Today, the level of students’ motivation to learn is steadily declining. There are many reasons for this. First came the COVID-19 pandemic, which moved our children to online learning. Then followed Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, forcing—and continuing to force—many students to study in bomb shelters. In addition, learners are often overwhelmed by the volume of school subjects and educational content. Together, these factors have significantly reduced students’ motivation to learn. This is a challenge recognized by both teachers and parents.
 The issue of student motivation has concerned me for many years. In 2022, together with one of my students, I conducted a research project entitled ‘Increasing Students’ Motivation to Learn Mathematics through Competency-Based Problem Solving.’ The project won first place at the regional stage of the Junior Academy of Sciences of Ukraine research competition and became a laureate at the national final in the Pedagogy section. Based on both research and years of classroom experience, I would like to share several principles that have proven effective in motivating students to learn.
  The first principle is simple: help students fall in love with you before asking them to fall in love with your subject. Ivan Franko once said, ‘A school stands upon its teacher.’ Today, the teacher’s role is broader and more important than ever. A teacher cannot rely solely on deep subject knowledge. They must possess intellectual curiosity, understand developmental psychology, stay informed about different areas of life, and remain familiar with the interests and values of today’s young people. When I begin teaching a new group of fifth-grade students, my first priority is building trusting relationships. Only then do we establish our shared classroom expectations and learning rules.
 The second principle is sharing stories of successful people. Children often believe that successful individuals achieved everything effortlessly. However, when they learn about the difficulties, failures, and persistence behind those achievements, their perspective changes. I use biographies of famous people as well as stories from everyday life. Once, I told my students about our school principal’s journey and how years of dedicated work transformed our school. I also shared one of my own setbacks: during university I once failed a Mathematical Analysis colloquium despite being an excellent student. I studied harder, retook the assessment, and eventually earned the highest grade in the final examination. Students are inspired when they realize that even their teacher has made mistakes and persevered.
  The third principle is encouraging students to participate in competitions, Olympiads, and academic contests. These experiences strengthen motivation while developing resilience, confidence, and time-management skills. At first, students—and sometimes their parents—need encouragement to participate. Eventually, however, they begin eagerly anticipating each new opportunity. Throughout the process, I support my students without judging them by their results.
Perhaps the greatest achievement of my teaching career is that nine students whom I taught continuously from Grades 5 through 11 achieved a perfect score of 200 on Ukraine’s National Multi-Subject Test (NMT) in Mathematics. They accomplished this without private tutors. Today they are successful university students in Ukraine and abroad. More importantly, they have become kind and compassionate people.
  The fourth principle is the value of demonstration (open) lessons. Although some consider them outdated, I believe they remain a celebration for teachers, students, and colleagues alike. They inspire students to discover that mathematics is not always easy—but it is always fascinating.
  We live in exceptionally challenging times marked by educational reforms, the COVID-19 pandemic, and Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. These circumstances have also become a powerful motivation for self-improvement. Lifelong learning has never been more relevant. I continually attend seminars, webinars, educational festivals, visit schools across Ukraine, participate in EdCamp events, and study professional literature. My students see that I never stop learning, and this encourages them to do the same.
  So, who am I to my students? I strive to be someone who keeps promises, acts honestly, treats others with humanity, remains open, and is always fair. I walk beside my students. If they travel, I travel with them. If they go to the theatre, I go with them. If they sing, I sing; if they dance, I dance. I do not want to stand above them—I want to stand beside them as a trusted adult, mentor, and friend. They know I will always be there.
 These are my simple yet time-tested approaches to motivating students to learn. They have worked in my classroom. Perhaps they will work in yours as well.