Our Reason
Global investment in government schools is at record levels. School attendance has also improved greatly. But children in low- and middle-income countries are still not learning. More than half of the world’s students are not on track to gain the most basic skills they need to get a job or participate in society. A lack of access to quality teaching is preventing quality learning.
To solve the global learning crisis, we must also solve the global teaching crisis. According to UNESCO, the world urgently needs 44 million teachers by 2030. Teachers are leaving the profession faster than ever before. Many report high levels of burnout. These are existential challenges for systems around the world to deliver quality education.
Increasingly, we also demand that teachers tackle complex social issues such as climate change, gender inequality and social justice. As a result, teachers feel undervalued, demotivated and disregarded by their education systems.
“Among the numerous determinants of quality education and learning outcomes, getting a qualified and motivated teacher into the classroom is the single-most important school-based factor.”
-The International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030
It’s not enough to improve teachers’ skills – we need to address their mindset and motivation. We cannot improve learning for our children until we change the way that teachers think and feel.
Teachers need motivation to create the right environments for children to flourish. They need support to effectively, intentionally and sustainably improve their classroom practice. This correlates with positive outcomes for children, including achievement, engagement, behaviour and enjoyment. And it also supports teachers’ own well-being and job satisfaction and reduces burnout.
Environments matter for teachers’ experience of the workplace too. Contexts need to foster teachers’ sense of professional identity. If they do, teachers will stay, teach and grow within their profession. Role-modelling from school leaders and government officials is also key. This ensures that the conditions are in place to build positive and trusting relationships.
Motivation comes from extrinsic and intrinsic sources. At STiR, we’re interested in intrinsic motivation. Academic research shows that what motivates someone is not the opposite of what demotivates someone. Extrinsic factors like fair pay, good working conditions and formal career structures are important – and their absence can certainly lead to demotivation. But once these are in place, intrinsic motivation is what really makes a difference.
We employ the core principles of intrinsic motivation throughout our work.
The sense that you can change something.
The sense that you can improve.
The sense that you are connected to your work and others around you.
At STiR, we are uniquely positioned to focus on reigniting teacher motivation. We’ve now been working on this topic within education systems for more than ten years. Our model works across whole education systems in partnership with governments. We aim to change behaviours at every level and ensure that these are sustained. This is our distinctive contribution to achieving SDG4.
We’ve shown that investment in motivation can be extremely cost-effective. Our programmes cost less than USD $1 per child per year, and falling. And through motivating teachers, we’ve been able to make an equitable and sustainable impact for millions of children around the world.
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Copyrights By STiR Education - 2024
