Tricks to awaken the motivation in children's learning
When we encourage our children to imagine what it will be like when they learn or do something, we are reminding them how much they will like when they take the step. Keep in mind your rhythms, your temperament and the demand that it implies for him or her to perform that task. Remember that each of us has a different way of being and feeling.
But, how to unite motivation and children's learning? Think of your case, of the times when you have convinced yourself that if you do something then you will feel more calm, more cheerful, more secure, more intelligent, etc. A feeling that outweighs the current one. And that decision is made in a very personal way ... even if the origin comes from an indication that another person makes you to do something.
When we unconsciously make a visualization of what would improve our mood because of doing something, and imagine ourselves taking the ice cream that we like so much after having made the effort to get up from the sofa, with how happy we were to go to the cook for him, we got to taste that ice cream. And these sensations associated with the sense of taste that we so desire are those that move us to get up from the sofa. We are activating neural processes to launch an action. And it has a sense of personal interest: a motivation.
Recognize and value the abilities of children
We all have one or several capacities that define us as unique beings and diverse. Each child acquires a personality according to his temperament and the experiences he experiences by means of the results he obtains from them, and with that he is surrounded by innate qualities that allow him to develop his skills with greater or lesser ease.
We have only to observe in a conscious and objective way, how different children act in the same situation. For example, our own children, each of them has some skills. Perhaps one of them is more skilled in his relationship with others. He's the one who comes to give you a kiss, tell you how he's been at school and maybe later he asks you to buy him that toy he loves so much. And the brother who is more impatient to get his toy and goes into action asking for it without further details.
Depending on how you judge, we can think that the first one is more detailed ... or that it gives you more laps to dupe you and get what you want. And that the second is more superfluous in social relations and his only interest is to achieve his desire, or that his communication is direct and does not need to "prepare the ground" to ask us for something.
Before one trial or another, what we are using is our subjective way of putting opinion and judgment on their behavior, according to our own way of being and our preferences on how we like to be treated. Same as them. They are simply showing us how is their way of relating to the world, since their way of processing information is different.
And because of these differences, it can cost us more or less to educate them because our messages should be different for each of them
How to do to know its most potential qualities?
It is useless to make judgments with labels, because we will be classifying them in a quality that is not real and limiting. If we label them according to an unpleasant label of "you are one or one ..." they will grow thinking that they are like that, and that there is nothing they can do to avoid being one. It will prevent them from seeing all the qualities they have. And they are infinite and all very valid!
You just have to know how to use the best quality for what occasion.
For that I propose 3 simple tips:
1. Conscious observation Observe each of your children separately, and in different activities: what do you play, in what shows greater interest and skill with their games; how he plays, with tranquility or with more action; if you like doing it alone or looking for company; his language more focused on questions or affirmations, more formal or more casual or prankster; if it talks about the things of others and what is happening around them, or their own thoughts and opinions (you will know if you have a facility to pay attention to the environment or your interior)
2. Ask him questions. Help him to develop his critical thinking, to make decisions, to put him in a situation about "what would happen if ...?" to not always give you the answers that sometimes do not internalize about consequences or new learning. You will also help him to enhance his creativity by being more flexible in unfamiliar situations.
3. Listen without waiting for a concrete response. The questions will serve you, and much, to know you better. Allow him to express himself with his own opinions, without waiting for "the answer" that you think he should give. This way you will know how to guide you better when you need it.
And now I'm sure you can be surprised by the information you have.There may be things that you had overlooked, or that you would believe would be different before trying this exercise.
And it is the most normal thing that can happen. With the rhythms of day to day we try to go fast to reach all the responsibilities that occupy us, and sometimes we want to control everything to be more effective. We miss details, such as allowing us to better understand the interests and potential qualities of our own children, and students (in the classroom it is also good to devote importance to the conscious observation to get to know the students) and connect in a more personal and motivating way with them.
Connect to educate
If we want our children to feel safe and try to cope with new situations, we must adapt the message to what their motivation can represent.
This can be of two types: internal motivation, and external motivation.
Internal motivation born of being, comes from the child himself. It moves you, it excites you, it gives you a unique sense. It can be the passion and delivery with which it is drawn, for example.
The external motivation comes from abroad. It is the motivation to get something linked to personal interest, such as doing a task to get a prize, for example.
With both types of motivation you can do things, but it is clear that it is with the internal motivation that our memory is really activated and learning is fixed. We can unite an internal motivation with the importance of learning or doing something at home.
Raquel de Diego. Coach specialist in coaching for families and staff. Conciliafam
