Create a Personalized and Motivating Learning Environment for Students

According to the ISLLC Standard 2, instructional leaders create a personalized and motivating learning environment for students. Personalized and motivating learning environments are essential for learning to occur in classrooms and schools. This chapter asks aspiring instructional leaders to consider intrinsic as well as extrinsic dimensions of learning environments that support student and teacher engagement in learning. More specifically, this chapter will provide instructional leaders with understandings of the relationships among motivation, engagement, creativity, and learning. The chapter also includes a case study and learning activities to help aspiring leaders think through challenges or tensions that may arise as leaders work to change learning environments. To begin, I invite you to reflect on your own experiences as an adult learner in the opening reflection activity. Keep your reflection available to reconsider as you work through the next section of the chapter. Subsequent activities will ask you to relate your learning experiences to student learning.