Overview

Why should we inspire our students and why is it an important component of an engaging curriculum?

Inspirational teaching is often associated with being an excellent teacher (Jensen, Adams and Strickland, 2014). The literature highlights the need to have a passion and enthusiasm for our subject in order to inspire that passion in our students (Derounian, 2017). However, the focus of inspiration should not be on the teacher but on the importance of inspiring students to achieve good outcomes. Inspiring students can positively impact their motivation and has been associated with increased attention and changes in behaviour (Cotterill, 2015).

Central to positive student outcomes is having high expectations (Chickering and Gamson, 1987). This does not mean placing undue pressure and stress on students to achieve but having expectations that are at an appropriately high level for that particular student rather than the opposite of setting expectations too low (Kuh and O'Donnell, 2013).

Reflecting on your practice

When considering how to create an inspiring educational experience for students think about the following questions:

• Do you show passion and enthusiasm for your subject and try to encourage students to be passionate too?
  
  
• Do you understand how students learn and how to support the development of their subject knowledge?
  
  
• Do you provide a constructive but challenging learning environment with an appropriately high level of expectations of students?
  
  
• Do you place students at the centre of the learning environment and take a collaborative approach to their learning and the curriculum?