Member-only story

Restoring Students' Innate Power: Unlocking Latent Potential for Academic Success

Sam Carter

·2.4k Followers· Follow

Published in Restoring Students Innate Power: Trauma Responsive Strategies For Teaching Multilingual Newcomers

6 min read

343 View Claps

50 Respond

Save

Listen

Students' motivation and engagement are essential factors in their academic progress and overall success. However, many students struggle with staying motivated and finding meaning in their studies. This can lead to decreased academic performance, low self-esteem, and even dropping out of school.

Fortunately, research in educational psychology has shown that students have an innate drive to learn and explore. This drive is often referred to as "intrinsic motivation." Intrinsic motivation is fueled by a desire for knowledge and understanding, and it is associated with higher levels of academic achievement, enjoyment of learning, and persistence in the face of challenges.

However, intrinsic motivation can be stifled by a number of factors, such as a lack of autonomy, competence, or relatedness. When students feel that they are not in control of their learning, that they are not good at it, or that they do not belong in the classroom, their intrinsic motivation is likely to decline.

Restoring Students' Innate Power: Trauma-Responsive Strategies for Teaching Multilingual Newcomers

by Bárbara Cruz

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	2272 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	402 pages

The good news is that there are a number of things that teachers and parents can do to help students restore their innate power and become more intrinsically motivated learners. By creating a supportive and engaging learning environment, providing students with opportunities for autonomy, competence, and relatedness, and fostering a growth mindset, we can help students unlock their full potential and achieve academic success.

Intrinsic motivation is a key factor in student success. Research has shown that students who are intrinsically motivated are more likely to:

Achieve higher grades
Enjoy learning
Persist in the face of challenges
Have a positive self-concept
Be engaged in their learning
Develop critical thinking skills
Be creative and innovative

In contrast, students who are extrinsically motivated (i.e., motivated by external rewards or punishments) are less likely to achieve these positive outcomes. Extrinsic motivation is often short-lived and can lead to students feeling stressed, anxious, and burnt out.

It is clear that intrinsic motivation is essential for student success. By understanding the factors that contribute to intrinsic motivation, we can create learning environments that foster this important quality.

Research in educational psychology has identified three key factors that contribute to intrinsic motivation:

Autonomy: Students need to feel like they have control over their learning. This means giving them choices in how they learn, what they learn, and how they are assessed.
Competence: Students need to feel like they are good at what they are learning. This means providing them with challenges that are appropriate for their skill level and giving them feedback that is focused on their strengths.
Relatedness: Students need to feel like they belong in the classroom and that they are connected to their teachers and classmates. This means creating a supportive learning environment where students feel safe and respected.

When students feel autonomous, competent, and related, they are more likely to be intrinsically motivated to learn. They are more likely to engage in their learning, persist in the face of challenges, and achieve their full potential.

There are a number of things that teachers and parents can do to help students restore their innate power and become more intrinsically motivated learners. Here are a few suggestions:

Create a supportive and engaging learning environment. This means creating a classroom where students feel safe, respected, and challenged. It also means providing students with opportunities to explore their interests and learn in ways that are meaningful to them.
Provide students with opportunities for autonomy. This means giving students choices in how they learn, what they learn, and how they are assessed. It also means allowing students to make mistakes and learn from them.
Help students develop a sense of competence. This means providing students with challenges that are appropriate for their skill level and giving them feedback that is focused on their strengths. It also means celebrating students' successes and helping them to learn from their mistakes.
Foster a growth mindset. A growth mindset is the belief that intelligence is not fixed but can be developed through effort. Students with a growth mindset are more likely to be intrinsically motivated to learn because they believe that they can improve their abilities through hard work.

By creating a supportive and engaging learning environment, providing students with opportunities for autonomy, competence, and relatedness, and fostering a growth mindset, we can help students unlock their full potential and achieve academic success.

Students have an innate drive to learn and explore. However, this drive can be stifled by a number of factors, such as a lack of autonomy, competence, or relatedness. By understanding the factors that contribute to intrinsic motivation, we can create learning environments that foster this important quality.

When students are intrinsically motivated, they are more likely to be engaged in their learning, persist in the face of challenges, and achieve their full potential. By helping students to restore their innate power, we can help them to become lifelong learners who are passionate about learning and who are prepared to succeed in all aspects of their lives.

Restoring Students' Innate Power: Trauma-Responsive Strategies for Teaching Multilingual Newcomers

by Bárbara Cruz

5 out of 5