Great teachers are always looking for new and innovative ways to boost motivation in their classrooms. We adapt our lessons to fit all types of learning styles and add new and exciting activities and games to our lessons. Boosting students’ motivation is especially hard today when we have so much technology to compete with. We have to be more creative than ever to reach children in this digital age.
As a teacher, I’m constantly looking for creative ways to motivate my students and increase engagement. That’s how Planerium was born: out of my passion and the need I saw in other teachers hunting for quality classroom materials.
As you sort through our resources, keep in mind the needs, learning styles, and interests of your particular students. We know there is no one-size-fits-all solution in education, which is why I offer a diverse selection of products for all types of classroom needs. Teaching is its own form of art, and most of our success comes through trial and error. So test what you need, evaluate what works and what doesn’t, and adjust as needed.
If you’re a teacher looking to add highly engaging activities to your classroom, Planerium is the right place for you. Let’s dive right into my top 4 tips for motivating students, along with the tools I have to help you succeed!
Tip Number One
Encourage and foster an environment rich with intrinsic motivation.
Intrinsic motivation is defined as the internal drive a person feels to succeed. They are not performing to receive a grade, a reward, or points; rather, they are performing because they feel satisfaction in a job well done.
The most effective way to encourage this, in my experience, is by teaching students how to have a growth mindset. A growth mindset means that you believe that any achievement is possible with the right effort and persistence. The opposite is a fixed mindset, which is the mindset that says “I’ll never be good at math, I’m just bad with numbers.” Clearly, we want our students to develop a growth mindset rather than fixed.
If you want to boost intrinsic motivation among students in your class, this product is for you! Planerium’s Growth mindset Motivation activity and Clipart – Bundle is great for primary and middle school students. It includes colorful, ready-to-print motivational signs for classroom decor, an activity for students to create their own motivational signs, and clipart for teachers to use. Watch a preview to see inside this product!
Tip Number Two
Recognize students regularly for their efforts, improvements, and accomplishments.
Children (and adults too!) thrive when they receive positive feedback and recognition. Be specific in your praise, and be sure to highlight not only achievements but also improvements and perseverance. When offering feedback, however, words are not enough. When you get a certificate that everyone can see, you get the chance to show it to friends and family. Other children become motivated to earn their own certificates, which adds to the positive classroom environment.
Our Star Rewarding Certificates are perfect for this! Choose a student Star of the Day, Star of the Week, and/or Star of the Month. You choose the criteria based on your classroom and your students. Perhaps today’s Star of the Day earns a certificate for being an excellent listener or for helping clean up. The Star of the Week may be a child who was consistently helpful to other students this week. The possibilities are endless!
Star certificates encourage, motivate, and empower students to do their best every day. Click this image to watch a video previewing these products in use!
Tip Number Three
Offer thoughtful and meaningful rewards.
There are all sorts of rewards you can offer to students for goals achieved or milestones met. From large-scale rewards like a class pizza party to smaller rewards like gold stars on a chart, offering rewards can boost motivation.
It sounds simple, but a quick and easy way to reward students is by giving out stickers! Kids of all ages get excited when they see stickers! They place them proudly on their papers or on their shirts like a badge of honor.
Our Back to School Motivational Stickers includes 42 different sayings to recognize and encourage students.
These go beyond the generic “great job” stickers, allowing you to get specific in your recognition:
- “You helped a friend!”
- “You worked hard and succeeded!”
- “You made me smile!”
- “Thank you for not giving up!”
- “Thank you for contributing!”
Keeping these motivational stickers on hand will give busy teachers like you a quick yet meaningful way to motivate students.
Tip Number Four
Create a welcoming, engaging, and comfortable learning environment.
No one feels inspired in a bland and boring environment. Bare walls, beige carpet, desks in neat rows? No thank you! Studies show that the physical layout and decor of a classroom greatly affects student learning and motivation.
Arrange your tables for collaboration and teamwork. Design engaging and attractive learning centers. Display student artwork and awards on the walls. Our Class Decoration set – Star of the Class is perfect for this! Use this set to display students’ names, pictures, awards, or classwork. Highlight the stars of the day, week, or month, and celebrate each child on their special day with the Birthday Star posters.
Having a bulletin board especially dedicated to celebrating your students sets the tone for the meaningful and motivating environment all teachers strive for. Click this image for a video previewing this product:
How do you motivate your students?
We are always looking for new ideas from great teachers like you. Let us know your favorite ways to motivate students by leaving us a comment or visiting us on Facebook. And be sure to check out Planerium’s shop to browse our wide variety of attractive and engaging educational resources.