Teachers’ Narratives on Student Motivation in Private Schools.

Abstract

This study explores and analyzes the stories of teachers about how they perceive, respond to, and influence students' motivation in the classroom at private schools in Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, and Kavrepalanchok, Nepal. Six teachers were selected from four private schools for an interview, employing a narrative inquiry methodology. Five key themes have emerged from the stories of teachers: the effectiveness of external rewards such as scholarships and material incentives, providing autonomy support by allowing students to choose their preferred learning, counseling for intrinsic motivation by understanding students’ learning difficulties, the impact of teacher-student relationships, and family involvement for motivation. However, family involvement has been considered a foundation for intrinsic motivation. This study reveals that extrinsic motivation is effective for immediate results but is not as sustainable as intrinsic motivation, which is important for long term academic success and achievement. Teachers have emphasized the importance of a supportive learning environment to fulfill the psychological needs of students for autonomy, competence, and relatedness, aligning with Self-Determination Theory by Ryan and Deci. Financial limitations of families, problematic home environments, student a motivation, and teachers' own lack of motivation due to poor working conditions have been identified as barriers to student motivation. This study recommends that teachers apply counseling methods for a friendly and supportive learning environment, collaborate closely with parents to address any family-related obstacles, and apply various teaching strategies, such as peer learning and project-based activities, to engage students with diverse learning interests. The administration of the school should ensure fair workloads, provide necessary resources, and offer emotional support programs to teachers for their motivation and well-being. Education Policy should mandate teacher training programs and include student motivation in the school curriculum. The study also recommends that these findings are essential for creating and maintaining both extrinsic and intrinsic motivation, eventually leading to better academic success and overall development of students. Finally, this study recommends that policymakers include student motivation in education policy as a core component of the learning environment and provide financial support to both schools and families as needed.