Intrinsic Motivation

 

Children grow up in different home and school environment. They increase their motivation according to the people, with whom they live around. There are two kinds of motivation; 1) Extrinsic motivation is the outsider rewards that increase children’s interest to do something or take responsibility to get the reward.  2) Intrinsic Motivation comes from the inner side of the children, where they take interest to take responsibility and feel happy.  So intrinsic motivation is the best way  for children’s learning and development, enhanced creativity, and informed decisions;    In order to increase children’s motivation, parents need to keep in mind the following aspects;

·        Give children options for eating e.g. do you want apple or banana?  It will allow children to make a choice, and make decision. These small decisions will allow them gradually to solve their problems, make their own decisions and take their own responsibilities.

·        Ask children regarding planning for meals, going for an outing and shopping because it will help them to understand what and why to do/ buy/ go?  

·        Encourage them in taking some responsibilities such as pasting their teeth, combing hair, putting on shoes / coats / clothes and socks etc.

·        Appreciate their small successes e.g. drawing, painting, picking up their stuff etc.

If parents follow these small instructions, it will allow their children to have space for thinking, analyzing and making decisions.   

Father’s Role in Child Development

Research indicates that fathers are important for healthy child development. Physicians, teachers and educators should make efforts to involve fathers in the care of children and provide role modeling where possible.

A small learning activity generates stimulation among children and fathers. This stimulation creates further curiosity in raising questions and finding the answers.  These sorts of activities helps children feel secured physically, socially, emotionally, and intellectually.

Therefore, its important for educators, community mobilizers, field motivators to engage fathers in small activities with their children.  It will bring joy in working together, sharing and solving problems together. When this happens, fathers can play a significant role in their children’s development.

Effective Learning and Materials 

Materials play a meaningful role in learning and developing of children in their early years of life.  The advanced countries have materials in the form of school supplies but the developing countries generally lack this important aspects of children needs.  The way, food is the basic need, similarly, learning materials are also essential parts of chid development. For example, toys, books, audio and video DVDs play a significant part in helping children to learn effectively.  Similarly,, children also need learning materials, where they can manipulate, measure the size and textures, counts, add, double the numbers, and divide, differentiate the colors and shapes etc.

Its obvious that parents from developing countries, cannot afford to buy toys, books and other learning materials. Therefore, teacher educators and teachers need to demonstrate creative ways of making resources with low cost materials such as  making shapes, numbers, alphabets, and stories from  empty cartons, bottle tapes, and paper boxes etc.  

When children get these opportunities, it helps them to explore and make meaning for themselves. It also helps them to  think critically, analyze and solve problems. Therefore, these small steps generate a big impact in making a difference in children social, emotional and cognitive development.