We’ve all certainly had our bouts with lack of motivation before. It can stem from anything—burnout, a skipped meal, inability or unwillingness to relate, the list goes on... While most of us can usually get over it pretty quickly, some students just can’t. And just like us, there’s a million possibilities as to why. Taking a detrimental toll on their academic careers, students who are unmotivated are not only more likely to fail classes, they’re also at a higher risk of dropping out once they reach high school or college. Luckily, we’ve found a few ways you can help inspire even the (seemingly) most uninterested.

No two students are the same, of course, but applying a five-pronged approach consisting of focus, commitment, reinforcement, motivation, and fun has proven successful for many classrooms across the country. Designating time (even as little as 15 minutes) and focus each and every week (don’t give up—repetition is key) addressing the goal of motivation is a great start, but it doesn’t end there! Pairing kids with older students who’ve been through similar stuff isn’t just another awesome experience, for them it can be transformational—it can also make all the difference in getting a college degree. And that’s something we all love to see!