10 Ways to Motivate Children Regarding Their Schoolwork

A common remark I've heard over the years when people learn that I homeschool is "I could never homeschool, my kids would never listen to me.  I can barely get them to do their homework."  My usual reply is that my kids listen to me regarding their schoolwork because that is all they know.  If my children were used to somebody else being their teacher, they probably wouldn't listen to me regarding their homework either! 

Having said that, though, I have tried over the years to keep my children motivated regarding their schoolwork.  I want my children to try their best and finish their work in a timely fashion without excessive dawdling.  While I certainly don't have any foolproof methods to guarantee highly motivated children, I have used many methods to encourage my children in our homeschool.

• Offer choices when choice is an option.  I have had success using Writing Menus in the past with my children.  A Writing Menu allows them to choose writing assignments from a list of acceptable writing assignments.
• Offer small rewards/tickets for excellent work.  I have used a system of small rewards or tickets for larger rewards in the past and it has worked well.  I don't think this system works as well when children get older (because the rewards teens desire are often too expensive) but when children are little and enjoy inexpensive treats and toys, a trip to the "reward basket" can be quite rewarding!  Rewards can also be non-tangible such as playing a game of the child's choice with Mom or getting to pick the restaurant for after church on Sunday.  Kris from Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers has used a Treasure Box for rewards and has had success with it.  A great place to order inexpensive treats and toys is Oriental Trading Company.  They have many toy assortments to choose from on their website.
• Keep a running list of the child's independent reading and offer a prize when the child reaches a certain number of books.  Each of my children has a Reading Chart.  All of the novels they read for school and all of their independent reading is written on the chart.  When 50 books are reached, I pay the child $10.00.  We follow our local library's reading club guidelines that 50 pages = 1 book and the book has to be age-appropriate.  Again, the Reading Charts were more motivating to my children when they were younger but they do appreciate the cash reward for the reading!  As well, I have ready-made lists of all of their reading for the school year to put in their portfolios for year-end evaluations.
• Put stickers on completed workbook pages that reflect excellent work.  When I grade, I always use stickers to complement my encouraging words.  Sometimes, my children even ask if they can pick the stickers to put on their pages.  Stickers are fun, relatively inexpensive, and bring a smile to a child's face.  And, my teenager still enjoys the stickers!
• Snacks, snacks, snacks.  One of the most motivating things I can do for my children to keep them moving through their schoolwork each day is to provide snacks and a hearty, comforting lunch for them.  A small bowl of fresh strawberries can really brighten the mood of a teenager who is struggling through a difficult math lesson.  A cup of animal crackers can be just the motivation needed for a 9 year old boy who is trying to match Latin and Greek word roots with their meanings.  I know that snacks can be a distraction with very young children but I find them a welcome addition to the homeschool day now that my children are a bit older.
• Drinks, drinks, drinks.  Right on the heels of snacks, snacks, snacks is the importance of keeping my children properly hydrated during the day.  I encourage my children to drink lots of water throughout the day.  Hot chocolate, smoothies, or juice often accompany the children to the living room for our after-lunch read-alouds.
• Publish their writing.  I can think of few things LESS motivating than completing an assignment and then watching my teacher chuck it in the garbage.  While I can't save everything and I do toss some workbook pages after they have been graded, returned, and reviewed; I do make a point to publish the vast majority of their writing assignments.  What do I mean by publish?  Through publishing, I try to share their work with others and celebrate their writing.  I wrote a series of posts about different ways to publish student writing including:  Publishing Student Writing, Paper Bag Books; Publishing Student Writing, Tall Tales and Bare Books; Lapbooks and Folder Books; and Publishing Student Writing, Bound Books.
• Gush about their work on your blog.  I love the Weekly Wrap-Up at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers because it gives me a weekly opportunity to showcase art projects and accomplishments from the week.  My children enjoy seeing their schoolwork showcased on my blog and it gives their work a much wider audience than our immediate family.  I always share encouraging comments with them.
• Showcase their work throughout your home.  While I primarily display art projects, other schoolwork could be proudly displayed as well.  I wrote an article last year for The Homeschool Classroom about different ways to display children's artwork.  Jimmie from Jimmie's Collage wrote a great article about displaying schoolwork at Heart of the Matter.
• Look for ways to share their work with others in the community.  Our state homeschool organization has a yearly Showcase where homeschooled students can come and share their accomplishments with others.  My middle son will be putting together an art exhibit of some of his best artwork to share at the Showcase.  He is already very excited about the opportunity and the Showcase is months away!

I am sure there are lots of other ways to encourage and motivate our children at home.  What have you done that has been successful in motivating your children to do their best on their schoolwork?  I'd love to hear your ideas.