Teacher’s life – how to motivate tired students (or not)

I had a hard time teaching today. My students are between two spring breaks, only thinking about the next holiday season. They seem tired, distracted and listless.

I asked Chat GPT to create a simple drawing based on my experience there and then. I then followed up asking about some tips on how to motivate my students.

Here’s what Chat GPT came up with:

Here are five tips specifically for motivating tired teenage students:

1. Incorporate movement: Short brain breaks, stretching, or quick activities can re-energize tired students.
2. Use short, engaging tasks: Break lessons into smaller, lively segments to maintain focus without overwhelming them.
3. Connect emotionally: Acknowledge their tiredness and show empathy — sometimes just feeling understood can boost motivation.
4. Make learning active and hands-on: Use games, discussions, or creative projects to pull them out of passive “sleep mode.”
5. Focus on small wins: Set very achievable short-term goals so students experience quick success and feel a sense of progress.

These are some great tips. However, as I was probably as inert as my students today I decided otherwise. I decided to let go.

So many of us are control freaks and I am no exception. Having ADHD, I will do anything to hide the mess I am, especially at work. But this is what I am learning, what I have been practicing recently – let go. Having those moments is, after all, a part of this experience.

So today I chose to not motivate my students. I chose to let them be.