Do you feel like your students are just not very motivated, or does it seem like students are less motivated than they used to be? If so, you aren’t alone. Lack of motivation is one of the most common excuses my students give me for not practicing or doing their assignments. It’s one of the most common complaints I hear when I talk to other teachers about their students. Motivation is something I’ve struggled with for years with both my students and myself, so naturally I decided to dig into the research.
After listening to and reading a bunch of books, blogs, podcasts, and research studies, what I found was often contradictory and unhelpful. Should you use rewards? Well, it depends on what kind of rewards and what result you want. Does setting goals motivate people? Again, it depends on whether the goals are big or small and where you are in your progress and what you’re working on. Are students more motivated when they get more choice? Often yes, but it depends on the students and how much choice and what the choices are. Everything is dependent on context, the results you want, the time and place, and each individual person.
During my search, however, I came across three quotes that have helped me more than anything else, at least in figuring out what I can control in regards to student motivation.
“Don’t confuse a lack of ability for a lack of motivation.” – Kurt Francom
Sometimes we think our students aren’t motivated when they simply don’t have the skills to do what we want them to do. They can’t do it, even if they want to. This is something we can control! We may not be able to increase our students’ motivation, but we can make sure they have the skills to do what we ask them to do.
Start by asking yourself what you want your students to do and what skills they need to do it. If you want them to practice more, what do they need to know to be able to practice effectively? Do they have a time and place to practice? Are they able to plan out a practice session? Can they identify the problems in their own playing and do they know how to fix those problems?
Once you’ve identified the skills needed, assess your students’ abilities and see if they have the skills they need to be successful. For example, you could have the students do a mini practice session in class to see if they know how to structure it, or you could give them a quiz using recordings to see if they can spot problems and come up with a plan to fix them. Teach or reteach whatever skills the students are lacking.
“Many people think they lack motivation when what they really lack is clarity.” – James Clear
Even if students have the skills they need, they may not know exactly what to do. In his book Atomic Habits, James Clear gives an example of someone who wants to exercise more. He makes a goal to exercise during his lunch break, but lunch comes and goes and he doesn’t exercise. Clear says the problem isn’t motivation; the problem is that the plan isn’t clear enough. Instead of just saying “I’ll exercise during lunch,” the person should have a specific plan of where to go, what exercises to do, and how many reps of each one.
Again, this is something that you can control, at least to some degree. Students need guidance and vision, even after they have the skills. Take time to clearly explain what you want students to do and why. Help them develop a specific and detailed plan to accomplish the goal.
“Do it, and then you will feel motivated to do it.” – Zig Ziglar
I think we rely way too much on motivation, both as students and as teachers. Motivation usually follows action, not the other way around. We need to set the expectation that motivation comes and goes. We need to teach students how to act even – and especially – when they aren’t motivated. Teach them how to set up systems that will keep them working and progressing no matter what their motivation level is. That’s a skill that will help them in every aspect of their lives.
I don’t have all the answers on how to motivate students, but I also believe there’s a lot that is in our control. We don’t have to be the best motivational speakers or give the most inspiring pep talks. We just need to be clear with our expectations and make sure we’re giving the students the skills and tools they need to accomplish those expectations.