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Children are the Priority,
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Here are some ways these tenets might play out in the classroom, especially when students struggle to muster their motivation.
Cultivating the Will to Succeed
Taking time to know students and welcome them to the classroom fosters not only a positive culture but a productive one. Students perceive a safe environment where asking questions, sharing ideas, and linking learning to prior knowledge are the norm. When establishing classroom culture, it is beneficial to "focus on what students need to succeed and build it into the learning and social environment every day" (Jensen, 2016, p. 111).
How This Might Look in Practice
Fostering Essential Connections
How often, despite our best intentions, do we assume we know what motivates learners? Do we take time to genuinely know students or explore their attitudes about school? These questions call to mind a middle school student I once met. He was sometimes sheltered from challenging work out of a misplaced concern that pushing him to think critically would be too frustrating for him. Basic lessons that required mere regurgitation of facts conveyed low expectations and insulted his potential. When I asked him, "What influences you to do well in school?" he said, without hesitation, "When teachers don't give me the easy stuff!"
Educators who motivate clearly define objectives and provide opportunities for "learning by doing." Feedback and multiple opportunities for practice help students understand expectations, monitor progress, and foster a can-do attitude.
How This Might Look in Practice
Not Academics Alone
Competency in our content areas alone does not inspire effort. We must be sensitive to the fact that students may have experienced failure many times before coming to us. Students can be apprehensive that teachers will talk to them in a condescending manner or won't value them. A savvy teacher knows how to convey instruction in ways that give and garner respect.
How This Might Look in Practice
Making a Difference
Unmotivated students can challenge any teacher. However, consistently framing each day as an opportunity to get stronger, and giving students the supports to do so, can encourage them to persevere. Over time, reluctance shifts to resilience, and students' excitement for learning reawakens. What could be more rewarding than giving struggling students hope and a chance to hold their heads a little higher?
References
Jensen, E. (2016). Poor students, rich teaching: Mindsets for change. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
Mendler, A. N. (2000). Motivating students who don't care: Successful techniques for educators. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
Cheryl J. Wright is an instructional coach in Kansas City for Kansas Public Schools.
How one school district helps students in crisis get the help they need.