Thread: Grades/GPA/Motivation?

After the mid-term last Semester, I tried to devise a lesson whereby I would reveal each student's results from my tests and try to motivate them to improve on their score.

I used the students with high scores to display what was possible with hard work, I also suggested they would be the ones who would go to Uni and most likely secure a good job.

I then tried to explain the material and non material advantages of a good job.

I also explained that speaking English would be a big advantage in the workplace after 2015 ( ASEAN )

Likewise I tried to show that lower grades resulted in a lower GPA and a smaller chance of a good job.

I didn't highlight the lower grade students as I didn't want to embarrass them.

Well the final results still show a lot of poor grades, I can only do so much

I would like to repeat this lesson next Semester but with a better result.

I have drawn up a chart of each class's GPA and a ladder showing the weakest to the strongest - but I am trying to find a more effective way to get the message across.

I understand now that no students fails - I was asked to mark a '2' as a minimum, and fell that this safety net stops the lazier students from bothering.

It's a real shame because some of them have the ability to get a '3' or even a '4' IMO.

Has anyone planned a lesson with this kind of objective/goal in mind - please help if you can

I'll probably be told to forget it and just teach what is in the book, but I'm trying to help some of the lesser motivated ones here.

Originally Posted by Phil Hall

After the mid-term last Semester, I tried to devise a lesson whereby I would reveal each student's results from my tests and try to motivate them to improve on their score.

According to another thread you're teaching M3 and M4.

Originally Posted by Phil Hall

I used the students with high scores to display what was possible with hard work, I also suggested they would be the ones who would go to Uni and most likely secure a good job.

I've experienced M3 and M4 as an age group that is difficult to teach. I think discussing university is a bit too far some of them. M3 students have the choice to make the move to vocational or technical colleges or stop with formal education. M4 students often do have awareness what they want to do after M6. However, not everybody wants to go to Thammasart or Chula. Some prefer Rajabhat. Moreover, a good job is not synonym of having finished university.

I would rather focus on:

• M3: "Where do you want to go after finishing M3 and what is needed to excel?"
• M4: "Which GPA is needed to enroll the different universities?"

Originally Posted by Stamp

I've experienced M3 and M4 as an age group that is difficult to teach. I think discussing university is a bit too far some of them. M3 students have the choice to make the move to vocational or technical colleges or stop with formal education. M4 students often do have awareness what they want to do after M6. However, not everybody wants to go to Thammasart or Chula. Some prefer Rajabhat. Moreover, a good job is not synonym of having finished university.

I would rather focus on:

M3: "Where do you want to go after finishing M3 and what is needed to excel?"
M4: "Which GPA is needed to enroll the different universities?"

Great advice Stamp - thanks
I agree that as an inexperienced teacher I was handed the short straw here.
However I see noted improvements in M4 when comparing with M3 - as you said, they may not even wish to continue in education.
I will definitely factor this into the M3 lesson.