A research from a premier institute is not required to prove that kids learn better when they are motivated and emotionally connected with the curriculum, project or activity, we all will have a lot of experiences from our life to establish this fact. A very silent classroom where the sound of ceiling fan, or of the chalk being scribbled along with occasional instructions from the teacher are the only disruptions to the monotony, cannot arguably provide a suitable learning environment for the kids being prepared for the 21st century. There is a need for a lot of excitement, energy, and enthusiasm in the classroom. And if today’s classroom setups don’t allow such environment, we should look beyond the conventional definitions and requisites of a classroom. Creating a positive learning environment which will spark motivation in students is as important as teaching basic skills and life skills. In fact, a learning environment fused with elements which promote learning of 21st-century skills can do wonders. To create a student-centered learning space, we need to think like them. It is difficult to think like them but engaging with them for a long time can help build a little perspective. Kids often don’t think so logically; for example, you can see the cycle tires being painted in the pictures. There is no direct utility or reason for the tires to be colorful, but when I asked the kids to choose the tires for them, they went for the brightest color and it triggered a discussion and thinking over colors on the tires. Now think if the tires would have been without paint, all black, there wasn’t much to discuss or choose, nor would we have experienced the excitement emanating from the colored tires. The reason why I am big supporter of activity based, a game based or group projects based learning is that they bring in such excitement, involvement and the next level of collaboration which require the kids to be highly aware of the people and the space around them. And in such scenario, learning is natural. As a part of the activity, it might require the team of students to sit in silence, reflect or practice some fine skills like perfecting the grammar of a language or solving a complex mathematical puzzle where the sound of ceiling fan might get highlighted but it will even have dynamism much more than the routine silent classroom. Possessing intrinsic motivation may not be a matter of chance but a result of an activated learning environment creating an interest in the student to learn a concept or skill. Such individuals will naturally enjoy the subject and the desire to master it. When a student reaches this stage, she can be encouraged to have mastery goals rather than performance goals. She should be exposed to the rewards of true learning rather than that of grades and scores. Each one will have a different learning journey and the teacher’s responsibility should be to make each journey worthwhile. We can discuss more on fostering intrinsic motivation and bringing in excitement, energy, and enthusiasm in learning space. I look forward to your views. – Siddharth Mishra, Learning Catalyst at Klorofeel Foundation
A research from a premier institute is not required to prove that kids learn better when they are motivated and emotionally connected with the curriculum, project or activity, we all will have a lot of experiences from our life to establish this fact. A very silent classroom where the sound of ceiling fan, or of the chalk being scribbled along with occasional instructions from the teacher are the only disruptions to the monotony, cannot arguably provide a suitable learning environment for the kids being prepared for the 21st century. There is a need for a lot of excitement, energy, and enthusiasm in the classroom. And if today’s classroom setups don’t allow such environment, we should look beyond the conventional definitions and requisites of a classroom. Creating a positive learning environment which will spark motivation in students is as important as teaching basic skills and life skills. In fact, a learning environment fused with elements which promote learning of 21st-century skills can do wonders. To create a student-centered learning space, we need to think like them. It is difficult to think like them but engaging with them for a long time can help build a little perspective. Kids often don’t think so logically; for example, you can see the cycle tires being painted in the pictures. There is no direct utility or reason for the tires to be colorful, but when I asked the kids to choose the tires for them, they went for the brightest color and it triggered a discussion and thinking over colors on the tires. Now think if the tires would have been without paint, all black, there wasn’t much to discuss or choose, nor would we have experienced the excitement emanating from the colored tires. 
The reason why I am big supporter of activity based, a game based or group projects based learning is that they bring in such excitement, involvement and the next level of collaboration which require the kids to be highly aware of the people and the space around them. And in such scenario, learning is natural. As a part of the activity, it might require the team of students to sit in silence, reflect or practice some fine skills like perfecting the grammar of a language or solving a complex mathematical puzzle where the sound of ceiling fan might get highlighted but it will even have dynamism much more than the routine silent classroom. Possessing intrinsic motivation may not be a matter of chance but a result of an activated learning environment creating an interest in the student to learn a concept or skill. Such individuals will naturally enjoy the subject and the desire to master it. When a student reaches this stage, she can be encouraged to have mastery goals rather than performance goals. She should be exposed to the rewards of true learning rather than that of grades and scores. Each one will have a different learning journey and the teacher’s responsibility should be to make each journey worthwhile. We can discuss more on fostering intrinsic motivation and bringing in excitement, energy, and enthusiasm in learning space. I look forward to your views. – Siddharth Mishra, Learning Catalyst at Klorofeel Foundation