As a mentor, you’ve probably seen it many times before: when a student loses their motivation, they also lose their confidence. Perhaps they don’t always tell you this directly. But you notice that their work has changed—it’s not as thorough as it was before. Maybe your student has even started to cancel multiple mentoring sessions... These are all signs that they’re losing their motivation! And that can have a direct impact on their engagement and perseverance with their training.
With this chapter, my goal is to help you get a better understanding of:
the various factors that impact a student’s motivation.
some simple methods you can apply to your mentoring practice.
Identify the Factors that Impact Motivation
In order to understand how to help your student and find the best solution for them, you need to know what’s causing their lack of motivation!
There are three main factors that can impact a student’s motivation as they learn:
The student’s perception of their own skills and abilities to complete a task. If your student feels they are incompetent, or unable to complete a deliverable or a project, they can easily get discouraged.
The student’s feelings about the value and importance of an activity, and whether they enjoy doing it. For example, when the student doesn’t know why they’re doing a particular task. If it doesn’t relate to a concrete professional goal, they’ll start to question the point of doing a difficult task that has no added value for them personally.
Whether or not the student feels valued during their training. This can happen if your student makes an error, has to redo a project assessment, or doesn’t feel supported when they’re having difficulties. They start to feel less confident in themselves.
Use Motivation Boosting Techniques
Explain Key Concepts
As a mentor, you’re frequently required to use an expository method, meaning you explain key concepts to your student. To explain things more effectively and boost your student’s motivation, use the following techniques:
Break down the concept, idea, or definition into smaller parts.
To explain how to make a wedding cake, for example, you’d start by explaining what the cake should look like, then the equipment and ingredients needed to make it, then the steps involved to make the recipe.
Test your student’s comprehension by asking questions based on the advice we gave you in the previous chapter.
Use a metaphor, meaning an image used to illustrate a concept.
Learning basic addition and getting the right answer is a bit like learning how to walk. The first time, you get up and you try—you take one step, then one more. But you’re going to fall down a bunch of times before you learn to walk!
Make complex concepts easier to understand by explaining them in simple terms.
If I want to explain DNA to you—and you’re not a biologist—I’m not going to start by telling you that DNA is deoxyribonucleic acid, since that won’t really help you. What I would do instead is explain that DNA is a molecule, and that that molecule is found in every cell of a living organism. I would also review the words “molecule” and “cell” with you to make sure you understand them. Then I would explain that DNA is like a code that determines how we function and develop.
Explain to them how the concept ties in with their chosen professional path.
Over to you!
To test this method, let’s look at how we cross the street! What if you had to explain it to someone who’s never done it? How would you do it? Imagine an alien landing on Earth for the very first time and discovering roads, cars, and everything else! Record yourself explaining how and watch the video back. Is there anything you could improve? You can also look at our suggested answer key.
Give Them Demonstrations
Imagine you’re helping your student work with Excel formulas. Instead of explaining it to them in an abstract way, show them how it’s done directly in Excel:
Share your screen with the student.
Show them how you apply a formula.
Have the student apply the formula themselves.
Use Positive Communication
This might seem like a simple thing, but giving your student encouragement can really make a difference! Positive communication, in all its forms, is a quick and simple tool for boosting motivation. It improves morale and makes us feel good. 😃
For example, you might:
Use positive language when you’re commenting on a student’s work.
Imagine your student is working on a market study, and they are using the wrong categories for their research. Instead of saying, “You used the wrong categories in this exercise, you haven’t paid attention to what is written!” try saying, “To do this market study successfully, you should follow the categories that are presented in the project .”
Celebrate the student’s successes along the way.
If they do fail at something, start by telling them what they did well!
Don’t hesitate to encourage your student by reminding them why they’re working so hard—to train for the career they want!
Over to you!
Here’s a fact sheet summarizing helpful tips and techniques for keeping your student motivated. Use it whenever you feel the need!
Take Stock of Your Mentorship Practice
Throughout this first part of the course, we’ve given you lots of techniques to help you support your student to:
organize their work in their own way.
become an active learner.
stay motivated to achieve their goals.
There’s a reason I’ve shared all this with you, and that’s to help you guide your student toward self-regulated learning!
“Self-regulated learning”? What does that even mean? 😅
A self-regulated learner knows how to set their own goals, draw on what they’ve learned, put in place strategies, and adopt behaviors that will help them succeed! 😃
Take Advice from Experienced Mentors
Listen to some advice from Mike and Joy based on their experience as mentors:
Let’s Recap!
There are three major factors contributing to your student’s motivation:
The student’s own perception of their ability to complete a task.
Their own perception of the real-world value of the work they’re doing.
Their self-confidence and grasp of the project.
As a mentor, you can boost your student’s motivation at different times, such as when you:
explain key concepts.
give them a demonstration.
communicate with them.
A self-regulated student knows how to set goals, draw on what they've learned, put in place strategies, and adopt behaviors that will help them succeed!
Now you know how to help your student organize their work, make them an active learner, and boost their motivation. Well done! 🥳 You’ve also reflected on your own mentorship practices to identify how you can encourage students to take control over their own training. In the second part of the course, you’ll discover how to assess your student’s progress. But first, why not test yourself on what you’ve learned by taking the quiz?
