Factors Influencing Teachers’ Motivating Styles in Singapore: A Whole School Approach

Abstract

In recent years, Singapore’s education system has received international recognition due to our students continued and sustained high performance in internationally benchmarked tests of student achievement. Despite the stellar achievements, there are concerns that our students may be too focused on academic grades, and not enjoying their learning. To promote joy of learning and student engagement, we need to focus on teachers who are at the frontline of our education system and the environment that they are in. Teachers matter and they can create classroom climate that facilitates student growth and engagement, or one that thwarts student motivation and enjoyment. Grounded in a self-determination theory framework, this chapter examines the factors influencing teachers’ motivating style and the effectiveness of an autonomy-supportive intervention offered to secondary school teachers and their students in Singapore. In the first part of the chapter, the extent to which school-related factors (factors from above), the teacher-related factor (factor from within) and student-related factors (factor from below) influence teachers’ motivating style will be examined. In the second part, the chapter will present the effect of an autonomy-supportive intervention program on teachers and students. Data were collected via questionnaires and in-depth interviews from both the teachers and students’ perspectives. We provide and overview of a whole school approach in motivating teachers and students.