A WOW moment at the end of many minor wow moments.
A reminder that people are "punished be rewards" (Alfie Kohn, 1993). My project looks at the use of rewards to change student behavior. So twentieth century of me. But is it? Curiosity, that most powerful of twenty-first century skills, is what I am hoping to rekindle in the minds of my seventh graders. Can an brief, small reward really motivate curiosity? Can I use social rewards of lining up at the door with their friends to motivate more quality questions? Is hot tea or the chance to create a work of art with their peers using only a large block of wood, a hammer and nails an extrinsic motivator that will motivate or demotivate my students? Daniel Pink points out that the larger the reward, the poorer the performance (Daniel Pink, The Puzzle of Motivation, 2009). Pink points out extrinsic rewards can work short term on mechanistic work; can changing a class culture to one that supports curiosity be seen as mechanistic? Ken Robinson suggests that leadership is about climate control. Is my study misplaced? Am I testing the behavior modification of positive rewards, or am I testing if I can change the climate in my classroom through encouraging more quality questions. My new climate will attempt to create the autonomy that Pink states leads to motivation, while meeting one of Robinson's three principals on which life flourishes: curiosity. Can I create the climate that allows for Robinson's "seeds of possibility" to grow (How to Escape Education's Death Valley, 2013). By encouraging student questions, I can then provide answers or lead them to where they can find answers. This may allow them to build their discipline box of the subject that I teach. They can then synthesize the information and make it their own. Without these first steps, the student cannot use their creative mind to think outside of the box. Gardner states, "you have to have a box before you can go outside of it" (Howard Gardner, Five Minds of the Future, 2007). Finally, I want to create a "culture of learning that thrives on participatory life long learning" (John Seely Brown, A new culture of Learning in a world of Constant Flux, 2010). What if... thinking beyond this semester of work, I motivate with chances for 20% time, or FedEx days in my classroom? Bringing it back to Daniel Pink's challenge, I can find a better motivator- rooted in human nature and based on autonomy, mastery, and purpose!
3 Comments
11/7/2016 06:39:35 am
Hj Todd,
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11/7/2016 08:31:48 pm
Todd the Howard Gardner quote has helped me to rethink some of my teaching practices. It shows that the kids have to have a line of thought established prior to surpassing it. Well maybe not have complete understanding of the box but the knowledge that that box exists. That there is something to beat. Deep thoughts though. good stuff . Thank you for that. Ohh on a side note I love the art of manliness and one day I'll share a sandwich I had featured in one of his recipe books. haha
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As I read your blog I had some of the same questions. I was also surprised to read about the relationship between poor performance and extrinsic rewards. I teach lower elementary and I have relied on rewards for many years. I do believe though
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About MeAfter teaching for 20 years, I've decided to pursue a master's degree! Archives
July 2017
CategoriesThis is me working on my classwork... usually at night after the heater is off.... sitting long times makes me cold!
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