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As a teacher in training, I think one of issues I am anticipating the most is not having the students pay attention in class because they lack motivation. Boredom, confusion, and disinterest are concepts that I fear the most when standing before a group of students, especially high school students. However, some of the ways I have learned to tackle this is by establishing rapport on the first day. Rapport is not something I had thought about as an academic teaching technique. Now, on the first day of class, I want all the students to go around, say their names, and a fun fact about themselves. I would be the first one to break the ice because I want to establish a harmonious atmosphere in which students can be themselves, feel supported, and be respectful towards each other and the teacher. I now think that rapport is key to engaging the students and establishing a supportive and respectful environment. Nonetheless, it is normal for students to lose track, daze-off, or become confused. This is not something to be feared, but something the teacher should anticipate and be prepared for. For example, a way of getting the students motivated is by having them work in pairs. I understand there could be confusion or boredom at some points, therefore, it is important to change the scene and add fun activities in the Study part of the lesson. Another useful technique I learned is to let the students be. The teacher is also human and cannot control how the students feel throughout the entire class. There are issues outside the classroom that teachers cannot control or avoid; consequently, teachers should simply let the students feel welcome for whenever they decide to participate in the class activities. There are various ways to make the class fun and exciting. Role-play, video projects, predictions to practice the future tense are all great teaching techniques to use in the classroom. I recently noticed how much technology can be used effectively in a classroom. I used to think that computers and cellphones distracted students and this was the reason why all teachers hated technology. Nonetheless, while some personal devises may distract students, overhead projectors, smart boards, video cameras, and DVDs can be very useful to elicit new vocabulary words, practice listening skills, and study pronunciation. On the other hand, songs are one of the most effective ways for students to memorize words; teachers should be ready to be let lose and be funny with gestures when teaching songs. In conclusion, there is no reason for a teacher to feel worried about the students’ motivation in the classroom as long as the teacher arrives prepared and motivated him/herself. This kind of attitude is contagious. If the teacher shows up smiling and full of energy, the students will latch on to the positiveness and be more inclined to listen and participate. In other words, teachers have more homework than the students because they need to organize the coursework, structure each class, and motivate students.
