As a teacher of students with learning disabilities, I find that, especially as they grow, motivation can be a challenge. How do you find ways to motivate your students who struggle most with learning?
I try to find out what interests my student has, and then incorporate what interests them into the work that they are doing. For example, one of my kindergarten students this year, who is struggling a bit with their learning, loves Paw Patrol! I did a quick online search and found lots of things I could use to get them excited about wanting to complete their work that tied back to Paw Patrol
I also use lots of motivational token boards to get my students who might be struggling, motivated again. I usually set an easy goal for them, for example, if they work for 5 to 10 minutes straight, then they can earn the first of their three tokens. When they earn all three tokens, then they get to enjoy whatever their chosen reward is. For my student I shared about above, that is having a chance to play in the kinetic sandbox for 15 minutes.
I think building a strong relationship with students who may struggle with learning in someway, is the key to helping them want to work, and to finish their work.
I always see success with setting small goals and meeting them. Start with the Power of Yet and share something you are working on. They often feel like everyone else can do things they cannot and often are not celebrated. The motivation from meeting small goals soon enough turns into large gains!
My students receive Champs bucks from me to help keep them motivated. They earn this play money for showing growth in Star 360 reading and math or helping other students to learn. The students are able to spend their money on prizes that I provide. I also like to take their pictures and post them outside my classroom to help celebrate their growths.
Especially with older kids (I teach 5th grade), it is always good to directly ask them what would help them learn. One of my students on a behavior plan has started recently showing some undesirable behaviors. I talked to him and we changed what he was working towards—from something tangible in my classroom store to free time minutes earned towards an activity with a friend.
This is where building relationships at the beginning is key. Getting to know them and letting them know that you are always going to be in their corner. I also started out with material that I knew that they could be successful, then built from there. This helped to build their confidence and they were always willing to give me their best effort. We also celebrated every single accomplishment.
