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If Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Page, Sergey Brin and Shahid Khan can do it, you can too. This is the thinking our students need to be inspired with.
It is crucial that students, from an early age are encouraged and motivated to establish goals, believe in themselves and be persistent in achieving their goals. Education must enable positive change, empower students to undertake challenges and overcome these challenges with confidence and knowledge.
The missing attitude Knowledge is imparted in many ways. One of them is allowing students to learn by their own experience. In higher education, by establishing centres for student startup businesses, universities can promote talented students business ideas and enhance their practical learning (see: “Student entrepreneurs: Student start-up business centres” Dawn, Sept 2, 2012 issue). However, across all levels of education, there is a dire need for motivating and encouraging students to achieve more.
The first step to motivating students is to believe in their best abilities, and encourage them accordingly. As students learn to trust their perceptions and judgments, they derive more satisfaction from accomplishments, and stay motivated longer. To be positive and have the right attitude is a very important life-long skill that is utilised in everyday as well as crisis moments in life, both personal and professional.
Set ‘can do’ goals For many disappointment follows when a goal is not achieved. Educators must teach their students how to set smart goals that move toward successful results. S-M-A-R-T-E-R goals, as they are often called, must be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely, Encouraging and Rewarding to establish a roadmap for success. It is always time to practice this methodology, even when working with students at an early level. Once students make it a part of their own strategy, they can learn from mistakes made and get rewards after a job well done.
It is certainly not easy to define and identify goals that are realistic, attainable and measurable. With a clear roadmap it is possible to follow one’s steps back and identify a glitch and come up with the proper response when a problem arises.
While not mistake-proof, this methodology allows students to overcome challenges and increases their chances for success. The role of educators is not only to show how to achieve the goals, but also to encourage and reward students for their efforts. In a classroom with many different personalities, abilities and ways of communicating, each student needs to be motivated and rewarded according to his or her profile.
Positive thinking An important tool in motivating students is positive thinking. Many students, especially those who have limited experience in undertaking independent projects, are taken aback on the first challenge. Teaching a student the right attitude, and acknowledging that there is a way to deal with challenges is an important lesson in everyone’s life.
Positive thinking nourishes positive action. Even mistakes that cannot be undone can have positive consequences and realising this is an experience that teaches long lasting lessons.
In an education system where rote learning is prevalent, fewer skills are more important than teaching positive thinking and a ‘can-do’ attitude. Students must be encouraged to undertake independent, meaningful and realistic projects that benefit their families, communities, schools, and universities. With the support of their educators, some of these projects may become very popular and successful and can be replicated in other communities.
Small-scale projects that give measurable and tangible results, as simple as maintaining a clean school, starting a community centre, or planting a garden can eventually lead to ambitious student start-up businesses, or a successful entrepreneurship initiative. From a simple idea, based on identifying a need in their immediate community, students may come up with genuine solutions and inventions that may serve the whole society. The benefits are immense, not only for the students and their future personal and professional lives, but also in promoting a greater sense of citizenship.
The writers work for the Promotion of Education in Pakistan Foundation, Inc., USA.
