Motivation is the engine that runs the world, and I often talk about how children or students lack motivation in their studies. It costs me every time to start studying with guilt and outside pressure. Motivation is important because it forces me to seek out resources to ensure my survival actively. I am motivated to seek food and to eat or to find a sexual partner. These are examples of primary motives or needs that are innate and occur regardless of culture. Naturally, I do not have a motivation that inspires me to want to learn everything. It is quite possible that the school/college/university curriculum is not particularly motivating. That said, I cannot wait to learn the lifestyle of dolphins, make a new cooking recipe, or change the tire in my car.
It is likely that the motivation to learn comes from my interest in the subject or because I need that knowledge for something. Motivation is the impulse that drives me to act and achieve my goals. It plays a crucial role in my learning. According to research, motivation has a more significant impact on our performance in math than IQ levels. Specifically, the researchers found that intelligence levels were strongly related to student’s performance in mathematics, but only at the beginning of the competition in this area. Students’ high motivation and skills were the most significant factors determining the successful development of higher math skills.
Students with good performance data were intrinsically motivated and able to use skills such as explanation, synthesis, and finding connections to prior knowledge. They avoided memorization by rote memorization and showed more marked progress in math learning, in contrast to those who did not feel intrinsically motivated. In contrast, students’ level of intelligence was unrelated to their achievement in mathematics.
Teacher-student interaction is more important to the learning process than structural factors such as instructional materials or classroom size. The connection between student and teacher is essential not only in the early school years but also later, when motivation issues become more prominent, especially in college and university. The positive and warm atmosphere created by the teacher in the classroom increases my motivation as a student to learn. Attention from the teacher not only protects the image that students have of themselves as students (it is about supporting students’ self-identity) but also helps them avoid social exclusion from their peers.
It is much more important to value my effort than the final product. If the instructor values result from more, I will focus only on achieving the result, forgetting that high results are achieved through effort. In addition, the outcome can often depend on other factors, such as luck or chance. It is essential to encourage and reward the efforts made. Nevertheless, I need tangible rewards for a good result. Right now, I cannot fully grasp the long-term benefits of good grades and knowledge gained; I prefer to be rewarded immediately. Incentives motivate me to work hard and strive to achieve my goal.
One thing that drives me crazy about educational systems is that most teachers make students feel their value is based on grades or test scores. I need to realize that my value does not depend on grades or taking a particular course. Every student is a valuable person with infinite potential, regardless of the grades they receive today.
It seems normal to me that I cannot consistently achieve and fail, but I never gave up because a failed test or exam does not mean I am stupid and have not learned anything from the new course. Studying hard can still lead to a failed test, but it just means that I have difficulty acquiring and processing new knowledge; I should probably pay more attention to the problem and retake the exam. Failing a particular exam is an excellent impetus to work better than before, considering your weaknesses. I have positive thoughts about things, so I quickly get over a failure and feel happier. The important thing is that I tried, even though I failed, but that does not equal being unlearned. Failing a test should not be alarming; it is essential not to lose hope and try to do better again.
Not too long ago, a story happened to me that will better illustrate how one should behave in the moment of failure in the learning process. I had a course that I did not particularly like, so I did not attend it or do my homework, setting aside time to do it every time. Eventually, I did the required assignments for the sake of the grade. However, I felt that I had not mastered the entire course well, and the instructor told me so, so I took the retake to get a better grade. I do not regret it, as the experience helped me become more disciplined and learn the material better. There will be many courses coming my way that I will not be interested. However, that is no reason to skip them entirely.
Works Cited
Dweck, Carol S. “Transforming students’ motivation to learn,” 2008, pp. 1-4.
Melissa, Nicolas. “Some Students Need to Fail.” Inside Highered, 2012. Web.