How Teacher Emotions and Motivation Shape Student Success
From Psychology in the Classroom by Lucinda Powell
December 10, 2025 · 29 min · Season 14 · Episode 13
About this episode
Professor Rebecca Lazarides discusses the factors that keep teachers motivated and how this impacts student success.
With Prof. Rebecca Lazarides In this motivational end-of-term episode, Professor Rebecca Lazarides (Professor for Empirical Research on Instruction and Schools at the University of Potsdam, Germany) discusses what keeps teachers motivated - even when energy is running low. Rebecca shares insights from her work on teacher motivation, explaining how self-reflection, supportive colleagues, and celebrating small wins can help teachers stay positive. The conversation explores practical strategies for managing emotions, the importance of authentic enthusiasm, and how school environments shape motivation. Listeners are encouraged to reflect on their successes and try new ideas, leaving them with a boost of encouragement as they head into a well-deserved break. The podcast in bullet points: Teacher motivation and its impact on teaching quality. The distinction between enthusiasm for the subject and enthusiasm for teaching. The role of teacher emotions in classroom dynamics and student motivation. External factors affecting teacher motivation, such as school environment and job demands. Strategies for teachers to manage emotions and maintain motivation. The importance of strong…
People in this episode
Host: Lucinda Powell
Guest: Rebecca Lazarides
Topics covered
- teacher motivation
- student success
- emotional regulation
- classroom dynamics
- supportive environments
- self-reflection
Keywords
- teacher emotions
- motivation strategies
- classroom success
- enthusiasm
- self-efficacy
- reflective practices
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: University of Potsdam
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