Motivating learners is one key superpower of great educators. But sometimes the investment in student motivation drains the emotional reserves of even the most inspired teacher, counselor or principal.
When adults need a boost in motivation, the right quote can be a quick tool to shift any moment toward a more positive mindset. This list of quotes was curated to make it easy to encourage a coworker or friend — or perhaps pause to give yourself a personal pep talk.
"We never know which lives we influence, or when, or why." —Stephen King
There’s no way to know for certain who is changed by your words and actions. But there is no question that your words and actions have influence in classrooms, offices, schools and communities. What influence do you want to have?
"If you fell down yesterday, stand up today." —H.G. Wells
Everyone has those “fall down” days that you wish you could declare “do-over” the way kids on the playground do. The good news is, every new day is a do-over. Take every chance to begin again.
"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." —Maya Angelou
Sometimes the lesson plans fall apart, or patience is lost in a heated moment. (That’s called being human!) If a student’s day-to-day experience in your classroom feels like encouragement and understanding, that’s what counts most.
"The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles, but to irrigate deserts." —C.S. Lewis
What deserts in your school are in need of water? What students are waiting on a bit of irrigation to flourish and grow? You have the power to change the landscape.
"When this ends, we’ll smile sweetly, finally seeing. In testing times, we became the best of things." —Amanda Gorman
Nobody went into education to teach during a pandemic. But when we support each other, day in and day out, our students will benefit. And the world will be a sweeter place.
"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world." —Anne Frank
Improving the world can begin with small actions that add up over time. And those small actions (and interactions) are happening every day. Make them count.
"Every child deserves a champion — an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and insists that they become the best that they can possibly be." —Rita Pierson
As an educator, you can probably think of at least one student you know who needs a champion. If you can invest in a deeper connection with just that one student, you can change that student’s world.
"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." —Winston Churchill
Educators excel at encouraging their students to adopt a growth mindset. It’s when we apply it to ourselves — including the determination to keep going — that we show students a growth mindset in action.
"If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way." —Martin Luther King Jr.
Never doubt the power you have in brief interactions with coworkers and students alike. A smile or kind word can change someone’s day. It might also change yours.
"Keep your face always toward the sunshine, and shadows will fall behind you." —Walt Whitman
There’s always a temptation to focus on what isn’t going well. Placing your focus on even the smallest positive thing, has the power to change the way you see your corner of the world. And it shows your students a resilient approach to whatever life brings!
"Even in dark times, we not only dream, we do. We not only see what has been, we see what can be." —Kamala Harris
Some school years are harder than others. There’s always a choice to dream of better days, to do the next thing — especially when the chips are down. Creating a brighter future is in our hands.
"Education breeds confidence. Confidence breeds hope. Hope breeds peace." —Confucius
Never doubt the power of education to create a better world for the generations that come after us. Communities with confidence, hope and peace will have the brightest of futures.
The next time you see a colleague who has become worn out by their investment in student motivation, take two minutes to share an encouraging word. Your boost can make a difference to the educator — and it will help them bring their best energy to the critical work of motivating learners.
Sometimes, feeling discouraged or overwhelmed takes more than a quick quote or high five to overcome. Our professional learning course for educators is designed to help any school professional increase motivation with skills to manage negative feelings and emotions in positive in healthy ways.
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