The One About Motivation

✨ Hello Purposeful Educators ✨

Welcome to The Purposeful Educator, Season 2, Chapter 1, Episode 11! In this episode, we’ll explore motivation - the driving force that keeps us moving forward, even when the journey gets tough. We’ll look at how celebrating growth can reignite motivation for students and educators alike, offering strategies to keep the momentum alive as we head into the final stretch of The First 12 Weeks.

📺 Previously on The First 12 Weeks In Episode 10, we focused on amplifying student voices by sharing their work with the community. From podcasts to newsletters and community service projects, we explored how purposeful visibility can inspire students to see themselves as contributors and change-makers.

Understanding Motivation: From Extrinsic to Intrinsic

Motivation is the energy behind all purposeful action and can come from two main sources:

• Extrinsic Motivation: Driven by external rewards, such as grades, praise, or tangible incentives. While effective for short-term tasks, extrinsic motivation often fades once the reward is removed.
• Intrinsic Motivation: Rooted in internal satisfaction, curiosity, or a sense of accomplishment. This form of motivation is more sustainable and empowers students to engage in learning for its own sake.

While many students start their learning journeys driven by extrinsic motivators, our goal as educators is to help them tap into intrinsic motivation—the drive to learn, grow, and succeed because it feels meaningful to them.

Strategies to Foster Intrinsic Motivation

1. Connect Learning to Purpose Help students see how their learning matters beyond the classroom. When students understand the real-world relevance of a topic or skill, they’re more likely to invest in it.
2. Emphasize Mastery Over Performance Shift the focus from grades or test scores to the joy of improvement and learning. Celebrate effort, creativity, and persistence rather than just outcomes.
3. Encourage Autonomy Give students choices in their learning to increase ownership and engagement. Students who feel in control are more likely to develop intrinsic motivation.
4. Foster Curiosity Through Inquiry Create opportunities for students to ask questions and pursue their interests. Inquiry-based learning sparks curiosity, which is a powerful driver of intrinsic motivation.
5. Use Reflection to Highlight Growth When students reflect on their progress, they see their growth and effort as rewarding. This builds confidence and a sense of accomplishment, which fuels intrinsic motivation.

Taking Students from Extrinsic to Intrinsic Motivation

When students take ownership of tracking their growth—mastering multiplication, improving their writing, or achieving a fitness milestone—they’re no longer working for a grade or a reward. They’re working for themselves, and that’s when motivation becomes truly sustainable.

We’ve explored the power of goal-setting and reflection in previous episodes and this is where they shine. By helping students set goals at three levels: short-term, medium-term, and long-term, we create a framework that connects daily progress to their ultimate aspirations.

For example, a student with a long-term goal of becoming a professional athlete might:

1. Short-Term Goal: Improve their ability to analyze data and make observations in a science lab. This builds attention to detail—a skill that is critical for athletes reviewing game footage or tracking performance metrics.
2. Medium-Term Goal: Develop consistent work habits over the semester, such as completing assignments on time and showing up prepared. This mirrors the discipline needed to balance academics and athletics in college.
3. Long-Term Goal: Work toward their dream of becoming a professional athlete. This goal is supported by non-cognitive skills like perseverance, teamwork, and adaptability—traits that can be cultivated in every class.

To reinforce these goals, I’ve evaluated science tasks through the lens of non-cognitive skills. For instance:

• Team Collaboration: During a group lab experiment, I assessed students on their ability to communicate effectively, resolve conflicts, and share responsibilities—skills essential for team sports and professional environments.
• Resilience: After a failed experiment, students reflected on what went wrong and planned adjustments. This reinforced the importance of perseverance and adaptability, traits that are crucial for success on and off the field.
• Time Management: In project-based learning, students created timelines to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines, teaching them how to manage their time—a skill vital for balancing responsibilities in sports, academics, and life.

When students can connect their daily efforts to medium-term academic habits and their long-term aspirations, they see every task as purposeful. Tracking their progress across these levels builds ownership, fosters intrinsic motivation, and inspires them to keep striving for their goals.

Spotlight This Week: Join Me at FETC 2025!

I’m thrilled to announce that I’ll be presenting on a variety of topics and styles at the Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC) in January 2025! I’d love to see you there.

Use Promo Code FETC25SPEAKER to save 10% on an All-Access or Session pass.

I am super excited to be joining Smartschool in the FETC expo hall!

Come visit Matt Maslowski Paul Burzynski Agata Mroczkowska and me to have a chat about math gaps and the massive impact that is having on science education. These gaps impact students' future opportunities for course selection widening gaps and equity of access to AP and honors-level courses. (I could go on and on...)

Then join the deeper conversation at the edWeb.net Webinar on January 23, 2025. Register here for free.

Here’s other sessions where you can catch me at #FETC25:

📌 Leveraging Diffit for Personalized Student Learning

🗓️ January 14, 2025

⏰ 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM EST

Explore how Diffit for Teachers can create personalized learning experiences that meet students where they are, helping them thrive academically.

📌 Bloom’s Taxonomy and Beyond: Reaching New Levels With AI-Enhanced Education

🗓️ January 16, 2025

⏰ 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM EST

Discover how AI tools can take Bloom’s Taxonomy to new heights, enabling deeper learning and engagement in your classroom.

📌 Personalized AI Assistants That Engage Students and Enhance Learning

🗓️ January 16, 2025

⏰ 12:00 PM - 12:30 PM EST

Learn how to implement AI-powered assistants that create interactive and engaging learning experiences tailored to your students’ needs.

📌 3-Element Strategy Formative Assessment to Inform Instruction

🗓️ January 16, 2025

⏰ 3:30 PM - 4:15 PM EST

Unpack my 3-element strategy for using formative assessment to inform and improve instruction, making every lesson more impactful.

For more information and to register for the conference [register here]

💭 Closing Thoughts

Motivation is the spark that fuels both learning and growth. By helping students take ownership of their progress—through goal-setting, reflection, and connecting their efforts to their dreams—we create a classroom culture where purpose drives persistence.

As educators, it’s equally important to reflect on our own motivation. What inspires us to show up each day and guide our students forward? Whether it’s celebrating a small win, connecting with a colleague, or trying a new strategy, take time to nurture your own spark, too.

With one episode left in The First 12 Weeks, let’s carry this energy forward as we finish strong and prepare to reflect on the journey.

Until next time, keep fostering curiosity, embracing possibilities, and making every interaction count.

✌🏼❤️📚 Bonnie