Motivate To Educate

I can honestly say I never looked forward to school. Primary school was OK but I hated every moment of secondary school and when I hear people eulogising about their school days and wishing they could have them again, I find myself thinking “Not me. Not for a minute!”

I hope I’m not a good sample and don’t reflect what most children feel. Regardless, a lack of motivation seems to be a common complaint of parents when speaking of their children in school & learning environments.

So, what can we do to motivate our children, to get them to embrace school & learning more?

As so often, I like to break the problem down & I find that a simplification of Maslow’s hierarchy is helpful here, whereby we look at a series of hierarchical needs that, when met, aggregate towards us becoming the best we can be:

1. Physical Factors:
   • Clothing: Is the clothing available to the child comfortable and suitable for the environment they will spend their time in? For example, do their clothes & shoes fit well? Does the fabric irritate them or do seams, tags or other areas rub or itch? Do shoes pinch or rub? Are their clothes suitable for the weather & climate? All these are factors that we can see might drive anyone to distraction and yet are easily overlooked.
   • Are their diet & nutritional needs being met? Ask them, don’t assume that you know. If they’re spending much of their day feeling hungry or thirsty, or they are consuming the wrong kinds of food & drink (think sugary drinks & junk food) then we can’t expect them to perform at their best.
   • Do they feel safe on their way to & from school and while they are there?
   • Are they getting enough rest & sleep?
2. Psychological Factors:
   • How are they coping with the work & workload? If children aren’t coping in class or with homework it may be that the subject matter or topic is too much for them or maybe it’s not challenging enough. Talk to them & find out what is behind their struggle. Boredom is an example of an experience which may be inhibiting your child’s learning.
   • Is the child overwhelmed by the work or workload? If so, then clarify what is expected of the child and assess their ability to meet those expectations. Where there is a difference, there is an avenue to explore & see what can be done. This might, for instance, involve a discussion with the school or teacher to resolve any skills & knowledge gaps.
   • Do they fully understand what is expected of them? It can be so demotivating to put a lot of effort into a task only to find that the task you have completed isn’t the task set. It is much better to identify misunderstandings before they have a material effect on the student & their work.
   • What activities & in-activities are being undertaken outside of school & learning? It’s good to have other interests aside from school & homework. Being physically active is great for motivation but don’t underestimate the value of doing nothing. Of course, there is a balance to be struck between the two, but rest is a time & space that our brains need to grow and rest periods can be spontaneously fruitful for developing deeper understandings & insights about things that we aren’t even consciously aware we are thinking of.
3. Self- Motivation:
   • Use SMART goals with milestones to help keep track of both learning & extra-curricular targets & ambitions. For example, your child may want to achieve an A in French but also want to earn a place in the local football team. It’s great to be driven academically but keep a balance with the fun stuff, too.
   • Look for motivational inspiration from art, film, music, or just about anywhere. Inspiration can be drawn from just about anything that speaks to you, that grabs your attention & evokes feelings & thought. Do this both together and alone.
   • Make room for the fun stuff. I’ll say it again – Make Room For The Fun Stuff. Plan it into whatever it is they are doing, whether it’s academic or otherwise. For example:
     • Academic: When working on a project, encourage creativity with research, content & presentation.
     • Extra-curricular: Plan with the kids on what they will do after school & homework is finished.
   • Model the behaviour you want to see form your children in ways that speak to them.

As highlighted before, the process of getting the kids back to school isn’t a mental health issue, but it can be a very stressful experience. The hope is that we can make school & learning less stressful and facilitate a more productive mentality for learning.

If you would like to talk, BroadMinds Therapy offer a free consultation during which you’ll get the opportunity to describe what’s on your mind & we’ll be happy to help you, either directly, or help identify the best options for you.

If you’d like to discuss Counselling & Psychotherapy for yourself or someone you know, contact BroadMinds Therapy and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you have and discuss options for you. Call 0899420568, email: help@broadmindstherapy.org , contact us via this website or visit our facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/jpbroad

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As always, thanks for taking the time to read this article.