feel more inspired when enjoying themselves and having fun. Once they start a game they won't be able to stop interacting and engaging with each other. Watch how competitive some students get! For an English teacher, some word games might be best to help them with vocabulary and spelling. For a history class jeopardy and fun quizzes might be games to test their knowledge. You can find the bunch of classroom games online, you just have to find the right one for your needs. No matter what game you pick just remember to stay on course with the subject material.
4. Give Them A Goal
Sometimes a student needs a push to get them going the right direction. Establish a goal for them to accomplish in your class. Then give them an incentive for those who reach the goal first. This a good trick to get those with one track mind to start engaging more. You could offer bonus points on the next test, one-night homework free, or something simple as a cupcake! Either way, it inspires them to succeed in the tasks given. Some teachers don't like this method but it doesn't hurt to try this once in a while.
5. Give Time To Struggling Students
In every class, there is always a couple of students that struggle with the class work or the assignments. Student's can start to feel unmotivated and uninspired when they're struggling in class. Their struggles can be caused by several different things but what's important is that you give them the attention that they need. It might be that they just need some extra time with you to discuss the class materials. As a teacher, we should always consider the needs of our students. Let students know what time you are available for them to get additional help after classes is a good way to start help those struggling students.
6. Get Personal
Get to know your students! One of the best ways to inspire your students is to get to know a little more about them. When a student sees that you're interested in them, they are more like to respond positively and engage more in class. Take the time to learn more about each one of your students. Once you know more about your students you will find it easier to connect with them and then you can fine tune your lessons even more to their needs. Also once you know them better you can give them better-personalized recommendations that suit their interests and objectives with classwork.
7. New Role Models
These days people are always trying to live vicariously through other people. It's the same thing for students and their role models. You can introduce your students new role models that will help inspire them in the classroom. A good role model may be someone they can look up to or imagine themselves becoming that person in the future. Setting them with a proper role model can be one of the most important things that you do for them as a teacher. Because a lot of students are dreamers that are eager to follow the path of success. So you just have to show them what that path will look like.
You should always take your student's education seriously but it's also important to take give them all the tools they need to succeed in life. When you inspire them you give them hope and motivation they that need to push through their struggles to obtain their objectives. Inspire them to reach new levels and they will inspire others to do the same. You'll Inspire the world one student at a time!