Energize your child's inner-zeal!

 Inner-zeal is a concept I created to help children develop motivation, passion, strengths, and interests that will help them become more engaged in their learning. It is more than just motivation, as it also includes external and internal motivational learning styles.

External motivational learning styles are those that are based on extrinsic factors, such as rewards or punishments. Internal motivational learning styles are those that are based on intrinsic factors, such as interest or enjoyment.

Inner-zeal can be developed in children through a variety of activities, such as:

• Providing them with opportunities to explore their interests
• Giving them choices in their learning
• Celebrating their successes
• Providing them with positive feedback
• Helping them to set goals and achieve them

By developing inner-zeal, children can become more engaged in their learning and achieve their full potential.

Motivation can come from within or from without. Internal motivation is the desire to do something because you want to, while external motivation is the desire to do something because you will be rewarded or punished for it.

Internal motivation is often seen as the more desirable form of motivation, as it is based on personal goals and values. However, external motivation can also be helpful, especially when starting a new task or when motivation is low.

 Sometimes, we need a little push from the outside to keep going. Whether it's a short break, a snack, or a game on our phone, taking a moment to ourselves can help us recharge and refocus. This is especially true when we're working on tasks that we don't find particularly enjoyable or inspiring.

External motivators are all around us. Businesses use them to get us to buy their products, and schools use them to keep students engaged in their learning. Even teachers are expected to have behavior plans displayed on a classroom wall that demonstrate how they manage their students' behavior.  Behavior plans using external rewards and punishments are highly used in special needs classrooms. Some students also have behavior improvement plans written into their IEPs that use external rewards and punishments.

 While external motivators can be helpful in the short-term, they're not always sustainable in the long run. If we want to build lasting motivation, we need to find ways to tap into our own internal motivation. When we're motivated from within, we're more likely to stick with our goals and achieve our dreams.     Most parents and teachers would like their children to learn how to use internal motivators as they grow into young adults.