Motivation:

The Spark of

Teacher Renewal

Dwight D. Eisenhower is said to have quipped, "Motivation is the art of getting people to do what you want them to do because they want to do it." But, unless you’re the country’s commander in chief, you’ll probably get better results by another maxim: Motivation is the art of empowering people to improve.

Understanding Motivation & Supporting Teacher Renewal, the first publication in the Laboratory’s Quality Teaching and Learning (QTL) Series, is written for those who work outside the classroom in supporting roles: principals, service providers, policymakers, and change agents. These people are advocates who can empower teachers’ personal and professional growth.

In the publication, the QTL team has synthesized findings from more than 100 studies in two areas of research: human motivation, in general, and, more specifically, teachers’ motivation to change their practice.

"Whereas 'change' is fast becoming a constant in schools, addressing teacher motivation invites us to move beyond quick fixes and attain lasting improvements," the authors write. "As the spark of human development, motivation underpins the success of any innovation or attempt to introduce renewal."

Understanding Motivation explores the variables affecting motivation—the influence of social contexts and the human need for autonomy, competence, and relatedness—and offers suggestions for creating conditions that spark motivation for professional improvement.

"Teachers don’t need to be clunked over the head with ideas for improvement. They need increased opportunities, time, feedback, and other supports to bolster their own motivation for growth," say the authors. Understanding Motivation provides a framework for incorporating motivation into school improvement plans, as well as practical tips and implications for teacher advocates to consider.

To order Understanding Motivation & Supporting Teacher Renewal, see the Document Order Form. It is also available online in Portable Document Format at www.nwrel.org/qualityteaching/products/UnderstandingMotivation.pdf.