Empowering Educators to Motivate Students

What: A 6-part online professional development series focused on motivation, SEL, and practical English-teaching tools

Who: K–12 and university English teachers (including ESP/EAP instructors and teacher educators)

When: September 29 — December 15, 2025 (see full schedule below)

Where: Zoom

Why: Motivated learners—and calm, confident teachers—make English the highlight of the week. 

What this series is about 

A hands-on, research-based course that helps you motivate students, manage classes with mixed English ability levels, lower anxiety, and run engaging lessons. Every session gives you ready-to-use activities, templates, and a clear “use it Monday” plan. 

“This workshop isn’t another program—it’s a transformation. It equips teachers with hope-driven tools that reduce teacher stress, boost student motivation, and build a thriving school culture.” 

Why it works 

• Teacher well-being = student success. Calm teachers create calm, focused classes. 

• Purpose drives effort. When teachers and students know WHY, they are more motivated to keep trying. 

• Brain science + bilingual benefits. Simple routines strengthen memory, attention, and problem-solving—learning English literally builds a stronger brain. 

Simple formula: Purpose = fuel • English = vehicle • Destination = your dream. 

What you’ll learn (across 6 sessions) 

• Connect teacher and student WHY to drive motivation and persistence. 

• Build a supportive SEL climate with simple, science-informed techniques. 

• Differentiate tasks, and supports for mixed proficiency English ability levels. 

• Design high-engagement tasks that integrate listening, speaking, reading, writing, and academic language. 

• Use technology when available to save prep time. 

• Align activities with common can-do descriptors for maximum efficiency and progress with English language learning students. 

What happens in every session 

• A short teacher wellness routine + a matching student motivation/SEL routine 

• How to weave both into daily lessons and classroom routines 

• English-teaching tools you can use now 

• A quick “why it works” note (neuroscience & learning science) 

• Monday-ready activities and a mini action plan 

By the end of the series, you will be able to… 

• Better protect your personal wellness which motivates the teacher and the students 

• Create a maximum learning environment which provides motivation to learn 

• Build student SEL by weaving strategies into everyday lessons and classroom routines 

• Motivate your English language students  with fun, engaging English activities 

• Provide activities that are differentiated by English language learning abilities 

• Use technology to cut prep time and leave with Monday-ready materials 

• Increase critical thinking skills which is motivating 

• Increase motivation by building collaborative connections 

Schedule 

The project is planned for two cohorts to accommodate participants in different time zones:

• Cohort 1 — 12:00-13:30 Moscow time

• Cohort 2 — 18:00-19:30 Moscow time

Both cohorts cover the same content, so participants only need to join the session at the time most convenient for them.

Session 1: September 29 — Quest for Purpose: Connecting to Our Why
Motivates by linking teacher and student purpose so every task feels meaningful and worth the effort. 

Session 2: October 13 — Harnessing Hope: Transforming Problems Into Possibilities
Motivates by turning obstacles into clear goals and pathways, building agency and momentum. 

Session 3: October 27 — Flipping the Script: Conquering Sabotaging Self-Talk
Motivates by replacing defeatist thoughts with confident self-talk that raises expectancy of success. 

Session 4: November 19 — Mind–Body Mastery: Strengthening Responsiveness
Motivates by calming the stress response so brains are ready to try, persist, and participate. 

Session 5: December 1 — Heart of Teaching & Learning: Cultivating Connections
Motivates by creating belonging and trust that make students want to engage and contribute. 

Session 6: December 15 — Putting It All Together
Motivates by converting ideas into a simple action plan that delivers quick wins and sustained progress. 

Be sure to join each session to see how to (1) weave strategies into daily classroom routines, (2) use successful, research-backed English teaching tools, (3) understand the neuroscience and critical-thinking reasons these practices work, and (4) leave with Monday-ready activities you can use right away. 

The meetings will not be recorded.

Technical Requirements 

• Zoom: Please install the latest Zoom client to ensure access to all features. 

Certificates 

Earn an e-certificate from the Regional English Language Office!

To qualify for an e-certificate, you need to attend at least 4 out of 6 Zoom sessions.

About the English Language Specialist 

Dr. Donita Grissom is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Central Florida, an English Language Specialist for the U.S. State Department, a national and international educational consultant, and the CEO of Best Questers, a professional learning company. She is the author of High Five to Thrive: 5 Proven Practices to Unleash Your Passion for Teaching and The BOOST Playbook: How to Engage and Support Multilingual Learners in Any Classroom (release date in October). With a Ph.D. in TESOL Education and extensive experience training teachers across the globe, Dr. Grissom equips educators with practical, research-based strategies to support multilingual learners, strengthen teacher wellness, and foster thriving school cultures. Her work centers on elevating student success by training teachers how to support students’ holistic growth and well-being, cultivating hope, and helping educators ignite their joy of teaching. 

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ALL AMERICAN CENTER IN MOSCOW EVENTS ARE FREE OF CHARGE / ALL EVENTS OF THE AMERICAN CENTER IN MOSCOW ARE FREE OF CHARGE

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These sessions are hosted on Zoom, so if you are interested in joining, please create a Zoom account beforehand. When registering below, please submit your valid email address to receive a link to the class Zoom meeting 30 minutes before the session begins.

To join other AMC Online programs, please check the American Center’s website and TimePad calendars.

#teacher #wellness #SEL #socialemotionallearning #motivation #Englishlanguagelearning