Intrinsic motivation comes from the inside. If you can deliver a message that motivates the student intrinsically before you begin the drills, then they will retain that message even better. More importantly, they will apply more effort and confidence throughout class, which is the ultimate goal for all instructors. This is what we call the activate learning process.
Take the following mat chats for example:
Ok class, today we are going to work on focus. We will practice using focus with several drills. Let's get started!
Ok class, today we are going to work on focus. If you have good focus, you will become smarter because you will learn how to focus better at home; school; and on the mat. Raise your hand if you want to be smarter? Excellent, let's get started on some drills to help you improve your focus!
Which one is more intrinsically motivating? The second one explains why focus is an important skill. This will motivate the students to try harder on each drill.
To improve your ability to intrinsically motivate your students during the mat chat, use the following tips:
Ask the students to tell you in his/ her own words what the skill/ lesson of the day is and why it is important: Who can tell me what focus means?
Ask them how the skill or lesson applies to their life outside of the dojo: How can having better focus help you at home? School?
Give them examples of how the skill/ lesson helped you to become a better person: When I first started Martial Arts, my focus improved so much that my grades went from A's and B's to straight A's!
By Kevin