Motivating students is one of the biggest struggles modern teachers have in the classroom. With increasing academic standards, high expectations, and large class sizes, getting students to learn and follow expectations can be difficult.

 

In their quest to manage classes, teach kids, and instill good behavior practices, many teachers turn towards extrinsic motivation rather than intrinsic.

 

The Difference Between Extrinsic And Intrinsic Motivation

 

Motivation is important, both in the classroom setting and beyond. There are different types of motivation, however, and each comes with its own set of patterns that play out as the child reaches adulthood.

 

Intrinsic motivation is doing something for an internal reason, such as a sense of pride, satisfaction, or self-growth. It’s self-directed and originates within the student.

 

Extrinsic motivation, on the other hand, involves doing something for a reason outside of yourself, such as praise, reward, or competition with another person.

 

The Drawbacks of Extrinsic Motivation

 

Most teachers understand that intrinsic motivation is ultimately more desirable. We all want our students to do the right thing, and we hope to guide them to a place where they choose to do so on their own.

 

But as all teachers know, building intrinsic motivation in the classroom is easier said than done. It’s something that must be developed over time, and today’s teaching environment offers very little opportunity for that kind of nurturing. With state pressures and high stakes tests occupying time and energy, many teachers turn to extrinsic motivation tactics to gain control of their students quickly.

 

Rewards and praise can fix immediate problems in the classroom and allow for management of difficult situations so that teachers can return to teaching. However, extrinsic motivation offers little long-term benefit, and in fact can often decrease intrinsic motivation over time.

 

In the book Punished By Rewards, education specialist Alfie Kohn analyzes over 70 studies that show when people are rewarded externally for doing a task or activity, they are less likely to continue to do that task, even if it was something they initially enjoyed (Kohn, 1993).

 

If our goal is to give children the tools for a successful life, we must find a way to build intrinsic motivation despite the pressures of the classroom.

 

A Practical Approach

 

Even though teachers often learn about the drawbacks of external motivation, many continue to choose rewards systems as a motivation technique.

As a teacher, I understand why we often fall back on rewards. They are easy and tend to produce an immediate result. We also often feel like we must use rewards and praise because we aren’t given an alternative.

 

The good news is that teachers can build a culture of intrinsic motivation in the classroom without sacrificing instruction time or increasing your already-demanding workload.

(And who knows? You might end up deciding you don’t need extrinsic motivation after all!)

 

Here are 4 ways to build intrinsic motivation in your students:

 

1. Build Relationships

 

The most effective way to instill a desire to learn and behave is to build a classroom culture full of positive relationships. When students respect you and feel respected by you, they are more inclined to listen, respond, and engage in your lessons and activities.

 

Greeting students, positive one on one attention, and cultivating a team atmosphere are great ways to build classroom relationships.

 

Greeting Students

 

 

Begin each day with a positive greeting at the door for every student. This sets an uplifting tone for the day and insures that your first interaction with each student is a positive one.

 

A recent study indicates that greeting students warmly each morning can increase student engagement by 20% and lower the rate of student disruptions in the classroom.

 

One-on-One Interactions

 

All too often, the only one-on-one interactions we have with students are either purely academic or involve correcting behavior.

 

If we want students to be intrinsically motivated to do the right thing, we need them to know that we care about them on a personal level. Holding positive, one-on-one conversations establishes that trust and shows how much we care.

 

I make it a point to have at least one 2-minute conversation everyday with my difficult students. I ask about their mood, their home, their passions.

 

As I build those relationships, students are more likely to motivate themselves to do the right thing because they feel cared for, and because they care about me.

 

Teamwork, Not Competition

 

Most teachers (myself included) are guilty of occasionally using the phrase “I love how Bobby is sitting so nicely on the rug.” We think this will motivate the other students to quickly fix their behavior. What it really does is breed friction between students.

 

Picture yourself in a staff meeting. As soon as you allow your attention to wander for a moment, your principal swoops in and announces to everyone what a “great job” your co-worker next to you is doing.

 

Would you feel motivated to act like your co-worker, or would you feel resentful and annoyed? It wouldn’t work on adults and it doesn’t work with students.

 

Kids are smarter than we give them credit for, and they know when we are trying to manipulate them.

 

Instead of trying to use competition to motivate students to behave, we should foster a teamwork atmosphere. Students that feel a sense of cooperation and teamwork with their peers drive themselves to do the right thing because they feel safe, appreciated, and valued.

 

Encourage respect among students and give them chances to work together, visit with each other, and learn about each other, fostering a community spirit in the classroom rather than competitive.  

 

2. Praise Purposefully

 

Another simple way to encourage intrinsic motivation is to use the right kind of praise. “Good job” is empty, and students know not to believe you when you say that all the time.

 

Praise should be accurate, specific, and about the process rather than the product. If a child works hard on a writing project, instead of saying “great job” and brushing past it, take the time to make a purposeful statement.

 

“I notice that you went back and added more to your story. I can tell you are working hard to become a better writer!” will go a lot further than “Good job.”

 

It teaches students to value work ethic and lets them know that they can be proud of themselves even if the end result isn’t perfect.

 

3. Offer Choices

 

Another way to foster intrinsic motivation is to provide choices in your classroom. Children thrive with autonomy and will inevitably push back if they feel forced into a corner.

 

Offer students reasonable choices that you can live with. Maybe they can choose their seat or reading spot. Offer multiple writing implements and allow them to select the ones they like. Create literacy or math stations that they can choose from.

 

When students are provided choices, they will be more engaged and more motivated to follow expectations without needing bribes or rewards.

 

4. Model Intrinsic Motivation

 

Modeling is always important in the classroom, and that applies to motivation as well. When students see you as intrinsically motivated, they grow to understand that external rewards are not needed.

 

In our morning meeting and closing circle each day, we share stories with each other. I make it a point to tell stories from home or school that highlight intrinsic motivation.

 

I might say “yesterday my kitchen was so messy and I really did not want to clean it. But I needed to make dinner, so I cleaned up. It looked so nice in my house and I was so proud of how hard I worked.”

 

The students see me taking pride in doing the right thing, and come to realize that they can also be proud of themselves. Pride is a much stronger reward than a sticker!

 

These are just 4 ideas to get you started. Try them out and see what shifts you can create in the classroom!

Posted on: November 1, 2018, by : admin