One of the biggest challenges teachers face is keeping students motivated. According to a 2023 by the EdWeek Research Center, more than 4 in 10 educators said students are not inspired to do their best in school. To help set your learners up for long-term success, it’s crucial to create excitement and engagement in your classroom.
Earlier this year, we interviewed CERTIFIED Ambassador Christina Davis to discuss student motivation. She shared practical strategies for how she drives her students to succeed.
Create a positive environment
Your learners’ drive doesn’t have to come solely from educators. By creating the right environment, students can push each other, forming a classroom culture where everyone is driven to succeed. One of Christina’s first tactics for a motivating environment is setting up an easy and early “win” for her learners. Giving students a taste of success early, such as completing a small project or earning a certification, helps build confidence and shows students that success is within reach.
In Christina’s Microsoft Office courses, she starts the semester with the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Outlook certification. Starting with a more intuitive application like Outlook gives students an early boost. “We try to tackle this certification within the first few weeks of school. It gives my students a huge confidence boost and inspires them to pursue additional certifications throughout the semester,” said Christina.
Setting up an early win also reveals insights into what students need to learn effectively. Not all students are excited by the same resources. Some may respond well to hands-on activities, while others thrive with digital tools. By tailoring resources to meet your students’ needs and interests, you show them that they can take charge of their learning journey, empowering them to tackle future goals.
We all succeed together
In the workforce, success rarely happens without a supportive team. You can prepare your students to succeed in the classroom and the workforce by helping each learner spur on their peers.
Christina’s students love a friendly competition to motivate each other. She sets up group and class-wide challenges, so everyone is working toward a common goal. This approach promotes teamwork and a shared sense of accomplishment, encouraging students to push one another to do their best.
If you prefer to foster motivation with a less competitive edge, you can use Christina’s “Ask three before me” approach. Before seeking help from the teacher, students must first ask three classmates. This promotes collaboration and empowers students to support each other. Plus, you’re no longer the bottleneck for students’ progress because you’re not the only one answering questions.
To help students know who can help with specific tasks, Christina designates one area of her classroom as “rockstar row.” On rockstar row, high-performing students sit and are asked to assist peers with certain projects or assignments. This not only encourages leadership in the students offering help but also builds a supportive learning environment where students aren’t afraid to seek assistance.
Don’t be afraid to celebrate
Public recognition of student achievements is a strong motivator. Whether through emails to parents, school-wide announcements, or posts on school social media pages, celebrating students’ hard work publicly boosts confidence and inspires others.
When students see their peers being recognized for accomplishments, it encourages them to set similar goals. This cycle of recognition helps cultivate a classroom culture where hard work is recognized, celebrated, and expected. Christina uses public recognition to celebrate achievements, emailing parents and posting updates on the school’s social media platforms. These shoutouts create a ripple effect, motivating other students to strive for similar recognition. Additionally, recognizing students at graduation for earning certifications serves as a powerful motivator for younger students, creating a cycle of motivation.
Think outside the classroom
Recognition from outside the classroom, particularly peers and parents, is a great tool for empowering students to succeed. You can take it a step further by helping them see that the things they’re learning in class can help them succeed in college. Did you know that their certifications can even earn them college credit?
When students know that their work is contributing to their future education, they begin to see themselves as capable of achieving things they never thought possible, which drives them to stay engaged and excited.
What’s your next move?
By fostering a classroom environment where motivation comes from within, teachers can set their students on the path to long-term success. What will you do to motivate your students to succeed? If you’d like more ideas, listen to Christina’s episode of the CERTIFIED Podcast and check out the podcast show notes for additional links and details.