Among the many challenges teachers face, often the most difficult is how to engage students who seem unreachable, who resist learning activities, or who disrupt them for others. This is also one of the challenges that skilled teachers have some control over. In my nine years of teaching high school, I’ve found that one of the best approaches to engaging challenging students is to develop their intrinsic motivation.
How can teachers do this? It’s helpful to consider this question in three parts: What skilled teachers think, what they say, and what they do.
What Skilled Teachers Can Think
Remember that authoritative beats authoritarian. […]
Believe that everyone can grow. […]
Understand that power isn’t a finite pie. […]
What Skilled Teachers Can Say
Give positive messages.
Apologize. [… for any mistakes]
What Skilled Teachers Can Do
Be flexible. […]
Set the right climate. […]
Teach life lessons. […]