As hoop teachers we all want our students to leave class feeling energized with a sense of achievement. We want them to feel excited to practice at home and stay motivated both at home and in class.
But what happens when they lose their hooping mojo? How can we keep them motivated?
I asked the Hoop Love Coaches in our private group, and of course, their answers were inspiring and brilliant. If you are a hoop teacher then you will totally relate to these fabulous ways to keep students motivated, learning and coming back to class for more.
Angela Gialluca Reitter of Color Me Hoopy says:
Cookies!
🍪, nah, that only works for ME! The usual, words of encouragement…Look at you! You did it! Come here so I can hoop high five you!! Now do it again and add this!
😉Especially when someone does something quickly that took me MONTHS of struggle!! I usually let them know that they got it faster than I did, bow down and give them the “I’m not worthy!” Worship gesture, lol. At the end of every session, I bring LEDs & disco lights. One time I put the GoPro on the 50” hoop and edited a vid of each student using it.
😂
🤪
Lee LaLoopna Hoops says :
I tend to remind my students frequently that this stuff is hard! I talk about the hours upon hours I have spent spinning in circles, the endless hooper bloopers. I share my favorite hoop philosophy, “If I haven’t dropped my hoop in awhile, it’s time to learn something new!” I tell them how my personal goal is to hoop every single day. I encourage adults specifically to take the time to just play with the hoop, don’t be afraid to look silly or mess up. It’s one of the best ways to learn! I also encourage my students to get excited about the little victories, and remind them that they will get out what they put in. With time and practice, they will learn to amaze themselves with what they can do!
Buket Rin says:
I try to focus on their creativity, the things they do naturally and they do well or the things they can teach to me or to others. Sometimes I make them show something they do differently in the class to others or teach me. I try to make them understand, everyone has their own way and also if they can’t do something that I showed, make them pretend to do it the best way they can. Just be OK with dropping their hoop, and so many times I drop my hoop when I show them something (not on purpose always) and always explain to them how I learned something and the kind of struggles I had while learning, so they know their struggle is normal too.
Missy Cooke of Lansing Hoops says:
I like to offer tricks at the lowest level of achievement they can get, and then offer more advanced variations if they’re superstars.
With my kids, I always add the word “yet”, followed by smiling groans (‘Uh, I can’t do this!’ Correction: ‘You can’t do this yet.” — Then a story about how it took me forever, or everyone learns at their own pace, or whatever.
Something else I’ve learned the hard way is not letting my student’s discouragement change my course. Some people are discouraged right up until they get something. Others are overly enthusiastic. I try not to let their feelings change mine, only take it into consideration. I have had so many students who appear frustrated or angry tell me after the class how great it was.
I think motivation is something someone has to find for themselves. It’s almost impossible for someone to motivate anyone who isn’t interested. I have used this idea to bring people out of a funk (ranging from gentle to firm, “if you don’t want to be here, I invite you to leave”) Sometimes people need to hear how they appear to everyone else before they find that internal motivation.
Sunny Diz Soti of Hoopit! says:
Hehehe! I give them chocolate and stickers! It is not the whole truth, but it has some truth in there! I like to treat the adults exactly as if they were children. And I truly believe they deserve more rewarding and accepting than they get in their jobs and everyday life. I try to tell them that they should take their time for everything, that hooping has no exams, no rules, no right or wrong. I like to share with them also my own struggling with some moves or my dislike for some others.
😊 And I always compare them with themselves in past classes, so they can see their own development.
Emma Black of HipHoopHooray says:
This is such a tough one as each individual is so different. I make sure that all of my students feel comfortable to ask questions and I make sure/try and give each one a little bit of one on one time too! Also remembering their name makes a massive difference!
Michelle Lee of Pachy Hoops says:
Lots of specific praise (like they teach you to do for children in training). But I have to learn which people don’t mind me saying aloud ‘hey Brenda, I saw you work that hoop back up from your hip! Great job!’ Versus walking over to them and saying it more low key. Some people don’t like the attention. Also, I like to end class with a move(s) that everyone gets so that we stop on a positive note with self-esteem high.
Silke Hein from @inthehoopinggarden says:
At the moment I only work with children…they are motivated naturally
And they are super motivated for every new trick I show them.
Carrie-Lyn MacDougall of HooptasticHoop says:
When my students feel frustrated I show them a new move I’m working on. When they see me fail they realize I didn’t wake up this good. It gives them more drive to keep going. When they reach their own personal goal no matter how little I typically get over excited. Maybe that’s because I have 4 kids and we celebrate every accomplishment big and little or maybe every little step needs as much celebration as the big ones.
Are you a hoop student with a wonderful hoop teacher who keeps you motivated?
Or are you a hoop teacher with great ways to keep your students motivated? Also, how do you keep your hoop mojo?? Let us know below. Join the conversation.
