“Education is the key to unlocking the world, a passport to freedom.” – Oprah Winfrey

A new chapter, 365 days to make a difference – 2023 you are so welcome! Back to school is back with a bang and as always, spirits are always high at the beginning of a new year. There is always a lot of emphasis placed on what needs to be done to ensure that learners stay motivated throughout the year to reach their maximum potential, but an even bigger deal is to actually make sure that motivated teachers step into the classroom every single day. Without a motivated educator, the key to unlocking success and quality education is non-existent.

The reason why motivated teachers are so critical to the classroom is that they will always find alternative ways of teaching through a different lens and encourage learners to do the same. We all had that one teacher that bored the living daylights out of us in the classroom by just reciting learning material in a very uninteresting way that didn’t encourage out-of-the-box thinking or motivation to actually digest and process the information given. If we really do a deep-dive and think about it, teachers are not only there to convey learning material in an understandable way, they are an integral part of children’s development and curiosity when it comes to learning and sparking interest in a specific field of study.

The million-dollar question is how to keep teachers motivated? It is actually a no-brainer if you think about it. Teachers will thrive in an environment where they are appreciated, respected and granted the freedom and investment to continue developing their skills. Over and above the thing that schools can do to keep teachers motivated, here are a few things to implement that will just add a bit of zest to your day and keep a smile going in the classroom:

• Start afresh and decorate your classroom with your students according to a chosen theme or colour for the year to keep things exciting and new. A change is as good as a holiday and even though it is the same classroom, it doesn’t mean that you can’t give it a whole new personality.
• Pay it forward – if there is one thing that really is a feel-good activity, it is doing something nice for someone else. Whether you write a little motivational note to a colleague and leave it on their desk or do something nice for learners in the classroom, there is nothing that quite goes further than kindness to bring out the best in someone else.
• Try some new things! Why does it have to be a new year with the same methods? Why not try and play music where appropriate while learners work or even just mix things up once a week and teach outside on the grass or apply something practical to a lesson that only consists of theory? Keep things exciting and ever-evolving.
• Quotes might be a little bit cheesy, but why not find your favourite quotes and stick them up on the classroom walls? This can even be a fun group activity to get learners involved so that they can also find a quote of their choosing that keeps them motivated. The Secret didn’t just include making a vision board for nothing…

Inner happiness and motivation starts with YOU! Forget about new year’s resolutions, motivation should be a lifestyle that is maintained throughout the year and it really is sometimes just the little things that count and make the biggest difference! Here is to a fantastic new chapter!