On Motivation, Schools, and Post-Its: New Books for 2010

Posted in DemEd in Real LifePhilosophy of Education on Jan 05, 2010 - 08:33 AM

Happy New Year! It's 2010.

What better way to embrace the optimism and hope of the beginning of a new year than reading inspiring books?

I recently picked up two new books that speak to heart of why and how education ought to be more democratic. They carry a great deal of wisdom and practical ideas for schools and learning, and they both connect the value of greater voice in learning to the creation of a more vibrant society.

Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, by Daniel H. Pink (2009: Riverhead Books), throws out the underlying assumption of most businesses and schools: that people need to be controlled by rewards and punishments in order for work to get done or learning to happen. Pink, the best-selling author of A Whole New Mind, explains that we have an “innate need to direct our own lives, to learn and create new things, and to do better by ourselves and our world.” Pink presents a mountain of research - and common-sense! - showing that people are most productive, satisfied, and learn more effectively when they are in environments that support their basic human need for self-direction.

In other words, self-directed or “intrinsic” motivation works far better than other-directed or “extrinsic” motivation, especially for non-routine activities like creative work and cognitive learning. (Check out the research into Self-Determination Theory - some of the most powerful evidence out there about the value of intrinsic motivation and the danger of external control).

Pink offers fascinating stories of businesses that support this need for self-direction and give employees greater autonomy in what, how, when, and with whom they do what they do. Heard of Post-It Notes? Gmail? Both came out of business policies at 3M (Post-Its) and Google (Gmail) that encourage employees to use up to 15-20% of their time to pursue side projects. Supporting intrinsic motivation, Pink says, leads to new discoveries, greater satisfaction, and the opportunity to actively engage in improving our selves and our world.

In a chapter for parents and educators, Pink offers suggestions of activities and examples of schools that move away from standardization and toward greater support for intrinsic motivation. I love his “FedEx” self-directed learning day (you'll have to read to find out why he calls them that), and he mentions some excellent schools, including the Big Picture schools, Sudbury Valley, and Montessori.

Lives of Passion, School of Hope: How One Public School Ignites a Lifelong Love of Learning, by Rick Posner (2009: Sentient Publications), profiles one of the most exciting and successful schools I know at supporting the intrinsic motivation that Pink describes: Jefferson County Open School (JCOS), a public school in Lakewood, Colorado, which I've had the great opportunity to visit.

Imagine going to this kind of school: in addition to typical classes, you can choose to enroll in a class called “Film Noir” or “Calculus for Poets,” you can arrange self-directed learning periods to pursue an independent project, you can attend a trip class that travels for 2-4 weeks, or you can schedule internships or attend college classes. You determine all of this yourself, with support from an adult advisor and other students. You are part of a school governance system that gives you and teachers equal voice on school-wide issues. And your key graduation requirement is to fulfill the “Rites of Passage,” carrying out six self-designed projects in the areas of Logical Inquiry, Global Awareness, and Career Exploration, among others.

That's JCOS! (Though the school is K-12, that description was specific to the high school program). Posner, a long-time teacher and administrator at the school, offers us a glimpse into JCOS through his own reflections and those of the more than 400 alumni he surveyed. We see how the unique autonomy-supportive environment of JCOS nurtures a love for learning, helps students succeed at college and work, and develops in students a desire to create a better world.

Self-directed activity - or autonomy, voice, active engagement - is one of the most essential aspects of a democracy, and a basic human need. These two books show us the great value in aligning our businesses and schools with this basic need, and in working from our innate intrinsic motivation to be self-directed, to learn, and to improve ourselves and our society.

(For more on Dan Pink, see IDEA Blogger Ammerah Saidi's post that links to a video of Pink speaking at the 2009 TED conference).

Tags for this entry:
k-12 education, self-directed learning, books, motivation, autonomy, research, daniel pink, rick posner, jefferson county open school

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