Improving students’ motivation in achieving their goal

Ni Wayan Yeniari(081214150)

Have you ever felt down? Have you ever felt bored? Do you need something to make you back to your own spirit? If you are in this situation, you need motivation. Motivation has a big role in achieving someone’s goal, in this case for students. Motivation can be as a reason for students to move forward toward their goal, especially in learning process.

So, what is motivation? Longman dictionary defines ‘motivation’ as “eagerness and willingness to do something without needing to be told or forced to do it”. (Longman dictionary, pp 1182) It means that motivation determines students’ behaviors; how they think, feel, and interact with other students. Because of that, motivation is an important aspect which affects how students act toward their goal. According to Michael Rost, “motivation provides a source of energy which is responsible for why students decide to make effort, how long they are willing to sustain an activity, how hard they are going to pursue it, and how connected they feel to the activity”.

Generally there are two kinds of motivation which affect students to achieve the goal. The first motivation is intrinsic motivation. Students who have intrinsic motivation are internally motivated to do something. It comes from enjoyment of doing something, love the activities, and reward inherent toward a task. For example: a student will read a lot of books without being told because he loves reading. No one forces him to read. Because of his enjoyment in reading, he will be motivated to read everywhere; there is no time left without reading. The second motivation is extrinsic motivation. It comes from outside the performers (students). This motivation can be from money, punishment, trophies, competition, or coercion. Students who have extrinsic motivation tend to do something because of some reasons above. For example: a student will study hard for an examination because he wants to get a good mark and get money from his parents. That motivation is no longer lasting. When his parents do not give money anymore when he gets an examination, he will give up by not studying hard again.
So, what can students do to get motivated and stay motivated? Students have to get motivated first and then to stay motivated. In this, teacher should help students to identify each student’s goal. Teacher can lead them to make a specific and realistic goal; goal that students can achieve during a period of time. After students know what their goal, ask them to write their goal down so students will remember the goal. To accomplish that goal, students have to make small steps. At last, ask them to set time to do the steps. It can be daily steps, weekly steps, or monthly steps. After get motivated, what can they do to stay motivated?

There are some steps that should be done by the students to stay motivated. First, students need to visualize that they have achieve the goal. By visualizing, it will help students to keep it in mind and to believe that it is possible to be achieved. How to do that? Students need to picture their success; what feelings that come when they have achieve the goal, then write some triggers about what does it feel like to be there. The triggers will be very important for them when they forget their motivation because they can revisit the triggers as much as they want to.

Second, students need to be focus on the main goal. By focusing on the main goal, it will be easier to make mini goals which support the main goal. Mini goals should be easy to accomplish and can rebuild the confidence. When students accomplish the mini goals, they will become more motivated to achieve the main goal. In this case, commitment is important. Students have to promise to themselves not to quit or stop in making effort. Teacher may give advices for students if it is needed.

Third is by checking the plan everyday when completed it. If the plan is accomplished successfully, reward yourself for your good effort. While when it is unsuccessful, do not give up. Make the mistakes as an experience to be better in the next steps so you will not do the same mistake. See it in a positive way so it will strengthen the process.

The last is by doing exercise regularly. Students may do something that can make them get motivated again; have high spirit. For examples: by listening music, reading inspiration books, playing basketball, and many others. It is as a recreation for the mind, so students will more enjoy in every activity they do.

What can teachers do to support students’ motivation in achieving their goals? To support them, teacher should know some techniques to help students which called ‘techniques for self improvement’. First, ask the students to make and use positive terminology for themselves. It will help students to focus on what they want to achieve. For example, a student who wants to speak English fluently has to believe in himself. Ask them to say positive affirmation strongly, e. g. “I am becoming fluent in speaking English” instead of saying “I do not want to speak English badly”. To say what the focus is really important because the power of thought will help to achieve the goal. Second, ask the students to avoid future thinking. Students who think about future without making effort to achieve the goal will only live in the future, whereas they live in present. Because of that, to live in the present and do some efforts now is a good way to do. The last, ask the students to make powerful affirmation, say it and then write it down. Saying the affirmation is important. Students should say the affirmation with passion and enthusiasm so they will get the spirit of it. By writing the affirmation, students will remember it; even when they forget it, they can look it up again. Students who are motivated enough will do kind of activities directly toward their goals. Besides, they will increase their effort that improves their performances.

In conclusion, motivation has a big role in helping student to achieve their goals. Here, intrinsic motivation is more important for students’ success because it is longer lasting than extrinsic motivation. To achieve the goal faster, students have to get motivated and stay motivated. Besides, they need to make efforts for their own selves.

References:

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English Third edition with new words supplement. pp 1182. England: Longman
(1995).Motivation and the Power of Not Giving Up. Retrieved May 23, 2010, from http://teenshealth.org/teen/your_mind/mental_health/motivation.html

Rost, Michael. Generating student motivation. Retrieved May 23, 2010, from http://www.pearsonlongman.com/ae/worldview/motivation.pdf

Wikipedia. Motivation. Retrieved May 24, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motivation/

Gregory, Alyssa. (2009).SMART Goals + Motivation = Success. Retrieved May 24, 2010, from http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2009/11/26/smart-goals-motivation-success/

Brevard, Kim. (2010). The Five Worst Things For Self Motivation - Avoid These Mistakes!. Retrieved May 25, 2010, from http://ezinearticles.com/?The-¬Five-¬Worst-¬Things-¬For-¬Self--Motivation-¬-¬-¬Avoid-¬These-¬Mistakes!&id=3736758