1 / 24

A is for Average

A is for Average. Dr Helen Street. EXTRINSIC REWARDS. Stickers Merit Cards Ice cream School prizes Money… Approval…. INTRINSIC REWARDS. Meaning Skill advancement Appropriate challenge Personal and professional development Self-enhancement FUN. The problem of this for that.

zoe
Download Presentation

A is for Average

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. A is for Average Dr Helen Street

  2. EXTRINSIC REWARDS • Stickers • Merit Cards • Ice cream • School prizes • Money… • Approval…

  3. INTRINSIC REWARDS • Meaning • Skill advancement • Appropriate challenge • Personal and professional development • Self-enhancement • FUN

  4. The problem of this for that A focus on outcomes leads to a loss of interest in process An unhealthy need for others approval Moments of elation amidst a life of discontentment (conditional goal setting)

  5. Crazy stickers and average ‘A’s Primary school – Stickers, stars and merit cards High School – Grades and awards Working life – Incentives and bonus schemes “Promising a reward to someone who seems unmotivated – or demotivated – is like offering salt water to someone who is thirsty: it’s not the solution; it’s the problem” Alfie Kohn, 1999, The Schools Our Children Deserve

  6. Crazy stickers and average ‘A’s • Creates an outcome focus • Loss of autonomy • Loss of control • Loss of choice • Loss of attention on process

  7. Crazy stickers and average ‘A’s A need for greater and greater rewards – if it isn’t working – increase the dose Stickers for everything ‘A’ becomes average

  8. Crazy Stickers and Average ‘A’s Reduced Intrinsic Motivation More than 80 studies with young people have shown that providing incentives takes attention away from learning, and results in a reduced enjoyment of an activity

  9. Crazy stickers and average ‘A’s • If kids are rewarded for being nice to others – they learn to like them less… Decreases sympathy and empathy

  10. Crazy stickers and average ‘A’s • For every ‘winner’ there are far more losers • For every winner the pressure to win again increases Is just like a punishment…

  11. Crazy stickers and average ‘A’s • Links to depression vulnerability • Fame, fortune and feeling down • Street, Nathan and Durkin 2002 (Young and Well) • Goal choices and depression

  12. But surely rewards work really well…? • Rewards create • Compliance and control • Obedience • A love of rewards (as long as they increase in value)

  13. Intrinsic motivation and beyond Life satisfaction Autonomy Positive social relationships A love of ongoing learning Task persistence Better performance Co-operation and compliance

  14. Creating opportunity • We can not ‘make’ young people motivated • We can • Support an optimum learning environment • Create opportunity for self-determination

  15. The motivated class Creating an optimum learning environment • Positive relationships • A safe environment • Collaboration • Autonomy (choice) • Task engagement (interesting and relevant content)

  16. Creating positive relationships • Teacher Wellbeing • Enhancing work experience • Managing stress • Effective communication • Taking an interest in individuals • Listening • Being genuine • Empathy and compassion

  17. Developing a safe environment • (Childhood wellbeing in the classroom, Street, H 2004 in ‘Checking The Pulse’ Smith and Riley (ed)) Emotional safety Connections with others Intimacy – opportunity to express true self

  18. Encouraging Autonomy Deprive children of self-determination and you deprive them of motivation

  19. Engaging Students Challenge and skills Clear, achievable goals Ongoing feedback Structure Meaning and value

  20. A word about praise… To praise is "to commend the worth of or to express approval or admiration" (Brophy, 1981) Encouragement is to support autonomy and self-direction Edward Deci 2013 – personal communication

  21. Ideals and realities • An ideal for the future • NO MORE REWARDS, AWARDS, INCENTIVE PLANS OR GRADES • Celebrate community (not achievement) • Provide ongoing feedback (not absolute judgements) • Support collaboration, autonomy and engagement • Appreciate the positive • Develop meaningful relationships • CELEBRATE LEARNING

  22. Ideals and realities • A shift in the right direction • Autonomy (not control) • Reduce complexity of rewards (A versus incomplete – Kohn) • Minimise use (Do we need to grade this?) • Ensure that rewards and punishments are task relevant (A chance to borrow a coveted book?) • Focus on behaviour (for rewards as well as punishments!!) No more‘stickers for being a great person…’

  23. Interested in finding out more? • Class on Fire workshop in November enquiries@wisesolutions.com.au • All notes, references and related articles can be downloaded directly from www.positiveschools.com.au • If you want to ask me a question, invite me to your school to talk or to help you make a positive change … helen.street@uwa.edu.au

  24. Motivated for life Truly successful students do not learn to love rewards they ‘love to learn’ for life.

More Related