Boredom, Motivation, and Learning

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Happy Friday,

I'm craving my vacation as much as I'm craving mashed potatoes, turkey, stuffing, and gravy. My energy levels are running on empty—if I had a fuel gauge, it would definitely be flashing red.

As I’ve shared earlier, I’m slowly building an online course called the “STRONG Teacher Toolkit.” I'm compiling the lessons I've learned over 26 years of teaching, 4-plus years of sharing resources and ideas in each weekly newsletter and sharing the earned wisdom from members of the Why Edify community. As the course evolves, the end product will help teachers navigate teaching challenges, helping educators become happier, healthier, and stronger.

During the pandemic, I started learning about Stoicism and the benefits of practicing it. I just finished an article that highlights some of what I’ve learned and how it can be useful to teachers. I also plan on incorporating some of the ideas into the “STRONG Teacher Toolkit” course. Teaching is challenging and I hope what I’m sharing is helpful. Please share the article with other educators you think might appreciate it. You can explore it below.

Stoic Wisdom for Teachers: Practical Tips to Boost Resilience and Well-being in the Classroom

Discover how Stoic principles can transform your teaching experience. Learn practical strategies to enhance resilience, manage stress, and cultivate well-being in the classroom. Explore ancient wisdom for modern educators.

WHY EDIFYJeremy Jorgensen

Have a great weekend!

Reflection Questions for This Week:

• How do you currently handle feelings of burnout or low energy in your professional life? What strategies could you implement to better maintain your energy levels throughout the school year?
• In what ways could incorporating principles of Stoicism help you navigate the daily challenges of teaching? What specific aspect of your teaching practice could benefit most from this philosophical approach?
• When students express boredom in your classroom, what steps do you take to address it? How might understanding the underlying causes of student boredom help you create more engaging learning experiences?

1 - I'm Bored

What does it mean when a child says “I’m bored” in school? Children may express boredom in school due to various reasons, including lack of engagement, potential learning difficulties, or unaddressed emotional issues. Parents can address this by asking specific questions about their child's day, considering assessments for learning difficulties, and fostering stronger relationships with teachers. I think it's also important that both parents and teachers help children navigate boredom. Not everything important will feel exciting.

2 - Grades and Motivation

The 2023 study by Chamberlin, Yasué, and Chiang explores how different grading systems affect student motivation. They found that traditional grades can increase anxiety and deter students from challenging courses. The study suggests that teachers can enhance motivation by using narrative evaluations to support students' psychological needs, providing constructive feedback instead of just numerical grades, creating a classroom environment that encourages trust and cooperation, offering opportunities for students to revise work based on feedback, and emphasizing the learning process over final grades. Grades provide important feedback. Feedback and assessment are a part of life. The challenge is to help students use the information provided to change courses and improve when needed. Feedback doesn’t mean much if some action doesn’t follow it.

3 - Learning is an Art

When most of us think of learning, we think about the knowledge gained through experience, study, or practice. But learning itself is so much more: it’s an art, a skill, and it can only take place if you can recognize when what you already know is insufficient to tell the whole story of the puzzle you’re faced with. These eight lessons, even if you aren’t an astrophysicist, can still help everyone become a better learner. Two of my favorites are knowing where to find information, which is more important than memorizing it, and when things don’t add up, prepare to re-examine your underlying assumptions.

4 - Wisdom

"Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens" — Jimi Hendrix

5 - Teacher Commuter Playlist - Fire by Jimi Hendrix

Choose Your Own Adventure

• Book Suggestion: George Couros's "The Innovator's Mindset"(*ad) encourages educators to harness technology and innovation to drive engagement and empower students. This book provides a blueprint for transforming school culture and creating learning experiences that prepare students for the future.
• We had an underground spirit week for staff this past week. On Wednesday, I was very conflicted.
• Remember, turkey contains tryptophan, an amino acid that can promote relaxation. It sounds like something teachers should eat in abundance.

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