Motivating Toddlers

Intrinsic Motivation: Fun and Discovery

Every classroom consists of a wide array of toddlers, each and every student brings with him/her different student learning styles, different interests, and different life experiences that make each classroom unique and special. The time, energy, enthusiasm and planning that you have invested in the design of your implementation, and the provision and arrangement of resources could all be wasted if you fail to sell the idea effectively to your students. Hence, make sure that what ever you teach your toddlers is relevant and appropriate to cater to their different learning styles. Make the activities worthwhile and each learning session full of enthusiasm, fun and a new learning to discover.

 

Extrinsic Motivation: Gifts and Praise

Toddlers who do not yet have powerful intrinsic motivation to learn can be helped by extrinsic motivators in the form of rewards. Rather than criticizing unwanted behavior or answers, reward correct behavior and answers, small children can be given a balloon, a piece of gum, or a set of crayons. Even at the college level, many professors at various colleges have given books, lunches, certificates, exemptions from final exams, verbal praise, and so on for good performance. Students respond with interest and motivation to teachers who appear to be human and caring.

 

 Being Human and Not an Aloof Authority

Teachers can help produce these feelings by sharing parts of themselves with toddlers, especially little stories of problems and mistakes they made, recently. Such personalizing of the toddler/teacher relationship helps toddlers see teachers as approachable human beings and not as aloof authority figures.

 

Rupa Chauhan