by Jodie the Mom | Sep 30, 2024 | Homeschool

Discover The Secret Sauce To Create Motivated Learners

One question I see asked a lot from homeschool moms is how do I create motivated learners?

This is one of the biggest struggles in homeschool. Or at least it can feel like it. I confess, I’ve never struggled with motivating my kids to learn. And I am going to let you in on the secret sauce. This post is all about creating motivated learners.

Getting my kids to learn and do their schoolwork hasn’t been a struggle. Yes, sometimes things haven’t been done with excellence or to the level of excellence I expect. But I never felt like I was struggling to get them to do their schoolwork.

So let’s talk about how to create motivated learners. It is possible, and I want to help you take the struggle out of homeschooling.

Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you purchase using one of these links, I make a small commission at no additional cost to you. This helps me keeps things free for you, and who doesn’t love free stuff. For more information, see my disclosures.

What is a Motivated Learner

Before we dive into the nitty gritty of learning, let’s define what a motivated learner looks like.

A motivated learner is a child who will finish his work without a lot of reminders from mom. This is age dependent.

Your homeschool day isn’t full of struggle, intense discussions on getting it done, and your time isn’t spent talking your kids into doing their schoolwork.

Mom, it is possible to have a stress free homeschool day.

Now, don’t get me wrong. All our days aren’t stress free, but most of them are. It is possible to create motivated learners for a mostly stress free homeschool day.

Understand Motivation to Create a Motivated Learner

In order to understand how to create motivated learners, we need to know what motivation is, and the different ways our kids are motivated.

Motivation is the desire to fulfill a goal. Now, you know I’m not a fan of SMART goals, so we aren’t talking goals like that. But a goal as an end result. It is one of the driving forces behind our behavior.

Motivation is either extrinsic, inspired by an outside force. Or intrinsic, inspired from within.

In my homeschool, I have a mix of motivations. The boys are usually motivated by an outside force. My oldest daughter is intrinsically motivated. We tell her to slow down more than to speed up.

How are your kids motivated? Observe how they accomplish goals. Distinguish between what they need to do and what is important to them. The motivation is different in each case.

Get a Curriculum They Like

Curriculum plays an important role in motivated learners. Your kids aren’t not going to be in love with all curricula, but there will be some that they prefer over others. Whether it is a homeschool all in one or you piece it together. Try to give them a curriculum they will like.

This will not be perfect, so set realistic expectations. A curriculum they don’t dread is a good enough goal for your curriculum choices.

If your kids dread the curriculum they are using, then every day is going to be frustrating for all of you. If you dread the curriculum they are using, then you will be frustrated too.

Also, keep this in mind. Just because you like a curriculum doesn’t me it fits their learning style. And the curriculum you dislike may be the perfect fit.

My daughter has begged me not to change her curriculum. She uses Abeka Academy, and always has. Here’s the thing, when I was homeschooled and I used Abeka Math, I swore to myself that I would never use it again. I did not like it at all…and now I use it for my kids.

Ditch Perfection

If you spend any time on social media, then you see the posts of the ideal homeschool. We all post them. It’s ok because we have some days like that. But not every day is like it.

We are going to have bad days, frustrating days, and days we just need to take a break. That is the entire reality of homeschooling. Ditch your ideas of the perfect homeschool day. It doesn’t exist and you won’t attain it.

You want to give your kids the best education and you can. Sometimes kids need deadlines. Yes, depending on the age, it is a life skill to teach your kids how to meet deadlines. A free flowing schedule is not going to encourage motivated learning. Or teach them important life skills.

Let me add this. I don’t think your four- or five-year-olds need to learn how to meet deadlines. Or sit at a desk for 7 hours a day. That isn’t age appropriate. But your high school student should be more than capable of meeting a deadline and finishing the tasks before him.

The perfect homeschool day doesn’t need to look like all the social media posts we see of kids splashing through the creek or climbing rocks in the woods. We have neither of those where I live, or very few.

It can be sitting at their desks finishing their workbooks because that is best for them.

I recently listened to a podcast on writing. The interviewee was talking about how the school system doesn’t encourage the creative process. The creative process involves making mistakes, but the school system only allows for one chance to take a test or write a paper, and that’s it. However, the writing process is all about being able to get something wrong and change it.

Mom, this is the greatest gift we can give to our kids. Things don’t have to be perfect, even with their schoolwork. We get the opportunity to take steps in a direction and fix it later.

Ditch the idea of a perfect homeschool day or striving for your first grader to learn algebra. Teach your kids that they can make mistakes, but also how to fix them.

I might need to say this too. Obviously, this doesn’t apply to everything. There needs to be self-control and taking responsibility for stupid actions (you know, play stupid games, win stupid prizes). But academics doesn’t have to be perfect.

Embrace Independence to Create a Motivated Learner

One of the biggest tools to create a motivated learner is to embrace independent learning. Yes, you can teach your kids to take responsibility for their schoolwork in the early grades.

Again, this is age appropriate. Start with one or two subjects that you know your child can succeed at independently. You want to encourage confidence that he can do it, so when you add the next subject, it isn’t overwhelming. Your child has learned that he can do well working independently.

My kids thrive on managing their own schedules and being responsible for their schoolwork. Our homeschool day starts with set routines. They all know that schoolwork gets done before anything else, but they get to decide which subjects and how they want to work. Math on the stairs is pretty popular in our house. I’m still trying to figure out why.

Give them age-appropriate autonomy and watch them soar.

Create a Motivated Learner by Feeding Interests

This is one of our homeschool superpowers. We can focus on interest-based learning. I still use our homeschool all in one curriculum, but I also fuel their curiosity with other learning tools.

Skillshare is probably the one tool that all my kids use when they want to learn something new. From stop motion to 3D printing to photography and bookkeeping. They all use these classes to learn something new.

Homeschooling online gives you the freedom, if you don’t have the knowledge, for your kids to explore more. Spark their curiosity and feed their interest. They will be motivated learners.

Unrealistic and Clear Expectations

I see a lot of parents frustrated with homeschool. And I get it, things aren’t going as planned. But here’s the thing, sometimes your expectations are unrealistic, or they aren’t clear.

If your 5-year-old has no interest in school and really doesn’t want to learn. You are getting frustrated with this. You start to think homeschooling will never work if it is like this. Reset your expectations. It is normal for 5-year-olds to show no interest in school, especially boys. All my kids fought me at this age. After 6 kids, I learned to just stop.

There is a lot of maturing that happens between 5 and 6. If your young child is fighting you on it, then just wait until 6. I promise, you will thank me for it.

This is just one example of unrealistic expectations. Think of a struggle or frustration you are experiencing. Are your expectations realistic?

Sometimes we expect our kids to do something or act a certain way, but we haven’t actually told them this is what we expect. That can be very frustrating for everyone.

My kids know I expect an 80% on their schoolwork. They also know that they will keep working on the problems until they are successful. This is very clear to them, and I don’t get too much complaining when they have to go back and redo something. They know. It isn’t a surprise.

Do your kids clearly know what you expect? A morning routine really helps to set your expectations for the day.

Empower Your Homeschool Journey: Create a Motivated Learner

Creating a motivated learner is an ongoing process. Every year brings a new season that you need to adapt to. But this is all part of the growth process for you and your kids.

Curriculum plays one of the most important role in whether your kids are motivated to learn. I invite you to grab a copy of The Momtrepreneur’s Guide to Curriculum, 2nd edition: Over 60 Pages of Sanity Saving Tips. I’ve bought a lot of curricula over the years (like a lot, I homeschool 6 kids), and this is the good, the bad, and the ugly on curriculum.

Get Your Guide Now!

FAQs for Creating a Motivated Learner

Q: How do I keep my child motivated if they lose interest?

A: If your child loses interest, try to reconnect with their interests, or change the curriculum. Sometimes a change of pace or subject can reignite their enthusiasm.

Q: What if my child resists independent learning?

A: Gradually introduce independent learning by offering choices and empowering them with small responsibilities. Start with short, manageable tasks and build up as they gain confidence.

Q: How can I set clear expectations for the day?

A: Creating routines will help to set your day on autopilot, so your kids know what to do, and you keep your sanity. Routines put mundane tasks on autopilot, so you aren’t being peppered with constant questions about when to eat lunch.

Q: What resources are best for promoting independent learning?

A: All in one curriculum is create resource to encourage independent learning. Everything is planned for you, and your kids can open the box and run.