Lighting of a Fire

"Education is NOT the filing of a bucket, but the lighting of a fire." - W.B. Yeats

        Big Idea: Intrinsic Motivation

              The big topic I chose to write about was intrinsic motivation. I selected this topic because of how important motivation for student success is, and the impacts classroom management can have on intrinsic motivation.

              I was very intrigued by the article Punished by Rewards by Alfie Kohn. While reading his article my internal dialogue went something like this:

              Oh, I’m doing that. Oh, no!

              I’m already doing that. Great!

              I can do that!

One specific moment of reflection came from Kohn’s comment on praise. One strategy of my classroom management is positive praise for students who are behaving correctly. In my mind, I felt I was correcting undesirable behavior by exemplifying good behavior. However, after reading Kohn’s point on how this can cause an undesirable effect, and how I just turned learning into an, “act of triumph,” I realized that this simple action could be negatively impacting my students intrinsic motivation. With that said, I will no longer be using this strategy. 

              One aspect I felt validated on, was my actions of creating an accepting classroom community. I have never been one that has highly relied on punishment and rewards. Not because I'm up to date on all the recent research, or searched every TED Talk on the harms of extrinsic motivation, but rather because my strength has always been the relationships with my students. I regard my students as my children. I never go a day without saying I love them, I know what pushes them, and I know what makes them tick. I’m sure to some who enter my room, they might see some of my management as too soft. However, my students feel valued and each one can articulate how I show my love for them, and why I love them. My classroom is a safe space and I have rarely raised my voice, singled out a student, or ridiculed a student for poor performance. Kohen states, “…helping kids feel part of a safe environment in which they feel free to ask for help, in which they come to care about one another as opposed to having be manipulated to share or not be mean” (Kohn, 1995, p.1). This 100% solidified my belief in how a classroom MUST be a safe environment for ALL students.

              The final take away from the Kohn article, was the need to offer my students more choice. Currently we are working on research projects of the solar system. We are practicing good note taking habits and I usually offer up the three main ideas to find information on for a particular topic. However, after  reading the article, watching the power point, and doing some research on my own, I now have planned to provide two topics for the students, but the third will be a choice that they are interested in. I am excited to see the topics that they come up with and even more excited to see the increase in the desire to learn. Perhaps I will have to write a follow up to share my findings after implementation.

              Continuing on this journey of how to increase intrinsic motivation in my classroom, I stumbled across an article on informED, titled 25 Ways to Cultivate Intrinsic Motivation by Saga Briggs. I was immediately drawn to the article because it began with a quote by W.B. Yeats. Yeats said, “Education is not the filing of a bucket, but the lighting of a fire.” I immediately attached myself to this quote because all this information came full circle for me. Education is not about validating and praising, which I do plenty of, but rather instilling a desire to learn. Yes, I need to create a safe place, and a room of acceptance, but the overall goal is inquiry.

              The article presented a short video on the topic of motivation in the workplace. The video addressed the concept of rewards as use of motivation, but explained the research behind the fact that rewards only went so far, and in fact, in some cases hindered performance. I appreciated the video because it took me out of the mind frame of a teacher, and allowed me to view my own reasons for motivations as an adult. I am attaching the video to this blog for anyone who is interested. It’s definitely worth the view.

              The other take away from this article was the incredible list of ways to cultivate intrinsic motivation. So many times, research simply points to the notion that intrinsic motivation is better for student success, but the actual suggestions of how to do this is missing. Some of the most prominent suggestions I now have in my teacher toolbox are as follows and how I will implement the suggestions:

1: Atlassian Autonomy: This Australian company does a “Fed Ex” day where the employees get to work on a topic of their choice for 24 hours. They then get to present their findings with their colleges. This is something I am for sure going to do with my students, I just need to figure out the specifics. Once I do, this will definitely be a follow up blog.

2. Make students feel that education is a choice, not a requirement: This comes back to the punishment in the classroom. Focus on the effort, not the mistakes.

3. For management, expect self-direction, not compliance: I cannot gauge learning based on quiet and stillness. I need to gauge it on interest and self-direction.

4. Give accurate and authentic performance feedback: I want to eliminate in the moment praise and focus on individual conferences and feedback.

5. Model intrinsic behavior yourself: Allowing discussion of my own goals and motivations will facilitate discussions between myself and my students on the importance of goals and motivation.  

My final take away from this reflection on intrinsic motivation is there are things that I am already doing that cultivates intrinsic motivations, there are things I need to stop doing so I don’t hinder such motivation, and there are things I can implement to increase intrinsic motivation. This assignment was wonderful in helping me analyze what I am doing as a teacher, and put in place goals to help me create an even healthier learning environment for my students. 

             

References 

Briggs, Sara. “25 Ways to Cultivate Intrinsic Motivation.” InformED, 5 July 2016, www.opencolleges.edu.au/informed/features/intrinsic-motivation/.

Kohn, Alfie. “Punished by Rewards?: A Conversation with Alfie Kohn.” Alfie Kohn, 14 Nov. 2014, www.alfiekohn.org/article/punished-rewards-article/.