The Paragon - NWET&D - Classroom Motivation

Classroom Motivation

Even if your child has normal or above average intelligence, without a desire or motivation to succeed at school, it is unlikely that she will do well. There are many reasons for children to have a lack of motivation, including parental expectations that are set too high or too low, social problems, including difficulties at home or at school, and behavior problems.
To help your child develop a positive attitude and motivation toward working hard at school you should:

* Give your child praise and rewards for doing something well or working hard toward a
   difficult or challenging problem. Help build self confidence by avoiding frequent criticism
   and praising hard work.

* Communicate with your child about school and ask her about her day to show that you are
   interested.

* Help her to find something that she has a skill or special interest in, such as music, sports,
   reading, etc.,

* Help your child to understand that success has a lot to do with how much time and effort
   you put into a task, and is not just about how smart or strong she is. Children who believe
   this are more likely to take on new challenges and work harder on difficult tasks.

* Set realistic goals and expectations for your children and set up consequences for not
   meeting these expectations and rewards or privileges for when she does. If your child is
   making C's, but is working hard at school and at doing her homework, then it may be
   unreasonable to expect her to make the honor roll. You should instead reward and praise
   her hard work and not punish her for not living up to your expectations.