Using Technology To Motivate

One of the most difficult tasks a teacher may have is to motivate an unmotivated student. There is an endless desire to reach students who don’t want to be reached. The teacher investigates every avenue they can think of to come up with an idea that will help. Getting into the student’s world, finding relavence, and using tools they are comfortable with, are all commonly mentioned techniques a teacher can use. But how to learn about students whose generation is 20, 30, 40 sometimes 50 years younger?
step in the latest technological device that every 12 year old clings to like a life saving machine.
A few years ago, my husband and I purchased an MP3 player….not because we wanted to have an MP3 player, but because we knew that the technology was moving so fast, that if we didn’t stay familiar with it, we would be dependant on our 5 year old to teach us how to run our Blue Ray. Now, with clouds and other ways to store information, MP3 players are nearly irrelavent. My students can absorb the new information and technology much quicker than (older) teachers. My advice for teachers: Do not be afraid of new technology, instead, purchase, practice and stay familiar with the new developing world around you…it may even motivate you to learn more….that is why I started this blog.

photo credit: rAmmoRRison via photopin cc