Have
you gotten used to writing “2016” yet? Before the new year becomes old hat,
take advantage of the increased motivation that accompanies a fresh start and
help teachers maintain their new-year enthusiasm for teaching as the calendar
pages turn. Motivation catalyzes the success of an organization, so efforts to
maintain drive and enthusiasm among teachers can pay off in important ways.
Research suggests that coaches and other instructional leaders can create a
climate that nurtures motivation. Here’s how:
Recall
Successes
Revisiting
a personal success can increase motivation. When I debriefed with a teacher
about a lesson that had frustrated her, I realized the tone of our conversation
needed to change. I asked her when she had taught a similar lesson that went
well. It didn’t take long for her to remember such a lesson. The smile returned
to her face as she reflected on this triumph, and we learned a lot together as
we compared the two lessons.
Self-efficacy
– our belief about our ability to successfully accomplish a task – is closely
tied to motivation. When people expect to do well, they tend to try harder, be
more persistent, and perform better.* Reviewing
past successes strengthens feelings of efficacy.
Interesting, Valuable Work
When teachers see the work they are doing as valuable, their
interest and sense of responsibility increase. Work that requires creativity or
interacting with others is usually inherently motivating. Use your leadership
power in teachers’ best interest by minimizing routine tasks and maximizing
meaningful work. Do you find ways to cut through the red tape, reducing
teachers’ paperwork load? Do you engage teachers in lesson design rather than
policing their adherence to a rigid curriculum? By taking actions like these,
you are reshaping teachers’ work as interesting and valuable and helping them
to maintain motivation.
Involvement
When
people get to participate in creating a system or process, they are much more
likely to follow it than when it is imposed by an outside expert. Is there a
process that needs improving at your school? Make it easy for teachers to offer
suggestions. Teachers usually relish a chance to take on problems when
they feel their ideas will be acted upon. They want to add value to the
organization. Side note: Asking for suggestions and then not using them is a sure-fire way to decrease motivation.
Rewards
We
educators tend to be leery when the word “reward” is used in conjunction with
learning. For me it’s the Pavlovian image of dogs salivating that make the word
a turn-off. But research suggests that rewards can be motivating. As author Michael LeBoeuf says in
his book, The
Greatest Management Principle in the World, “What gets
rewarded gets done.”
Done well, extrinsic motivators
compliment teachers’ internal motivation. Appreciation and recognition are
forms of extrinsic motivation that encourage continuation of the good things
that are happening. William James said, "The deepest
desire in human nature is to be appreciated." Everyone wants to know that
their efforts are valued. Buy a stack of thank you cards and make a habit of
surprising a couple of teachers each week by describing how their work has
added value to the team and organization. Appreciation and recognition increase
motivation.
Motivation
matters! Teaching is an energy-consuming activity that could leave teachers
feeling drained. Helping teachers recall success, engaging with them in
meaningful work, involving them in problem-solving, and showing appreciation
will increase teachers’ motivation. Taking these tangible steps can keep the
energy of the new year flowing!
*Pintrich,
P. R., & Schunk, D. H. (2002). Motivation in education: Theory, research,
and applications (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
This
week, you might want to take a look at:
Start
the new year by revisiting learning goals:
Facts
on leaving NCLB behind:
High
5! Learn multiplication facts through movement (check out the video):
Tips
for conferring with English-language learners:
Four
corners: Incorporating movement into vocabulary practice:
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