When it comes to school motivation some children have it all the time, some part of the time and some struggle. School is hard and it presents a wide range of challenges for children of all ages, from those just learning social skills to those trying to balance homework, revision and real life. No two children are the same so when it comes to school motivation one solution doesn’t fit all. As a mum to a high school son and a primary school son, I’m hoping these tips help you find a good place to start if your child lacks enthusiasm about school.
Why is Your Child Lacking School Motivation
By finding out why your child isn’t motivated to learn, you should then be able to take steps to improve their motivation. For example, they may be struggling academically, so by giving them extra help at home, you might give them a boost in self-confidence, which will then encourage them to try harder at school. There might be other issues affecting their learning, such as bullying at school, or a lack of sleep at home. Get to the bottom of these issues, and proactively do something about them. You might then notice a marked difference to your child’s attitude to school.
Reward Them For Things They Do Well
We all like to be rewarded, and your children are no different. By celebrating their achievements at school, be they big or small, you might then boost their motivation to try harder. Taking an interest in their achievements at school could be a great stepping stone to a more positive attitude towards their own learning. Remember to celebrate all of the successes, not just the big ones. They’ve read an extra page, that’s great! They’ve coloured more neatly. Brilliant! They finished homework a day before it is due. Any of these and countless more are all things that should be rewarded with recognition and praise.
School Motivation & Rewards
In some schools, children get rewarded for getting good grades or working hard at school. They might get priority for such things as school ski trips for their efforts in the classroom, for example. Speak to your child’s teacher about the incentives used in the school they attend, and remind your child of them. My eldest has a great incentive system and it spurs him on and offers school motivation where it might not otherwise exist.
Is your child interested in a particular job when they’re older? Let your child know that trying hard at school will be of benefit to their future careers. Not only will they need the grades to qualify for certain courses of education for these jobs, but trying harder at school will also prepare them for the realities of work. Academics are not the only things children learn at school. Confidence, problem-solving, social skills, friendship, kindness and independence are all valid and important skills in life and in future jobs. Remind your children of this and how they can be rewarded by learning these non-academic skills too.
In Conclusion
All children are different and when it comes to school motivation, there may be a hundred reasons why our young ones might not want to be at school or put the effort into their studies or extra-curricular activities. I hope these few tips help you start to find a way to get past any issues you might have or serve to offer tips to help your children succeed at their goals.
