Motivating Students Who Don’t Care | Emphasizing Effort

Motivation Students Who Don't Care is a book written by Allen Mendler for educators of 6-8 grade math students.  While it was written for the classroom, I found some of its topics and techniques applicable to coaching as well.

Emphasize Effort

In trying to motivate the unmotivated student, you should first start with motivating effort.  Effort is where growth comes from which leads to success.  Without effort, growth is stagnant, and so is motivation.  This chapter addresses the importance of addressing effort first in unmotivated students and some tips on how to do so.

- Most students who appear unmotivated or who have inappropriate behavior do not see themselves as capable and attribute success to ability rather than effort.

- According to Carol Dweck’s research, many students believe that intelligence is a fixed entity and is the factor responsible for success or failure (cited in Azar, 1996).

- Many students who fail just don’t try because they believe that no matter how hard they work, its won’t see significant growth or progress.

- Successful learners generally believe that their effort is the key factor in determining their level of success.

     -  Emphasize effort and growth and express confident in their ability to improve and grow through hard work and effort.  You have to believe in the growth mindset over the fixed mindset - everybody can grown and succeed with the right effort, the right instructions, and the right conditions.

-       Tools To Use

Build on Mistakes or Partially Correct Answers – With Enthusiasm
When there is  not 100% success, find ways to praise growth.

- Frame mistakes as part of the process, not as an indication of failure

- Celebrate partial success.  
     -  ‘Great look!  Just make a better pass!’  ‘Great shot, but did you see Ronald open?’

- Mistakes can be used to show how more teaching/coaching still needs to occur. 
     -  The layup we gave up helps me know that I need to do a better job of teaching how to help the helper.’

- Appreciating effort, whether there was a success or failure, is the first step towards improvement.

Create A Habit Of Celebrating Effort, Not Only Success  
We tell our athletes to work hard, make the right play, be early and stay late, but when it comes down to it, we play our best players and the leadings scorers are the ones who get all of the glory.  Find ways to celebrate the little things that each player does everyday; especially the ones who don’t score as much or who don’t get as much playing time.

1 – One thing I love about Nikki is that when she comes in the game, she always makes an immediate impact on defense.2 – Taylor might not be our leading scorer, but he plays so smart and hard on defense that he covers up for a lot of other people’s mistakes and his effort alone has won us a game or two.3 – I don’t know if ya’ll have noticed, but Maya’s ball handling hand shot making has greatly improved over the last month.  I can tell she gets to practice a few minutes early everyday to work on it!

Separate Effort From Achievement

Athletes are more likely to become or remain motivated when their strengths are acknowledged while their needs are addressed.

- Find ways to reward stats – scoring, rebounding, assists, blocks, etc.  But, also find ways to reward effort – taking charges, boxing out, getting deflections, make the extra pass, etc.

Identify and list all the intangibles that involve effort that you want to see from your team on the court and off the court; in practices and in games.  Find ways to teach and communicate those actions and to praise and reward those actions.

Encourage Each Student To Improve One Little Thing Everyday

Teach your athletes how to set small goals and how to go about the process of achieving those goals, and the habits needed to so, everyday.

Show Simple Courtesy

We get so preoccupied with our own lives that we neglect to consider the impact that small moments of courtesy can have on others.

-  When somebody does something, even if its as simple and expected as turning in their homework, give positive feedback immediately.

-  Making students wait more than 3 days for feedback negates its valuable effect on learning.

-  Show interests in their lives outside of your sport.
-  Find time to talk to them when they need it.

Reframe Unmotivated Behavior To Encourage Effort

Make sure the athlete knows that they are more important to you than what they do; you will likely see a shift in influence when you change your mindset.

- Its important to identify and communicating the positive aspects of the kids behavior.

-  A kid shows up 10 minutes late everyday for a 2 hour practice.  Sure they are late, but they are present for 92% of practice.

-  Celebrate the success, then the communication can end with a consequence if necessary.

-  “Sara, you play so hard for us everyday in practice and in games.  You do everything that I ask of you.  Man, if we could work on getting you here 10 minutes earlier everyday, that would be great.  Who do I need to talk with at home so we can figure something out?”

Ask For Small Things First

Focus and build on small successes.  Identify behaviors that you want your athlete to show more frequently and encourage them to show them more by acknowledging them and encouraging more from them.

Put the Effort in Writing So That It Becomes a Commitment

There is much research that shows a strong deepening of commitment and follow-through when goals, promises, and plans are written.  Work with your athletes to create commitment statements.

Give a Reason for Effort | BECAUSE …

When you ask someone for a favor, you will be more successful if you provide a reason.

- Providing an answer to the question why strengthens the effectiveness of telling them what to do and how to do it.

Celebrate Markers and Endings
In individual and group settings, always celebrate successes and accomplishments of goals.