Getting Students to Commit to Learning
Aprender Inglês

Getting Students to Commit to Learning


By Joe Martim

I think one of the most tragic things to witness as a teacher is to see a student spend several years in school, only to ?scratch? the surface of his or her potential.

Every year, millions of students are graduating with a diplomas, but not receiving an education. It?s also been reported in numerous studies that the average student only reads one book after college over the span of a lifetime. This is truly tragic.

One of the best things you can do for students is to turn them on to learning (as early as possible). In fact, you can?t afford to miss an opportunity to let your students know that learning is a lifelong process that should only stop when they do.

Unfortunately, education is having just the opposite effect on students. When students graduate, it?s common to hear, ?I?m done with this education thing. I?ll never pick up another book as long as I live.? In a sense, they?re writing their own professional death certificate.

One way to reinforce the message of lifelong learning is through guest speakers who have successfully established themselves in their careers. Invite them to come to your class, and have them mention the importance of improving one?s self through learning and professional growth.

If repetition is the mother of skill, students who constantly and consistently hear the message about learning outside of the classroom will eventually get the point while they?re in the classroom.

Another way to reinforce the importance of independent, lifelong learning is to do class discussions on successful people. As we know, success does not encompass a common gender, nationality, religion, ethnic group, age, or height, but there are some glaring similarities.

Make sure you point out to your students the importance of lifelong learning as it relates to these individuals. Talk about it openly in class.When I was a college student, chasing my ?dream job,? I asked a young, highly successful corporate executive, how did he become so successful at such a young age. He responded by asking me a series of questions:

Within the past year, how many books outside of school have you read?*

Within the past year, how many seminars/workshops have you attended (outside of class) to improve yourself?*

Within the past year, how many successful people in your field have you interviewed to discover their strategies for success?

After a long silence, I responded, ?none? to each question. He proceeded to tell me that if I didn?t change the answer to those questions before I graduated from college, I would never achieve the success that he had. He continued, ?However, if you do change those answers, you will significantly change the course of your life.? He was absolutely right.

Ever since my encounter with that young stranger, not only have I changed those answers, I now pose the same questions to all of my students (every semester).

Don?t let students pass through your class without convincing them of the power of lifelong learning; it?s an investment in their future.

Joe Martin is an award-winning national speaker, author, professor, and educational consultant. His mission is to help students, teachers, and administrators learn, lead, and live with purpose and passion. To find out more visit his web site athttp://www.NewTeacherUniversity.com.




loading...

- How Effort Empowers Learning
By Kevin D.Washburn This blog post suggests teachers emphasize effort in the classroom by avoiding the over simplification of historic and scientific achievements by including stories about struggle and success. It also suggests showing the relationship...

- Don?t Get Teacher Amnesia
By Professor Joe Martin Maybe it?s just me, but does it seem like teaching can speed up the aging process sometimes? When people watch me interact with students, they typically ask, ?How old are you?? My response is usually, do you want my age in years...

- Teaching Is Not About Us
by Professor Joe Martin If we ever have the pleasure of meeting each other, whether it be at an education conference, a teacher workshop, or in a classroom, other than my size (I stand only 5?-6?), you?ll notice that I will adorn two bright red bracelets...

- Teaching Students Who Don?t Want To Learn
by Joe A. Martin, Jr., Ed.D. As educators, we know all too well how tough it is to get (or keep) our energy level up to teach students who sometimes don?t want to learn. I?ve even heard students describe teachers as being ?a speed bump to a grade.?...

- Lifelong Learning ? What Is It And Why Is It Important?
Lifelong learning is not just about formal education or employer training and development programs. Lifelong learning involves a variety of growth opportunities, from structured formal environments to independent and informal or even self-driven settings....



Aprender Inglês








.