(Agrupamento de Escolas Alcaides de Faria, Barcelos, Portugal) 

Abstract: Learning must be, in the early stages of our formation, independent of all social constraints or innate characteristics, being only conditioned by motivation.

Motivating has immense allies, some more obvious than others, but it suffers from two deadly enemies: effort and sacrifice. Both, whatever justification we give, are incomprehensible to young people!  

Shift the appeal to self-sacrifice for the development of a system that, in a simple way, creates conditions for learning to be of high standards, but does not require effort from the students, is the proposal of our concept.

If one ask a child or teenager what they like to do the most, we are highly likely to be told that is to play and compete. So, it’s up to us, teachers, transform our classes to meet their tastes, knowing that, doing so, our job will also become much more enjoyable and fruitful.

Above all, we will all gain mental readiness and time to debate, reflect and build foundations sufficiently solid so that self-learning and the search for solutions to practical problems becomes effective.

Key words: gamification, meaningful learning, work and personal effort, motivation, role of the teacher