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Belonging
The condition of Belonging means that a student is a valued member of a community, while still maintaining his or her uniqueness. It is a relationship between two or more persons characterized by a sense of connection and support. A sense of Belonging is a necessary condition for a student’s feeling of wellbeing, social engagement, and competence. The condition of Belonging increases intrinsic motivation, for it fosters selfconfidence and investment in the community. As a teacher, you have the opportunity to establish a culture of Belonging in your classroom, one that promotes your students’ sense of wellbeing, connection, and selfbelief.
Heroes
Heroes are the everyday people—teachers, friends, family—in a student’s life who inspire them to excel and to make positive changes in attitudes and lifestyles. Heroes are those a student can connect with, those who have a positive influence on them, and who listen to and value their ideas. Heroes build trust in others and belief in oneself. As a teacher, you can be a hero to your students. They can look up to you as someone to learn from and communicate with about many things. Building relationships with your students through support, guidance, and encouragement enables them to become more confident in their academic, personal, and social growth.
Sense of Accomplishment
The condition of Sense of Accomplishment recognizes effort, perseverance, and citizenship as signs of a student’s success. Educators have traditionally used a narrow view of accomplishment that refers to academic achievement, innate ability, or who is “best in the class.” Sense of Accomplishment, however, is viewed in terms of personal growth and effort, not just through measurable outcomes and countable successes. As a teacher, you have the opportunity to celebrate your students’ accomplishments in visible ways. Taking time to recognize and support your students’ efforts will result in students who are motivated to persevere through difficult tasks and to create a healthy classroom environment through hard work and dedication.
Fun & Excitement
The condition of Fun & Excitement is characterized by students being inspired. They are actively engaged and emotionally involved in their school work. Students who exhibit Fun & Excitement are usually selfconfident, curious, and prepared; they are willing to meet the challenges of the day. Teachers who foster Fun & Excitement provide new opportunities, initiate challenges, and respect individual interests. After the first three conditions—Belonging, Heroes, and Sense of Accomplishment—are established, you can motivate your students through a fun and exciting classroom environment.
Curiosity & Creativity
The condition of Curiosity & Creativity is characterized by inquisitiveness, eagerness, a strong desire to learn new or interesting things, and a desire to satisfy the mind with new discoveries. Curiosity triggers students to ask “Why?” while creativity gives them the initiative to ask “Why not?” The intensity of Curiosity & Creativity tends to diminish over time due to the habituating effects of the environment. Therefore, as a teacher you must pay careful attention to creating a classroom environment that promotes questioning and creative exploration in order to maintain student motivation.
Spirit of Adventure
The Spirit of Adventure is characterized by a student’s ability to take on positive, healthy challenges at school and home, with family and friends. Students experience the Spirit of Adventure when they tackle something new without the fear of failure or success. As a teacher you can encourage and support your students’ Spirit of Adventure by urging them to explore new things. By creating an atmosphere that allows for healthy decision making and healthy risk taking, students become more confident and resilient. Students with the Spirit of Adventure see life as full of opportunities worth exploring for their own sake.
Leadership & Responsibility
The condition of Leadership & Responsibility means students are able to express their ideas and are willing to accept consequences for their actions. It cultivates accountability for the classroom environment and school community. When students speak their opinions, they need to accept the consequences of doing so. Fostering leadership empowers students to make just and appropriate decisions and to take pride in their actions. Teachers who promote this condition teach and expect their students to be good decision makers. They provide legitimate decisionmaking opportunities, seek student input, and expect students to be accountable for their actions and words. Students are trusted to make the right decisions and are recognized for doing so.
Confidence to Take Action
Confidence to Take Action is the extent to which students believe in themselves. It encourages them to dream about their future while being motivated to set goals in the present. This condition is what we strive for; all other conditions must be established and supported for students to attain this level of aspiration. Confidence to Take Action is characterized by a positive and healthy outlook on life and by looking inward rather than outward for approval. Teachers have the ability and potential to help build their students’ Confidence to Take Action by providing support, celebrating diversity, and encouraging independent thinking. By enhancing the quality of academic and personal growth, teachers empower their students to become active and involved members of their learning environments. |