Need to Motivate My Students. Thoughts?

Not a quick fix, but have you read "Drive" by Daniel Pink? It debunks most of what we think we know about motivation. (Hint: bribes don't work at any age.)

Is there a crystal clear way to relate what you are studying to real life or stuff they enjoy? Math is so dry. Connecting it to reality may help bridge things. Good luck!

Maybe you just got a bad crop. Some kids just go to college to put off getting thrown out of their parents basement. Maybe do budgets? Maybe if they see how expensive it is to move out they will try to stay a little longer by passing your class.

What Jo said. Can you have them do real world stuff? Math they'll actually use? Budget, shopping (figuring out percents and sales, etc.) cooking (measurement, etc.). Come up with as many "real life" situations as you can. Maybe have THEM come up with situations where they could possibly need math, and then go from there? I don't know. That's all I've got. Good luck!

Not sure if this would help or not but it's in the same vein as doing budgets. Practical life experience is what they need desperately. Dave Ramsey Financial Peace was taught at our church not long ago and it was full of charts comparing people who saved, who spent, interest rates etc. It was VERY interesting because it applied to real life. Get them to explain compound interest, budgeting, make them work in teams, give some kind of incentive. Set up fake "families" and assign each group a family that they have to set up their financial futures. You could set the parameters in advance and they have to work with the fact that "Bob is out of work and Nancy is pregnant with their first child, they have $14,000 in savings and etc. etc." I'm not a math hound but that would excite me! Good luck and hats off to you....you're a good teacher!

I second Jo. W's reply about doing budgets. While I was in high school my economics professor had us work out what we needed to cover to take care of ourselves. It wasn't eye opening for me because I already knew but it was definitely eye opening and a shock to those who had no clue.

I know when it was mandatory that attendance & class participation as well as homework accounted for more than 50% of the grade it made a definite difference in who passed and failed. Typically even those who could not grasp the material managed to pass, even if it was just barely because the emphasis was more on actually trying to learn vs. solely if you could pass a test.

Good luck.

I agree with some great suggestions on how to incorporate it into their life. You are not specific about what type of math they are doing, so you might need to adapt the suggestions. There's a famous scene in the movie "Big" with Tom Hanks where a child doesn't want to do algebra because it's stupid and boring. Hanks shows the kid that calculating a basketball player's shooting percentage is algebra. You could expand that to track meets (average time per lap in a 5K race, number of laps needed to get to 5K), etc. You could have them figure a volleyball player's percentage of kills and digs and saves. You might use the Olympics as a model.

Your students are probably beyond basic fractions, but an example for that is cooking - quadrupling a recipe for a big party, for example. Would it set a bad example to calculate how much beer is needed for a spring break party based on the size of kegs and their cost, plus the deposit? If it would, use pizza as the example.

I like the idea of a trip. They have to factor in fees, taxes (percentages), cost per mile of a taxi from airport to hotel, and so on. Or have them plan their Senior Week trip - wherever the kids from your college routinely go. My son's college all go to Hilton Head, and they had to go on line to research rental properties. Then they had to calculate the rental per person plus fees for linens on the convertible couch (which wasn't included). They had a factor in an additional security deposit since no one in the party was under 25 (that's a life lesson in itself!). Then they factored in gas and snacks for the drive (keeping the 2 drivers out of the calculation since those people were providing the cars - but you can have them compare/contrast a mileage fee per rider for oil/wear & tear (use IRS mileage figures to help them learn about income taxes and business deductions) vs. just splitting the costs among non-car-owner riders. Then have them figure out a grocery budget - kids say "Oh, we'll make our own breakfast and lunch and just eat dinner out." Sure, but what does that cost if not everyone eats what you eat, or if you're too tired to make a lunch to take to the beach? How do resort prices "in season" compare to their neighborhood?

Or have them work on price comparisons between the college snack bar and the local grocery stores/restaurants. Compare Starbucks latte prices to making their own. How many cups of coffee to they have to have to make up the difference in cost of, say, a coffee press vs. a Keurig?

How about dorm room vs. apartment costs, including security deposit, utilities, and furnishings?

Or evaluating a job offer at $40,000 against the costs of renting an apartment (finder's fee, security deposit, first & last months' rent), utilities, parking permit or lot fees, mass transit to the job vs. driving in, cost of basic furniture (since their dorm room provides a bed, desk, chair, bookshelf and sometimes some living room furniture depending on their set-up. What about kitchen equipment? (Yes, they can raid their parents' houses and some yard sales, but they don't really want used stuff, and even used stuff costs money on Craig's List and eBay, even yard sales.)

You get the idea.

Tie more of their grade to homework completion . . . give extra credit for stellar attendance, office hour attendance, etc.

I also think it helps students to teach other students. Can they work in groups a bit more?

Just a thought . . .

I teach at a community college and I previously taught a math class. I think attendance is bad (in math) because they don't like the subject matter. I also teach business and marketing and the attendance is better and the performance is better - mostly because the material is more interesting and there are more opportunities to make the class exciting and fun.

I make attendance part of their grade and I deduct late points if they turn things in late. There is probably a reason these students are in a remedial class...much of it to do with motivation rather than intellect.

I believe in personal responsibility. You can't learn it for them. I've gotten to the point where I let them sink or swim. I give them every opportunity to succeed and I even let them do extra credit if they don't do well on tests, but there comes a point when they have to buckle down and do the work.

Fail them?

Remind them they will fail?

Remind them of the money they have wasted? And they will have to repay and re take the same class?

Have them sit in a circle instead of just in rows of chairs.

Have them sit around one large table?

I am going to guess you are at a large college? At our daughters college.. The classes are small enough that if you miss 2 days, the Professor will contact the college, who will send someone to check on you. Or your Professor will contact the student to check on them.

Our daughter was so mortified at the thought she said she hardly ever missed a class in 4 years,

Your students are adults. It's your job to teach them not entertain them. I took math as an adult, from remedial algebra all the way to calculus. I had some great, enthusiastic math teachers that burst with energy and LOVED what they were teaching. I had some not so great teachers a well.
My best teachers gave credit for attendance in the form of mini quizzes or clicker questions and also gave credit for homework. Even just getting a few points makes it worthwhile to do the work...
Unfortunately you may not be able to change your grading at this point though...

Some quarters one just gets bad classes. The kind where all your jokes fall flat, participation is flatline, and you just want to stab a pencil through your ear.

And its not like grad school where you can hold tutoring sessions once a week at the pub. I don't drink, but even as an (older) undergrad PubSessions have always been amazing.

When a class is bottoming out, though, a big extra credit project will usually get the struggling but trying, and the painfully shy, motivated to put forth some effort.

I don't personally sweat Attendence, and say so at the beginning of each quarter: Aytendence doesn't count! If I'm boring, or fascinating but there's sun to bake in or fresh powder.. Please. Go. You're on your own recognizance. Assignments are in the syllabus & posted online. (I like small classes, but as a TA get huge ones). That way I get the motivated (or at least haven't got anywhere better to be) students, instead of the ones that would reeeeeally rather be anywhere else, and are just suffering through my lectures for the grade.

Other TA's & Profs I know give 1/2-1 EC point per class, or deduct 1 point for each missed class.

Do not get into the habit of spending your own money on bribes. I am a longtime teacher and have 8 years til retirement. Take my advice.

Ask them all where in the US they would like to go and date? Survey them and use the most ocurring place as the question. Say---San Francisco.

Assignment: How much is a plane ticket for two?Use internet.
Hotel times # days. Food per diem per day $. Whats to do in the city? $

How much is the minimum that it would require to go? The contest is an INTRINSIC to see who can get it at the lowest. They will act as if they are all really going! It is such a fun lesson.

I had my Dance class had to do this for a NYC field trip before we fundraised. They LOVED it!!!!

I agree with real world situations and field trips, if that's possible! Do something with store ads, going grocery shopping, etc. Then actually take them to the store.

Also, I do think bribery is an option. I know it's supposed to be about intrinsic learning, but sometimes you gotta offer the carrot, if only to make your day be more interactive and go smoother! ;)

Also, do competitions within the class. Make up some sort of a game or something that will get them on their feet and competing against each other.

Well, you really cannot fix this if they do not care enough to even show up. If they are in college, then their future is on them. At college age, students are expected to take responsibility for their own education. I would suggest that you make your lessons as interesting as possible using real world examples to illustrate the principles that you are teaching. If they care to show up and learn, then they will ask questions and do better. If not, they fail. College is just not for kids that don't care.

What about random drawing for "bonus" items?
$5 Starbucks, Shamrock shakes, extra 5 points next test, certain homework counts double, etc?
Kind of sad they're so unmotivated.
College kids are poor--at least I was--think inexpensive items & treats that might motivate them to at least attend & hand stuff in--even if they're struggling, maybe?
Local places (check school bookstore) might even donate some goods.

At this age, they are old enough to make their own decisions on how well they will do. And no matter what you do, not all of them will excell. But I can see that you are taking it to heart to help them succeed as much as they can.
Some people have difficulty taking exams - put a timer on them & all information goes "out the window" (I have that problem sometimes in classes). If you are giving exams that require them to do work, & then select from multiple choice, try offering problems where they can show their work & get partial credit for conceptual understanding.
Have you polled the class? Asked what they need different (within reason) to help them out? Each person is different, & sometimes the mix of classes is different than past as well.
I'm currently in a Physics class where the homework assignments are so difficult that all the tutoring sessions were being taken up by people asking for help on the homework (only 7.5% of the total grade!), & no time left to help people understand the information conceptually. So I spoke with the professor & asked if he could change the challenge of the homework a bit so that the supplemental learning @ the tutoring center could be more beneficial. He complied (to some extent).
Another approach is to offer extra credit, where the points are given for doing work that goes beyond what is taught in the classroom, to help cement what is being taught. My Chemistry professor offers extra credit, not to make the class easier, but to help offset the "one bad day" you might have on a quiz/homework/exam.
Finally, if this is your style, maybe offer an incentive for them to beat their own average. If the class ave is 60% & they can beat that, AND no one scores less than the last time, everyone gets an exta 5 points, or somethign like that. Pull them together to work together on learning.
Good luck, I hope things improve!!

what popped into my head was music. you could go with soothing instrumental background music to set a tone, or some how work in some popular music based on your adudience. and give them brain breaks and movement apportunities so when they get frustrated they have a chance to regroup.

and i would do a lot for chocolate chip cookies or hersey's kisses, fractiosn of pizza etc

Is there a way that you can incorporate what math can do in their lives into your lessons? It's one thing to try to learn a lesson. It's another thing to apply that lesson in something that can actually do something for you. If you can show them one example of how the lesson makes their lives easier or how they can use that lesson in some concrete way, perhaps that would motivate them to learn it.

Good luck!
Dawn

How are the test scores? Are they doing well but not showing up for class? Do not bribe them. That is not preparing them for life. I think its time to set up counseling sessions.