10 tips for tutors and teachers to stay motivated in the classroom.

One of the most difficult aspects of becoming a teacher/tutor can be just motivating certain students into learning and how to get the best results from them. Students who lack motivation will not learn effectively, they won't retain information, won't participate and could become disruptive.

But what about teachers/tutors maintaining their motivation to continue teaching. It is an extremely rewarding career but can be exhausting, leading to burnout and a lack of motivation.

So below we have outlined 10 tips for teachers and tutors to keep motivation levels high and churn out exciting, fun and thought-provoking lessons for longer without crashing.

1) Start the day with a positive attitude and plan

If you wake up in a bad mood or dreading what the day has in store, it will be very difficult to remain motivated.

It's important to start your day with a positive attitude, taking some time out for yourself before getting ready for work.

Once you're at work, have a plan prepared of what you want to achieve that day. This will help keep you focused and motivated.

2) Let go of negative thoughts

It's very easy to get bogged down with negative thoughts when teaching, especially if things aren't going well. But it's important to let these thoughts go and focus on the positive. Much easier said than done but even 3 deep breaths can totally change your outlook.

3) Set yourself some goals (Daily, Weekly and Monthly)

A big chunk of the job as a teacher/tutor can appear to be setting students targets and grades that you want them to attain. SO why not apply the same logic to yourself.

Set SMART goals, these are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. Try setting daily, weekly and monthly goals to keep you on track.

4) Celebrate your successes

When you do manage to achieve a goal, however small it may be, celebrate it! Give yourself a pat on the back and allow yourself to feel good about it. This will help keep you motivated and encouraged to continue working hard.

5) Take care of yourself

It's easy to let your health slip when you're constantly working, but it's important to take some time out for yourself. Make sure you're getting enough sleep, eating healthy and exercising. If you don't take care of yourself, you won't be able to take care of your students/classes.

6) Connect with your colleagues

Although teaching can be an isolated profession, it's important to try and connect with your colleagues. This could be sharing ideas, collaborating or just having a chat. It's always helpful to have someone to talk to who understands the demands of the job.

7) Use positive reinforcement

One of the most effective ways to motivate yourself is through positive reinforcement. This could be verbal praise, giving a pat on the back or a smile. While it may some cheesy, it has been proven that standing in front of the mirror and telling yourself "well done" can increase endorphin production. Just maybe don't do it while anyone is watching, you don't want to seem weird.

8) Get creative with your lessons

It's easy for classes/lessons to become stale and boring if you're not constantly trying new things. Get creative with your lessons, change up the routine and inject some fun into them. This will help keep you motivated and engaged. Coming up with new ways to teach the same content can be tiresome itself but in the long run, building a good content base for different lessons will help keep each lesson fresh in both your mind and the students.

9) Take a break

It's important to take a break during your workday, even if it's just for 5 minutes. This could be grabbing a coffee, going for a walk or just sitting down and taking a deep breath. Breaks help refresh the mind and make you more productive when you return to work. Taking breaks in lessons can be done, a short walk around the class to keep blood flowing or even as a tutor taking a short walk to the kitchen or up and down the stairs can free the mind and help you refocus.

10) Encourage students to teach you something each week

Last but not least, encourage your students to teach you something each week. This could be a new word, a new song or a dance, a change in the rules of their favourite games. This will help keep you motivated as a teacher as it allows you to learn new things while also teaching. It's a win-win!

Do you have any other tips that help you stay motivated while teaching? Share them with us on social media using the following link.

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