Few teachers would disagree with the view that motivated students are easier to teach and that they learn more. As teachers, we hope that all of our students come to the classroom excited to learn for the sake of learning and that our teaching will inspire them to great heights of achievement. We are then disappointed if our students seem more interested in knowing what is on the test or argue for an extra point or two. In reality, our students bring to the classroom a variety of motivational drives and a wide range of demands on their attention, commitment, and time. Our students today face the challenge of prioritizing and being self-disciplined when family, friends, extracurricular activities, and work all vie for their attention. Effective teachers know their students come with a natural desire to learn. They also realize that students come with a belief that the teacher is responsible for tapping into that natural desire by providing a classroom environment that fosters a motivation to learn and an excitement that continues from the first day of the semester to the last. Many students believe that good teachers do “motivate” them (Svinicki, 2004) and these teachers tend to receive high student ratings on items such as: the instructor motivated me to do my best work; stimulated my intellectual curiosity; encouraged me to express my opinion or experience; and emphasized learning rather than tests or grades. The following are some strategies “good teachers” use to motivate their students.

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