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Educating children is one of the greatest challenges in the academe today. It is very common to hear parents and teachers complain about the diminishing interest and achievements of the students to learn academic subjects especially math, science, and English. No matter how lively the discussion of the subject matter is and how active some students are in class discussions, there is always that one student who is not motivated to learn because of some reason. No teacher or parent can control what comes and goes in the minds of the children but they are not without options. There are some things that the adults can do to change or influence children to a certain extent.

Middle School often shocks many students because most of them, if not all, do not expect a completely different environment as compared to grade school. The atmosphere in middle school is very different from that of the elementary school. The facilities are much wider and there are several classes that the students must attend to everyday with only minutes of interval thereby leaving them very little time to chat with their friends. The homework is much heavier and complicated as compared to elementary schools and there are different teachers for each subject. Children in middle school start encountering peer pressure because they are experiencing bodily changes brought about by their developing hormones. These are but a few reasons why tenth graders can be confused, stressed, and de-motivated to learn (Peters). In a school where there is a decline in academic achievements, scheduling more math, science, and history subjects is not the best solution. If any, it may even aggravate the low morale that is spreading in the campus.

Motivating the students is an everyday challenge that all the professors have yet to master. This is where the techniques of teaching come in handy. Creative and interesting are deemed to be a significant attribute of the qualities of teaching. However, what is creative and interesting is relevant and subjective to many. As one person aptly observed, defining the competency of a teacher is not an easy thing. Creativity is not only a result of the teachers conscious efforts, but it is rather drawn from their professional know-how when it comes to improvising and meeting the demands of the situation. The decline in the academic performance of most students must be taken seriously (Amabile). Many children today fail to see the value of completing their school work every day.

It is a sad fact that some of the teachers are more focused on finishing the content of the subject matter that they are teaching rather than trying to be more interesting and appealing to the students. Capturing the attention of the students is very important in making an improvement in their quality of experience.

Effective teaching is very difficult. In order to encourage the students to absorb the subject matter at hand, teachers must make an effort to bind and motivate them. Getting the attention of the students and making them learn is a challenge that all teachers face everyday. If students are not motivated, their minds are more likely to wander around in search of something to do. They can cause behavioral problems because of their frustration and apathy (Waxler).

It is known to many parents and teachers that not all children will find mathematics easy. There are those that understand math like how fishes respond to water while there are those that prefer to stay in land and use calculators. Not only the tenth graders, but children from all levels are often complaining about how hard math is. Out of all the academic subjects, math has garnered a reputation for being the most difficult subject in school. It is a subject that many teachers have a problem teaching and many students have a problem of understanding. One of the keys to being a successful teacher is knowing how to capture the attention of the students in order for them to comprehend the subject matter fully. It takes time and practice for children to enhance and develop their math skills. Research shows that many students are not doing well in assignments and class activities because they fail to have an understanding of what to do as well as its relevance in their every day living.

Another subject that the tenth graders have a difficulty in is history. There are too many dates and places that are very hard to pronounce. It is not surprising to hear that students are failing in history because they do not understand the reason why they have to remember too many things that happened about the world. This is where the duty of the teachers comes in handy. They must dedicate a particular amount of time in explaining what to do and what to expect from the assignments because there is a tendency for students not to do well in school if they do not understand the subject. Aside from teaching those that can be learned from books, teachers must take the time to explain to them the practical side of life and the benefits of putting premium in education. Math, for example, is embedded in everyday living and so is history. One can never survive a day without math. Counting money, computing salary and bonuses are but some of the few instances where math is connected with. When it comes to history, the teachers can explain to the students that the world will never understand what to do with the present and the future without knowing what happened in the past. This saying is also applicable to the predicaments of the tenth graders. There is a deeper reason behind their boredom and frustration that the teachers must unravel because if they fail to do so, they will never make the students appreciate the beauty of the academe, and even more importantly, they will fail to make the students see their full potentials.

There are many ways of extending a helping hand to children like the tenth graders. One can never estimate the power of a good reward. Students who cannot find the motivation to study can do so in the form of a reward. Sometimes, it is better to give something for correct behavior rather than punish and criticize unwanted ones. Whenever schooling becomes too much to handle or become too tiresome, it is but normal for students to feel boredom and frustration because of the way things are going and as such, it is better for teachers to express care and support for these young children. Personalizing the student teacher relationship helps break the barrier of superiority of the teachers and lets the students know that teachers can be approached anytime. Tenth graders are torn between being children and being teenagers and they often feel insecure. During times like these, they welcome the acknowledgment of adults that insecurity and error are common for all (Harris).

One of the keys to motivation is the involvement of the students. Lecturing is deemed as a poor method of teaching so it is better to make the students actively participate and work with their fellow students in deciding what to do and how to do it (Harris). Playing a game causes the tension to fade away from classrooms. Students become relaxed, happy, and ready to learn. Math games make the learning fun for children and at the same time, it helps them have an understanding of its applications to everyday living. Having a good foundation in mathematics is important to managing ones money and handling jobs later on.

It would do well for the teachers to remember that not every solution can be found inside the classroom. There are many situations that affect the learning curb of the students which does not concern any academics. Hence, it is the responsibility of the teachers and instructors to deal with the age-appropriate issues that tenth graders are bombarded with (Lifescape). There may be some students who are having a family crisis or a personal problem at home that cause them to be distracted from going to school. Behavioral problems often have a deeper root that needs to be exposed in order to be solved. As such, gaining the trust of the children is essential in the success of an educator. Teachers must form a trust relationship with the students in order for these students to open up and tell them what they think the problem is. It is better to hear it from their perspective rather than speculating. No matter how the administrators and lecturers do, there are times when they cannot enter the minds of the children and it would be better to just offer to help and ask them.

Educating the children concerns not just the teachers because they cannot do it alone without the cooperation of the administrators. School executives and heads must show their support to the teachers in designing a curriculum that is more appropriate to meet the demands of the tenth graders. School authorities can suggest a more gender-friendly curriculum for the middle school. The male and female instructors can dedicate themselves in service to consider the ways in which to encourage the students to participate in all academic subjects such as math, science, and history.

Be it at home or at school, adults have the capability to mold the lessons that are being taught to young boys and girls about the academe. Together, the parents, teachers and the school administrators can make a positive change in the perspective and academic development of not just tenth graders but also other children who are about to approach adolescence. These children form the very foundation of the future, and they cannot advance to such future if they fail to do what needs to be done in the present. Instilling discipline together with motivation techniques and patience in teaching may help these children shape a better tomorrow not just for their own benefit but for the sake of the future generations as well.