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MOTIVATED TO LEARN

Motivation is fast becoming the number one issue in education.

So much stems from it – not least our successful learners, our confident individuals, our effective contributors and our responsible citizens.

  


It is evident in A Curriculum for Excellence and the associated Journey to Excellence. Self motivation is the key outcome sought by Determined to Succeed. The challenge for head teachers is to motivate staff, for teachers to motivate learners and for parents to motivate their children. And, most importantly, for children and young people to be self motivated.

We describe here the courses we have developed to help all those who work with children and young people to create the climate within which self motivation can flourish. Also, through our new consultancy model ‘The Two Way Street’ we have developed materials and capacity to provide education authorities and individual schools with consultancy to support their journey to self motivation.

THE MOTIVATED CLASSROOM (day / half day)

This course is designed for teachers and adults who work with children. It looks at how to create a classroom climate that helps learners understand the issues around motivation and helps them become more responsible for their learning. It also focuses on building relationships and helping teachers balance classroom control and empowerment of learners.
Participants will reflect on:

  • their own perceptions of motivation
  • classroom climates
  • motivational drivers in the classroom
  • learner needs
  • practical tools to implement these ideas

‘The best course I have attended for a long while – thought provoking and practical.’

‘Right now I feel elated; my practice has been affirmed.’
 
THE MOTIVATED LEARNER (day / half day)

This course builds on the Motivated Classroom by focussing on children and young people as partners in their learning. This course helps teachers with tools and techniques they can use with children and young people to involve them in seeking solutions to their self-motivation. These models and ideas are backed with practical materials for use with children and young people.
The course will cover:

  • motivational mindsets adopted by children and young people
  • classroom stances adopted by children and young people
  • confidence and assertiveness skills in the classroom
  • how teachers can empower children and young people to be self motivated

‘All aspects we explored were highly relevant and we were consistently connected to our individual school experience.’
 
THE MOTIVATED SCHOOL (day / half day)

This course is provided for staff in the same school. It builds on the two previous courses. It will help staff to assess how motivating their school is for the whole learning community and to share in the principles of motivation.
Participants will engage with:

  • their own perceptions of motivation
  • staff room stances
  • the role of colleagues in creating conditions for motivation to flourish
  • tools and techniques to build genuinely collaborative relationships including assertiveness, personality preferences and circle of influence
  • practical strategies across the school to encourage motivation.

‘I came away with loads of practical ideas and a better understanding of my organisation.’

‘The most important thing I learned was the fundamental link between motivation, climates and achievement.’
 
MOTIVATING YOURSELF (day / half day)

This course is directed at all staff who work with children and young people. It will help participants to engage with powerful ideas that can unlock the doors to your own and other’s learning.
The main resource for this course include:

  • life coaching for professionals
  • learned optimism
  • confidence and assertiveness skills in the classroom
  • goal setting
  • stress management

‘A highly enjoyable and stimulating course!’

‘Great deal of thought provoking information that has helped me to cope with challenging situations and meet the ongoing demands of my job.’

‘This has lifted my spirits, given me ideas to improve my own and the children’s levels of optimism in the school.’

‘This course has rekindled my enthusiasm and motivation – the day was brilliant!’
 
PERSONAL AWARENESS FOR LEADERS (day)

This course is designed to help participants make use of the Myers Briggs Type Indicator to reflect on their leadership style. The MBTI is a self-report questionnaire designed to help people identify their strengths and potential weaknesses. Through MBTI, people can better understand themselves, their motivations, strengths and potential areas for growth. Participants will be expected to fill out the questionnaire before attending the course. Participants will learn to be more aware of:

  • how they communicate with and motivate other people
  • how they take decisions
  • how they come to change generally
 
THE MOTIVATING LEADER (day / two day)

This course is designed to help both experienced and aspiring promoted staff. The course content and methodology is based on the premise that promoted staff at all levels often find themselves having to tackle challenging situations with staff and parents. The pace of change in schools and the need to take staff along with you require leaders with keenly developed interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence. Self-awareness is central to this kind of effective leadership, including making explicit your beliefs, vision and values, and to model being the lead learner in the school. A key measure of your credibility in this learning school is your ability to create a climate of self-motivation within which teamwork can flourish.

The content of this course will provide you with models, ideas, tools and techniques to improve your personal awareness of your leadership skills, your feedback style, valuing difference, your ability to give criticism assertively and to deal with resistance. The course methodology will reflect the importance of creating a learning community, building trust and practising the skills of genuinely collaborative ways of working. There is a problem solving clinic on the 2-day course.

‘This was quality in-service; I found the day thoroughly interesting, fun and inspiring.’

‘The best course I have attended for a long while – thought provoking and practical.’

‘Right now I feel elated; my practice has been affirmed.’

‘All aspects we explored were highly relevant and we were consistently connected to our individual school experience.’

‘Active and interactive learning and methodology; participating in full was excellent.’

‘The whole staff room should have been here.’

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