Do you remember when you first became a teacher, a principal or educational leader? You had a spark, a fire that lit you up and motivated you to change the world, one student at a time. Then with the changing climate of education, you found your excitement somewhat dwindling. Now more than ever, educators are faced with unprecedented challenges that can affect daily motivation. Increased student caseloads, challenging behaviors, and lack of time in the instructional day are all contributors to teacher burn-out, and it’s time to re-light the fire.
As educators, we know the importance of teaching self-determination skills to our students, but these same principles can be essential in planning our own career goals and work motivation. Discover how the principles of self-determination theory - autonomy, competence, and relatedness - can help reignite your excitement for the school year, no matter when you start! Anissa Moore, an educator with over 30 years of experience teaching, leading, and nationally training educators and administrators, will walk you through simple, daily practices to support you in gaining a “matchbox” of tools to help you:
- set realistic and achievable goals for yourself and your year
- go from mindset to skillset in handling daily challenges
- promote practices for building stronger connections with students and coworkers
- explore simple ways to increase autonomy, competence, and an overall sense of optimism in your field
- rediscover your educational fire, and reignite your commitment to your students and yourself
Motivation is not handed to you, it’s a consistent set of behaviors that can be cultivated, practiced, and expanded. It's daily work. But aren’t you - and your students - worth it?
Anissa Moore is an independent educational consultant specializing in the field of early childhood education, special education, autism and behavior disorders, and the science of motivation. She is also the author of The Self-Determined Teacher: Using the Behavior Principles of Motivation to Re-Inspire Your Educational Fire (release date October 1, 2025). As a certified early childhood and special education teacher, principal and school district administrator, and Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) with over 30 years of public school experience, Anissa currently consults as a national presenter, program consultant, and motivational speaker for school districts and educational agencies across the nation. Anissa balances research-based principles with humor and personal experience in all her public speaking topics, encouraging participants to celebrate the gifts of all children while addressing and supporting student, parent, and educator challenges.
