What Impacts Student Motivation (Part Three)?

The final influencers on student motivation are outside ones, such as the attitude of parents, the educational levels of parents and families, the student’s cultural environment and peers, and poverty. We know these have a tremendous impact on learning, yet we have no control over them. As teachers, we can attempt to shape parents’ attitudes toward school and

increase positive family involvement in learning, but we do not have direct control. The good news is that there are many examples of teachers and schools in which students have overcome these obstacles to become successful in school and life. In other words, you can make a difference, despite the challenges!

Next posting, we’ll start looking at the concept of extrinsic motivation, and how (or if) you can use it with your students.