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Jack Welch
What motivates students to excel inside the school walls? Can we use outside activities to motivate our students? Is naming buildings and athletic facilities after legends beneficial? After years of research, I have discovered using outside activities and naming athletic facilities will motivate students to excel.
Naming school facilities after legends inspire young athletes to strive to be like great players before them. I recommended streets to be named after athletic greats (Charles Tillman and Robert Griffin III). I witnessed how these streets motivated students in that community.
My high school football field was named after Green Bay Packer great Lynn Dickey. Many of us as young athletes dreamed of following in his footsteps. Young athletes dream and reach higher for their athletic goals when they recognize others were where they currently are.
Educators have been placed in a position to facilitate encouragement and academic growth for thousands of children. How do administrators, teachers, and school board members encourage children? There are multiple ways.
Since the inception of academic requirements of no-pass no-play, I have found students who succeed have developed the same approach toward school as they use in their extracurricular activities. Sport environments are similar to the academic setting. Students are evaluated for their performance. The golfer is evaluated by score. The quarterback is evaluated on passer rating and completion percentage. The basketball player is evaluated on points scored, assists, and committed fouls.
Students are evaluated academically in a similar fashion. Tests, quizzes, research papers, and projects are individual performances. A small quiz is similar to a game against a much weaker opponent. A final exam is similar to a district championship. Homework is like practice.
I believe all of us are a product of our society. School districts are the society for students to be influenced. If a school lacks discipline, then there are lots of problems with their students. If a school is proactive with motivation, then these schools have a much better chance of reaching their students.
I like one school district I read a story about recently. There was a dyslexia therapist teacher in West Texas. Last week she had a fourth-grade boy come in late to class. He looked sad and said his aunt was dying and they had been in the hospital late the night before. One of his friends asked if they could pray for the aunt. The teacher said the student said the sweetest prayer for the boys' aunt. This teacher said she was blessed to serve in a school district facilitating this kind of environment where children feel comfortable praying together.
Administrators should remember to make school motivation about the student, not themselves. What motivates an administrator may not motivate students.
Speak their language and focus on teaching all students. Motivate schoolwork as a performance; and find ways to increase motivation of students. Ultimately, the welfare and benefit of the students is the main reason we are in the education business.
Thought for the week, “The direction in which education starts a man will determine his future life.” — Plato
Dr. Jack Welch is an educator and college football coach. His doctorate is in educational administration, and he has been an educator, administrator, and football coach, mentoring young minds, for over 40 years. He is also the author of Foundations of Coaching. He can be reached at jackwelch1975@gmail.com.