How do you deal with an unmotivated student?

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Answer Example

Over the course of your career, you will come across students who are more difficult to motivate. As the teacher, it is your job to figure out how to make lessons relevant, engaging, and fun for all students. You form relationships with all students to help motivate them to open up and be their very best. If asked this question, be sure to demonstrate that you are compassionate, patient, and willing to do what it takes to help this student. Chances are, there is a reason they are acting unmotivated, and it is rarely because they are 'lazy.' State how you would react to this student and a few strategies you would try to motivate them.

"Student motivation is critical, and I spend as much as I can with each student, getting to know about their interests and building that trust with them so that they can come to me about any problem. Feeling or acting unmotivated is usually in response to something else going on in the student's life, and they don't always know how to communicate or process that. There might be an issue at home, with a fellow student, or maybe a bully from another grade. It could be any number of things, and I won't know what those things are unless they open up to me. Trust is the key, so I have to build that trust and develop that relationship with them. I would get to know the student, find some common ground, help them open up, and make them feel capable and important."

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How to Answer: How do you deal with an unmotivated student?

Advice and answer examples written specifically for an Elementary Teacher job interview.

42. How do you deal with an unmotivated student?

How to Answer

Over the course of your career, you will come across students who are more difficult to motivate. As the teacher, it is your job to figure out how to make lessons relevant, engaging, and fun for all students. You form relationships with all students to help motivate them to open up and be their very best. If asked this question, be sure to demonstrate that you are compassionate, patient, and willing to do what it takes to help this student. Chances are, there is a reason they are acting unmotivated, and it is rarely because they are 'lazy.' State how you would react to this student and a few strategies you would try to motivate them.

Written by Audra Kresinske on August 22nd, 2021

Answer Example

"Student motivation is critical, and I spend as much as I can with each student, getting to know about their interests and building that trust with them so that they can come to me about any problem. Feeling or acting unmotivated is usually in response to something else going on in the student's life, and they don't always know how to communicate or process that. There might be an issue at home, with a fellow student, or maybe a bully from another grade. It could be any number of things, and I won't know what those things are unless they open up to me. Trust is the key, so I have to build that trust and develop that relationship with them. I would get to know the student, find some common ground, help them open up, and make them feel capable and important."

Written by Audra Kresinske on August 22nd, 2021

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