Student Motivation Is Easy on the First Day of School

"No learning takes place without student motivation. Motivation is fundamental!" Alfred "Coach" Powell, Coaching in the Classroom

Student motivation is easy on the first day of school. Day 1 has got to be, hands down, the most exciting day of the school year for students. In fact, this may be the one day of the year when students actually want to come to school.

You'll seldom hear, "Why are we here?" or "Why do we have to learn this?" In fact, learning new things actually seems like it could be quite interesting. This is the motivational magic of the first day of school.

Here are some other things students love about the first day of school:

– Taking brand new supplies to school.

– Desks are clean, inside and out.

– The "look at me" factor: new back-to-school fashions, new shoes, maybe even new hairdos and fresh hair cuts. Uniforms are clean, fresh, and pressed.

– Getting together with old friends and sharing tall tales of summer adventures – good times!

– Meeting new friends is always nice.

– All students start out with an A.

– No matter what happened last year, day 1 is amnesty day. For the most part, the slate is wiped clean and all good things are possible. A new school year, a brand new start, good grades, and good behavior! Hey, anything's possible!

– Teacher-student relationships are full of positive potential.

– Teachers communicate positively to students. In fact, it's the one day of the year when students feel that teachers are "nice."

– Easy class work and easy homework!

Notice that our day 1 list of natural highs includes both social good times and academic hopefulness. Like it or not, peer relationships are as much a part of the school experience as academics. Wise Teacher-Coaches use peer dynamics to their advantage. They transform peer relationships into classroom learning teams. (For strategies, purchase Coaching in the Classroom by Alfred "Coach" Powell.)

Student motivation begins with principal motivation and teacher motivation. We've found that the motivation snowball gets bigger and bigger during the school year when teachers, staff, and school leaders stay motivated and enthused. Student motivation begins at the top, with the principal. Motivation has a trickle down effect. It's contagious.

Teachers, if you're not motivated, your students will sense it. If you lack confidence in your own ability to usher students through a successful school year, students will smell fear and won't respect you. Never forget that you're educated, you're smart, and you're a hero! You have the most important job in the world; you teach future writers, doctors, lawyers, construction workers, police officers, and motivational speakers!

Teachers, if you don't think your students are smart enough to achieve, they'll know it. How would you feel if someone you respected didn't believe in you? It's time to take student motivation a lot more seriously. In our opinion, it's the big X factor that's missing in too many of our schools.

This is controversial, but we're going to put it out there anyway: teachers, your pedagogy is fine. You have all the pedagogy you'll ever need. The question is, how good are you at motivating your students?

If students aren't motivated to learn, they won't learn a thing. Motivation is fundamental to learning.

If you clearly love your subject and can communicate your enthusiasm, you'll have students eating out of the palm of your hand. If your expectations are high, they'll try and rise to the level of your expectations.

In fact, students secretly love it when you challenge them. They may complain to their peers, but deep down they get the sense that if you're giving them the goods, then you must think they can handle it. High expectations is powerful student motivation!

As one teacher told us, day 1 is all about inspiration – for students, teachers, staff, and school leaders. Here are a few ways to use day 1 to set the right learning tone for the rest of the school year:

1. As students walk into your classroom for the first time, shake each hand and greet each student with eye contact and a welcoming smile.

2. During the first week of school, develop a video diary. Interview each student, asking them 3 questions: a) what are your academic goals for the first semester; b) what are your behavioral goals for the classroom; and c) what do you want to be when you grow up? Not only will students enjoy being interviewed on camera, the video record will hold them accountable. During Open House, make sure you show parents the video diary of their students so that everyone's on the same page.

3. Have students write down one thing they will do to make their classroom and/or school a great place to learn. Put the papers in a Pledge Box, or create a civic activity around their pledge.

Print out this article and read it frequently throughout the school year to remind yourself to keep your expectations high. Your students are diamonds in the rough, and your job is to activate their unique potential. That's just how important you are to our children!