In the last installment of the Ninja Zone Blog, I talked a little about motivating boys. How they are encouraged deeply affects how they learn. But what about girls? How girls learn and are motivated vary drastically from boys. According to studies, what seems to be apparent in the learning styles of kids is that young kids (preschool through 2nd grade) have such different ways of being motivated, it is affecting how their teachers approach their learning abilities. How? Check it out.
Girls need encouragement. They need to be built up. Girls will beat themselves up over a poor grade, where boys will be thrilled with a C performance. This carries over to all other facets of life. In an extracurricular setting, studies show that girls learn better after they are given appropriate encouragement by a coach or mentor.
Girls aim to please. Girls are more motivated than boys to impress their coaches and teachers.
Girls are interested in a story. They like to have a reason as to why they are engaging in an activity. They are motivated by knowledge and feeling more in control of their learning situations.
Girls like to ask questions. Getting a clear answer motivates them.
Girls tend to be self-motivated. Allow them to play to their strengths so they can develop the confidence they need to succeed.