Friday, March 29, 2013

Secret # 7 Denise Weigert


Secret of Motivation and Inspiration

Effective teachers do not bring their personal problems into their classrooms.  They just act as if everything is OK – even when it might not be.  If you were counseling beginning teachers, what suggestions from the chapter do you feel are the most relevant in guiding these teachers?  What are the reasons for your thinking? 

As an established teacher, I believe it would be important to counsel beginning teachers on how to motivate and inspire students. Essentially, both motivation and inspiration begin with the attitude of the teacher.  I would tell new teachers that despite personal problems, successful teachers leave their problems at home. Among the many positive attributes a successful teacher displays are: excitement for learning, making every student feel special, getting to know them personally, effectively praising and rewarding students. How would a new teacher know they have successfully done these things? First, their day would fly by quickly. In the midst of it, the reflection of a teacher’s smile is seen on her students’ face.  A mutual respect between teacher and student is evident to anyone who comes in the room. Plenty of praise is offered for students who display the on-task behaviors. The teacher sees the good in every student. The book states that it is a teacher’s job to meet the student at his or her level.  If a student displays one act of good, it is the teacher must reward them.  More importantly, the teacher must relate on a personal level.  When a teacher shows humanity without revealing his or her buttons, students will be able to relate too.  A positive and secure environment is the ideal situation for students to come to life.

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