Have you ever left the classroom feeling drained, like every word you spoke bounced off the walls and landed nowhere? Your voice is hoarse, your energy spent, and the students… well, they seem harder to motivate than ever. You’ve tried explanations, encouragement and even catchy slides, but it feels like you’re talking to a sea of glazed eyes and jittery bodies.
You are doing all the heavy lifting, and it is like trying to push sand uphill… exhausting, and not very productive.
When those moments creep up on me, I stop and reflect. What if I’m missing something? What if it’s not just the kids? What if it’s the way I am teaching? What if I am controlling the classroom so tightly that students rarely get to speak, question or shape what’s happening? What if I am trying to do education TO them or FOR them, instead of WITH them?
Last week, I had the joy of sitting down with students from Years 4 to 10 at one of our partner schools in Tasmania to ask some simple questions: What makes a great teacher? What helps you learn and work as a team?
Their insights were gold:
- “Speaks in a calm voice”
- “Doesn’t ramble, gets to the point”
- “Not a drill sergeant”
- “Listens to our ideas”
- “Uses humour”
- “Lets us sort out things out ourselves, before jumping in”
- “Gives us work that challenges us”
- “If we ALL get our work done, lets us do something fun together.”
- “Gives us time to work together”
I always believe if you want to know how to fix a problem, start at the source… and ask the people affected. These kids’ ideas were a roadmap to motivation.
Self-Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan, 2000) reminds us that motivation isn’t about rewards, punishment or smashing through a crowded curriculum. It grows naturally when three core needs are met:
- Autonomy: Having control and choice in what you do
- Belonging/Relatedness: Feeling connected to others in the room
- Competence: Feeling capable and confident in what you’re learning
When I try to control everything in the classroom – the questions, the timing, the voice – I am not meeting any of these needs. I end up working really hard, spinning my wheels, using huge amounts of energy and feeling exhausted and deflated at the end of the day.
The kids said it clearly: they want teachers who listen, who involve them, who trust them to step up and solve problems. They want challenge, clarity, humour and respect. They want a classroom where they are working WITH the teacher and each other, where learning is a conversation, not a monologue.
A restorative classroom culture does exactly this.
- Young peopleco-create expectations – meeting autonomy and relatedness.
- Theyco-construct understanding by listening to each other’s ideas – developing autonomy, belonging, and competence.
- Theyreflect together – building relatedness and competence.
Motivation grows, not because someone told them to behave, but because they feel trusted, seen and capable.
We often get lost in the myth that teaching is about “getting through the content” or “keeping students in line.” But if we really want engaged, motivated learners, research (and student voices) tells us this happens in spaces where young people are heard, where they contribute and where they matter.
So if your students seem switched off, maybe the question isn’t just how to motivate them … it’s how to invite them in.
Step back, listen and make room for their voice. Give them challenge. Give them trust. Give them ownership.
The young people (and your vocal chords) will thank you.
