23+ Ways to Motivate Professional Learning

What motivates learners?

Not just school-aged students but anybody trying to learn something

What motivates people to learn what you're teaching?

The book Engaging Minds in the Classroom: The Surprising Power of Joy is about school-aged students, but it includes 5 motivational generalizations* that identify what all learners need to believe about themselves and the topic / objective in order to be motivated to learn it.

You can teach it, but if they're not motivated to learn it, then it's probably not happening. Learning is a choice.

The 5 motivational generalizations are:

"adaptive self-efficacy and competence beliefs motivate students" (believing in yourself and your abilities motivates you)

"I can do this; I am good at this; I have the ability to become good at this."

"adaptive attributions and control beliefs motivate students" (believing you can do it if you try)

"I am in control of the outcome; if I put effort in, then I will learn this."

"higher levels of interest and intrinsic motivation motivate students" (you want to do it)

"I want this; I am not doing this only because I have to; This interests me."

"higher levels of value motivate students (you think it's important)"

"What I'm doing matters to me."

"goals motivate and direct students" (you know what it takes to get it)

"I know how I'm going to learn this; I know what I need to do to get there."

Instructors who understand the principles of motivation are more likely to produce learners who demonstrate a joy of learning.

"Teachers who understand and use motivation principles may be better equipped to discover ways to construct joyful learning experiences....paying attention to what motivates their particular students will lead teachers to design motivational classrooms including activities that students perceive to be fun as a way to motivate them and spark their learning." p. 15

But what about professional learning?

What can I do as a school administrator to bring the motivational generalizations to the professional learning and development offered to school staff throughout their careers? 

What can I do as a school administrator to better ensure staff is motivated to learn and grow intentionally?

I can do plenty.

At least 23 things 

to motivate staff to learn and grow.

Inspired by pages 12-13, 31
See the chart here

To foster self-efficacy and a belief of competence I can:

• celebrate and promote staff accomplishments and growth
• give specific improvement centered feedback
• find out how staff members perceive their own ability to learn certain things

To promote high attributions and solidify a belief about control I can:

• have clear expectations and benchmarks
• learn new material alongside staff
• use self-assessments to determine professional learning offerings

To tap into interest and intrinsic motivation I can:

• find out what interests the staff
• design PD that models engaging and motivating teaching practice
• build a community of learners
• intentionally set up interest-based interactions amongst staff members

To ensure high levels of personal value I can:

• design PD around shared priorities and values
• participate in my own learning activities
• build in opportunities for individualization and application

To provide a path to success I can:

• model how ideas can be applied to the classroom
• design action oriented PD sessions and meetings
• connect similarly interested staff in purposeful ways
• offer multiple follow up opportunities for interested staff

How else? What else can school leaders motivate their staff to continue to learn and grow?

#motivation #professionaldevelopment #savmp

*Pintrich, 2003

Why I Lead #SAVMP

I’m happy to be a part of the School Administrator Virtual Mentoring Program, and with my first post wanted to highlight an experience that best captures my “why” in regards to leadership.

Photo Courtesy of Chris Barker

The last meeting I led at my previous school was everything a gathering of professionals should be. What started as a collaborative writing of indicators for a school-wide rubric for Creativity & Innovation evolved into a long conversation and diagramming of what great teaching looks like and how we can best facilitate learning. All of us, ranging from novice teacher to school administrator, freely offered perspective, concerns, insights, and stories. We created support documents with strategies and observable elements to accompany the rubrics, and it felt effortless as we did it. We took advantage of the collective capacity of the group, and we surpassed our own expectations by embracing and having fun with the collaborative process. In speaking to the folks who were there after the fact, it was evident that we all walked away from that session better able to support the learning outcomes we wish to see. Is there anything more satisfying as a leader then to hear colleagues say they not only enjoyed the session but also felt empowered to be better afterwards?

That's why I choose to lead; it's the power and possibility that comes with bringing people together in a manner that will yield the best results. Programs and systems don't move people; the folks who others in the organization look to as leaders facilitate the moving. It's about creating organic opportunities for people to connect and get better as a result of those connections while having professional fun in the process. Nothing inspires people more than the actions and attitudes of other people, and bringing individuals for collective gain is my favorite part about of what I do, and it's the best example of why I lead.

Summer Reading List

We as educators ought not to continue to think of summer as a vacation, but rather as "professional time." I have always used my summer professional time to read and reflect as much as I can, and this year is no different. As I begin my first leadership position in the fall, I will target key points of interest and concern to better my chances of being highly effective from day one. I look forward to a professionally lucrative summer of reading, tweeting, and blogging in preparation for a great school year!

1. Why Don't Students Like School? - I watch my one year old everyday get so excited every time he learns something new while he is playing with his flash cards or watching Sid the Science Kid, and I've lately been wondering when and where the excitement for learning and curiosity stops. The title of this book certainly makes it seem like it will be a fine resource for me in this regard. I am also excited to use this book and the corresponding Twitter chat #sschatbookclub to reconnect with other social studies teachers across the country that I've lost touch with this school year.  It will be like killing two birds with one stone.

2. Pathways to the Common Core - There are certainly political issues that are yet to be totally resolved with the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) but the reality of the situation is that state, including my home Massachusetts, departments of education are adopting them as the new "frameworks." Knowing that the key to any kind of positive results with CCSS rests in the hands of teachers and classroom implementation, I must be a resource for teachers in my building. Without the support and knowledge of the leadership team, classroom application on a large scale won't happen. I hope to use the knowledge from this book to help teachers in my building be able to visualize how their instruction and assessment will change as a result of the Common Core, and what inevitable effects they will have on the curriculum moving forward.


3. How to Create a Culture of Achievement in Your School and Classroom - Culture starts at the top; I want to model and promote the learning environment that will best produce active, reflective, and curious students who celebrate success by working harder for more of it. The title of the book says it all, and I'm excited to save 15% using a social media coupon code!

4. Harvard Business Review's 10 Must Reads on Leadership - Along with many others I have written before about the need for educators of all varieties to think of themselves as one part teacher and one part leader of people if they want to have the greatest impact. I am very interested in the perspectives of educational and non-educational leaders alike, and love the idea of essentially 10 miniature books in one. This will be fine companion to any beach day this summer!

What are you going to do with your professional time this summer? Don't waste an opportunity to get better at whatever you're trying to get better at!