I have seen a few "demotivators" hanging in different classrooms around the school. My first thought, upon seeing the above image, was your typical "ha." Then it was, "ouch." And finally it became a "hmmmm...". I typically tend to see and read these without a passing thought, but as a teacher, it struck a particular chord.
I want to be able to tell all my students they are "special" or "unique." Words that either have a positive or negative connotation, depending on the tone of voice in which they are said. I want my students to find their special or unique niche in life, and I want them to either find and/or utilize it somehow in my classroom.
But then I realized that perhaps teachers are using this thought train as an excuse. How many times do teachers tell students that they may or may not do something because they are "special"? Or we allow students to go on being socially awkward because they're "unique"?
Everybody is unique. At least that is how the saying goes. But if you want to make anything of yourself, it always feels like you have to be a cut above the rest. That is a demotivator. However, I think the lesson here is that it is not enough to be "special" and "unique." Those talents or skills should lead you to be useful. If you're good at communicating with people, good for you. But perhaps we should stop leading people to believe that they should stop there. I'm not talking world-changing (although there is that potential, isn't there?). I just think that the time has come to motivate students. Even if we have to demotivate them first.
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