Returning Strong From Reading Week

On February 24, 2014, in Being a GA/TA, Dilemmas, Monday Motivation, by gregorynpaziuk
"I don't want to go back"

Image courtesy of voltblack.

Well that was quick. That week you had to research and recharge was here and gone in a flash, and no doubt it’s left you feeling a little bit down. But before you freak out like the good doctor (see right), we think you should take a look at what the Center for Teaching Excellence at Duquesne University has put together on how to stay motivated after “Spring Break”.

The nice thing about the Center’s guide is that it offers solutions to those problems that are unique to faculty as well as those particular to students. For instance, to the winter-weary student who is getting restless spending their every day buried in their readings, the Center suggests there are benefits to seeking out the sun where possible:

As the weather warms, try to find a spot outdoors where you enjoy working that is free from distractions where you can study.  Diffuse sunlight by a window can increase your energy.

And for the ultra-weary student teacher who is shouldering their own stress and tasked with motivating a class of students with the mid-semester winter blahs, the Center at Duquesne suggests that it can be therapeutic to celebrate successes-so-far:

Congratulate accomplishments to help students sense their mastery of the materials and to encourage further learning.  A sense of mastery is a major motivational issue in learning.  Students who sense achievement perform better than students who feel lost or overwhelmed.  Spend some time getting students to recognize what they already have mastered and emphasize its importance.  Encouragement goes a long way.  Remember the Pygmalion phenomenon?  Good teachers influence student performance.

 

Read more at http://www.duq.edu/about/centers-and-institutes/center-for-teaching-excellence/teaching-and-learning/motivation-after-spring-break

 

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