We must do a much better job in assisting students with self-motivational understanding that leads to a lifelong desire to learn. This should be foremost in everyone’s mind.

According to Webster’s New World Collegiate Dictionary, motivation is putting forth effort to achieve predetermined goals and objectives. Motivation is also the efforts of others to assist persons in achieving expressed needs.

But there are at least two major and incorrect beliefs about student motivation that must be clarified. The first is the belief that some students are unmotivated. This is a partially correct viewpoint, but as long as someone chooses goals and expends a certain amount of effort to achieve them, motivation has occurred. The second incorrect belief is that persons can motivate others at will. The truth of the matter is that motivation resides primarily within each individual.

The lack of motivation among young people must be seriously addressed. Various means for addressing the matter are within the control of educators and families, but some are not. Here are ideas for families, educators and advocates for the motivation of students to consider in balancing situations for young people, at all grade levels, for them to be receptive to advantageous motivational stimuli:

n Put both intrinsic and extrinsic motivational issues on the discussion table.

n Provide young people a first-hand look at motivational issues based on their needs and maturation.

n Discuss with students specifically how motivation plays out in human affairs, i.e., socially, educationally, spiritually and in other ways.

n Use focused illustrations with committed community organizations such as churches, fraternal organizations, youth groups, etc.

n American theologian Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) might say to students: “If your ship doesn’t come in, swim out to it.”

n Do not use extrinsic rewards too freely, particularly with regard to praising students for expected and/or routine behavior.

n Seek out motivational speakers. In some instances, the speakers must speak with students along gender lines for desired motivational impact.

n Involve parents and other family members in planning and implementing strategies for student motivation tactics. Parents are vital partners in this process; meeting the challenges of student motivation emanate from family involvement.

n Marie Dressler (Canadian actress, 1869-1934) said: “Never one thing and seldom one person can make a success. It takes a number of them merging into one perfect whole.” Twenty-first century parents and educators appear ready for the challenges involved in making for successful ventures.

n Seriously expect students to be motivated to reach desired goals and objectives. Toward these ends, we must be willing to create and sustain schooling situations that help students discover that learning brings with it exciting rewards.

Young people and their families have secret educational weapons used as never before – high expectations and vital support systems. But all of us must create venues in which students might use to succeed. For instance, students must be taught to believe in themselves without undue limitations imposed on them. Thus the reason for a clarification of student motivation and its intended purpose.

Eleanor M. Fields is a doctoral student at South Carolina State University and a fourth-grade teacher at Marshall Elementary School in Orangeburg.

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