As the instructional leader of a school, principals are entrusted with developing a school climate that enables and supports instructional practices that nurture and ignite the intellectual growth and curiosity of students. Although teachers by far have the greatest impact on student growth, it is the principal’s responsibility to make sure that those teachers are utilizing effective classroom management and teaching practices in order to meet all students’ needs. Understanding the dynamics of student motivation is an integral piece of the student engagement puzzle. The drive that pushes or pulls a student to behave in a certain way varies from student to student, with motivators being intrinsic, extrinsic, or a combination of the two.
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For goal setting in the classroom to be a motivator, students must either accept the goals set by others, or set acceptable and reasonable goals for themselves. Students are more likely to accept goals set by others if those goals are attainable and meaningful. When offering feedback, teachers should emphasize the progress made toward goal attainment rather than focusing on what students have yet to achieve. There are different schools of thought regarding the correlation between personal needs and motivation for achievement. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs essentially states that a student whose lower-level needs, deficiency needs, are not adequately met, will be less motivated to be a successful learner in the classroom. The need for survival, safety, belonging, and self-esteem many times trumps the academic curriculum within the classroom. Other theorists have tied motivation to a student’s historical achievement and the emphasis placed on achievement within the home. Often times the fear of failure is a factor in a student’s achievement need. However, there are times that the fear of failure overshadows drive to achieve and a student then is apt to avoid the situation. Instructional leaders must ensure the faculty and staff foster healthy, caring relationships with students and parents. Students will be more motivated to achieve when they feel genuinely cared about and secure in the student-teacher
For goal setting in the classroom to be a motivator, students must either accept the goals set by others, or set acceptable and reasonable goals for themselves. Students are more likely to accept goals set by others if those goals are attainable and meaningful. When offering feedback, teachers should emphasize the progress made toward goal attainment rather than focusing on what students have yet to achieve. There are different schools of thought regarding the correlation between personal needs and motivation for achievement. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs essentially states that a student whose lower-level needs, deficiency needs, are not adequately met, will be less motivated to be a successful learner in the classroom. The need for survival, safety, belonging, and self-esteem many times trumps the academic curriculum within the classroom. Other theorists have tied motivation to a student’s historical achievement and the emphasis placed on achievement within the home. Often times the fear of failure is a factor in a student’s achievement need. However, there are times that the fear of failure overshadows drive to achieve and a student then is apt to avoid the situation. Instructional leaders must ensure the faculty and staff foster healthy, caring relationships with students and parents. Students will be more motivated to achieve when they feel genuinely cared about and secure in the student-teacher