As thousands of children head towards their schools in Oman this week, some are excited, prancing to the school gates in anticipation while others will be less enthusiastic, maybe wistfully looking back at the holidays which have just ended.
Being and staying motivated is always difficult. Humans are wired to doing the predictable and we like to stay in our comfort zones. Breaking away from a routine cultivated over a long summer can be difficult, especially for youngsters who know that the school year will bring exams, homework and assignments.
Yet, it is important to look forward in hope and anticipation because, otherwise, there will be no goals, purpose or meaning to what we do. That state of mind can only lead to stress and disappointment.
Motivation comes from the root word ‘motive’, that is the drive, purpose or reason for an action. Motivation can be external, like better grades or salary, or it can be internal, like satisfaction and happiness or contentment.
For schoolchildren, motivation is mainly external. Students react to positive reinforcement, appreciation of small gestures and verbal praise. These are important strategies teachers can follow to keep young students motivated.
Education is more about developing confidence and curiosity than providing knowledge. Making learning an enjoyable activity rather than a chore will ensure that students remember and retain lessons more successfully. Students should want to come to class, not feel they are being forced into one.
Parents can help to keep their children motivated by communicating with them. This may sound simple, but walking the tight rope of being a parent and a friend to one’s child is always a challenge. While discipline is important, encouragement is more successful in keeping the interest of children and motivating them to do better. So is listening to them, being interested in their opinions and giving them freedom to think independently.
Knowing what not to do to de-motivate a child is equally important for teachers and parents. This includes not comparing them to other children in class or in the family, not judging them only for their grades, not overburdening their day with regimented activities and not making affection for them conditional to their achievements.
Older students can find motivation by creating achievable goals which they can write down ahead of time, create enjoyable challenges, however small, and appreciate all accomplishments as small steps towards a larger goal.
Youngsters also tend to follow their own inspirational idols and parents and teachers should encourage them to do so as long as these public figures are genuinely praiseworthy.
Walt Disney once said, “if you can dream it, you can do it”. Except that dreams do not always have to be climbing Mount Everest. Whatever one’s dream, it is important to keep a clear focus, aim for it with hope and purpose and put as much energy and enthusiasm behind it as possible.
Sandhya Rao Mehta
The writer is Assoc Prof, Dept of English Language and Literature, Sultan Qaboos University
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