User:Undurthy/My Sandbox for Patricia/template:Teacher Preparation/Techniques of Motivating Teachers

Techniques of Motivating Teachers
Over the years, more and more complex expectations are thrown on to the shoulders of the primary teachers as the society is perceiving the teacher as the nurturer of all good qualities expected from its members. Sometimes a primary teacher has to realize these goals in uncongenial and contra productive situations. He/she may have to work in a school situated in an ugly climate, with gloomy classrooms and poor equipment.

In spite of all these constraints, a teacher can rise to the expectations bestowed on him/her, if he/she is determined enough. He/she can achieve that determination if he/she is sufficiently and properly motivated. This is possible just like a lotus making a muddy pond into a beautiful site since it loves to live in it.

The educative process at the primary stage is lagging behind our expectations more because of insufficient motivation among the teachers than because of other insufficiencies. Hence motivation of the primary teacher is an urgent need. Then how to get motivated? What are the sources of motivation? And what are the techniques of motivation? This module is an attempt to give answers to these questions.

Motivation is the art of focusing one’s mind and energy on doing his/her work as effectively as possible. If you want to do something and if you are asked to do the same thing you will readily do it. This readiness is your motivation to do that. On the other hand if you do not want to do a work and you are asked to do it, you cannot do it that efficiently. This energy may come from within or form outside. The former is called intrinsic motivation and the latter is called the extrinsic motivation.

We can know how to get motivated if we can. Understand some of the basic principles of motivation.

1.	People want to feel useful and important. 2.	People want to belong and to be recognized by the institutions. 3.	Work is not inherently distasteful, unwanted restrictions makes it distasteful. 4.	Most people can exercise for more creative, responsible, self – direction and control than their present situation.

Thus one can be motivated sufficiently if ego is fulfilled, when he/she gets recognition, if he/she does not develop negative attitude towards his/her work and freely put all this original talents in his/her work.

Some of the situations in which one can get motivated are:

1.	When he/she takes up challenging tasks of his/her institution and fulfills them successfully. 2.	If they involve themselves in most of the activities of the school. 3.	When his/her students come out successfully. 4.	When he/she shares joy and sorrow with his/her co – teachers, students and parents.

A primary teacher can take up some of the following techniques for getting motivated and to turn out to be a effective and satisfied teacher.

1. Mechanize your work by adopting specific and semi – rigid procedures: For example the teacher can conduct assembly at the end of every session. Ask one of read or recite, those topics or contents which are to be memorized. After a few days, all the students will get those things to memory. Similarly the students may habituate to follow directions and do certain activities on their own, work associations, copying from seniors certain traits, working with the work books. Following schools norms, doing certain activities like coming into the class, putting questions, correcting mistakes etc.

2. Try to bring novelty in as many of your classroom activities as possible i.e. do the routine classroom activities with newness. For example: Teaching through songs, or figures/pictures; changing the arrangement of the classroom; Using simulation and gaming;

3. Identify the strong points of your students. Guide them, improve them and highlight them. If your students get name and fame, that will be your success. Recognition of a primary teacher is through their students.

4. Appreciate the success of your co – teachers and admire them. Excuse and ignore their mistakes if any. This makes you bigger in the eyes of your colleagues. You will be appreciated by everybody.

5. Meet your co – teachers and parents of your students as frequently as possible at their houses. They will be pleased and you will be happy. This also enhances your efficiency.

6. Plan well and keep recorded all your good experiences especially your achievements. This makes you feel proud of you and your profession.

7. Make your surroundings meat and colorful. This makes you happy and lively to be in the work place.

8. Mind that all aspects of your life should be motivated but not a part. He/she should develop meaningfulness towards all aspects of his/her life, and then only he/she can enjoy the teaching profession.