Mr Bill Rusin, Interim Principal
At Kuyper Christian School, we take a distinctive approach to student motivation—one that prioritises relationship, grace, and purpose over traditional reward systems. Rather than relying on stickers, stars, or awards to motivate students, our approach centres on fostering a genuine desire to learn, grounded in love, dignity, and meaningful connection with God, teachers, peers, and the learning process itself. We want our students to grow into confident, compassionate learners who are motivated by relationships, curiosity, and service, not by competition or comparison.
The Heart of Motivation: Relationship
We believe each child is a whole person, created in God’s image, deeply relational, and responsive to love and grace. This means that motivation should stem from strong, loving relationships between students and teachers, where trust, forgiveness, and unconditional acceptance give students the courage to take risks and learn from failure.
We want our teachers to model a personal love for learning and set high, compassionate expectations that demonstrate an understanding of students’ strengths and weaknesses and inspire them to grow. In the context of this type of learning relationship, students are affirmed through meaningful, natural feedback that is directly connected to their learning, rather than extrinsic rewards, prizes, or marks.
Learning with Purpose: Motivation Through Context
Just as Jesus lived fully in the context of His time and culture, we believe learning must be rooted in real, purposeful life experiences. This means that lessons should be relevant, challenging and engaging, with opportunities for exploration, surprise and real-world impact.
Such an approach avoids artificial motivation tactics that foster competition or selfishness. Instead, it allows students to discover joy in the learning process itself and in outcomes that serve God and others.
Play and Creativity: Motivation Through Joy
God is the Creator of life, joy and beauty. The creativity, artistry, and craftsmanship of teachers and students are genuine reflections of a creating God and vibrant expressions of our humanness. We want our classrooms to reflect this through playful and creative learning experiences that stimulate curiosity and imagination; embrace humour, drama, and excitement; and celebrate talents, craftsmanship, and the thrill of discovery.
We want our students to pursue excellence, not for grades or comparison, but for the joy of doing something well and the satisfaction of sharing that in community.
Upholding Dignity Over Dangles
Using external rewards can undermine children’s dignity and intrinsic motivation. They convey the message that students are not naturally interested, trustworthy, or capable unless they are coaxed. At Kuyper, we believe every child is made in God’s image, with a unique purpose and deep capacity for learning. Our task is to inspire, not manipulate, that God-given desire.
Children are motivated by relationships, trust, purpose, and the satisfaction of learning well, not by trinkets or treats. They thrive when they feel their work matters—whether by sharing it with peers, receiving a thank-you, or being trusted with responsibility.
Our role as educators is to minister to the whole child, not to manipulate behaviour. To set high but realistic expectations in the context of trusting and respectful relationships, and to give feedback that is specific, constructive and rooted in genuine progress, not comparisons.
Learning In God’s World
At its heart, Kuyper’s approach to motivation is grounded in the Gospel:
Grace, not merit
Love, not manipulation
Relationships, not rewards.
This vision prepares students not only to achieve academically but to live with gratitude, humility, and purpose, following Jesus in every area of life.
Let us partner together as parents and teachers to inspire our children, not through external rewards, but through relationships that reflect God’s love, and learning that reflects His world.