Today’s savvy teachers know they have to be up-to-date on how students are communicating and getting information and content. They also know that motivating students is key to guiding them to success. Here are five ways teachers can motivate their students to engage and retain what they learned in the classroom.
1. The Million Dollar Question
Or, the extra points questions. Using a classroom Twitter handle, make a habit of tweeting follow up questions from the day’s lesson. Students who see it, and answer it correctly, earn extra credit points.
2. Teacher Tube
Create a quick lesson recap video and upload it to a classroom YouTube, SchoolTube or TeacherTube page. Once again, it encourages the students to revisit the material covered in class. Add a quick assessment at the end and have students bring it in with their homework. Extra credit may help motivate students stay current with the classroom video review.
3. A Picture is Worth a Thousand Points
Use a classroom hashtag on Twitter (i.e. #MrHershELA7) so students can update the progress of their projects, homework, and pictures of relevant things they find outside of school pertaining to the day’s work. To help motivate the students, scroll through the found photos the next day in the classroom, and have the students decide which ones are worth extra points. If time is a challenge, extend the picture taking time to a week and create a fun Friday event for awarding points.
4. Facebook Town Hall
Create a classroom Facebook page and make a nightly habit of posting a discussion question that has to do with that day’s lesson. Have students reply with their answers and reflections. Encourage them to reply to each other’s posts and hold them accountable for what they have to say.
5. Blog it Up
We need our students to write daily, so why not make it all the more worthwhile with instant publishing via a blog? Give students prompts for questions and reflections on the day’s material and have them blog each night. You can easily monitor their progress and pick up on any common questions to address the next day.
Social Media can distract students, or it can be used to your advantage in the classroom. What are some ways you have used social media to engage your students?