Instructional Variables: Developing Interest in Learning Activities

 

Attracting Students’ Attention

By: Nurlelah

2010120055

           

 Look at the picture !. What do you think about that? Have you ever seen that condition in your class or you were which one of that students?

 Based on my experiences in teaching at school. I always remembered that starting the lesson was more difficult because I have to get their attention. So, I have to make an interesting activity to open the lesson. Usually, I always asked about their condition, we talked each other first about the up to date news or just knowing each others. If I remind I seen stupid in front of them. I did it because I wanted to nearby them. I tried to make simple talk to be closer or recall their name first before starting the class.

            For developing students’ interest in learning there are many steps that have to be done. First, introductory focus, this steps to attract students’ attention in the beginning of lesson and provide a conceptual framework of lesson.

            Second, personalization, this step is done to know students’ characteristics because the teachers try to involved themselves in students’ live. This way is very useful because it can make students feel comfort in learning. According to hierarchy of needs theory by Maslow, this step is involved in second and third level. It talks about safety, secure, belonging, love and affection. If the teacher can involve to students’ live, they will work together in the class because they are like a family. It can make students easier to understand the materials.

            Based on my experiences in SEP for maintaining students’ attentions are not easy, especially for children because they have not handled their feeling yet.  Hence, the teachers have to make an effort to maintain it. If the students can pay their attention from the start to the end of lesson, it means the teachers success in teaching process. I could say that because based on my experiences in SEP at school maintained students’ attention was difficult. I have experiences in teaching at elementary school. At the first time, they were very enthusiastic because met us as new teachers there. In the opening they were crazy, they are involved in the activity but in the middle of learning time, they felt lazy, tired and seen did not to learn. Hence, I tried to make a joke for getting their smile and their energy after that I asked them to pay attention in the next activity. Ya, as we probably know that be a great teacher is not easy because they have to manage the class, students and also inspire the students.