Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic

Just going through my English Companion's Tweets (http://twitter.com/ecning) and found a cool website called The Daily Riff (http://www.thedailyriff.com/) - lots of education information. One of the articles that caught my eye was about a book by Daniel Pink, author of A Whole New Mind, and his new book, Drive.( http://www.thedailyriff.com/2010/04/the-real-missing-link-in-education-motivation.php) The book is about intrinsic motivation vs. extrinsic. There is a link to an excerpt of the first chapter (maybe the intro, can't remember) in the article. It appears to be an excellent book, one I am going to buy. What really got me thinking as I was reading the excerpt, was 1) how can I be a better teacher by using intrinsic motivation, and 2) Wow! I think that is the way Heavenly Father works!

As I was reading, I realized that most of the gospel plan entails intrinsic motivation. Do we have external rewards for attending church, the temple, paying tithing, living the word of wisdom, etc. ...well, to a degree, but I think they are by-products of these activities, and not "rewards" per se. If we are able to get to the point that we recognize the intense satisfaction of doing good for doing good's sake, we have almost mastered our mortal body!

All through my university training, the debate raged concerning intrinsic and extrinsic--there were also those deriders who claimed that the church, society, our culture, etc. were actually inhibiting our basic human needs and rights, (the natural man?), there were even times when I questioned my motives for attending church, obeying traffic laws, and obeying societal laws. Reading this excerpt has made me stop and realize that I am not happy unless I am doing what I know to be right. There is nothing external in that motivation.

We are so blessed to have a loving Heavenly Father who allows us to find our own way--one of mankind's basic requisites. In the excerpt, Pink states: Human beings, Deci said, have an “inherent tendency to seek out novelty and challenges, to extend and exercise their capacities, to explore, and to learn.” Pink quotes Deci as saying "Rewards can deliver a short- term boost— just as a jolt of caffeine can keep you cranking for a few more hours. But the effect wears off— and, worse, can reduce a person’s longer-term motivation to continue the project."

I'm anxious to read both of these books--but I feel as though I've had an epiphany! If I can learn to teach so as to allow my students to become intrinsically motivated, and if I can live my life to ensure I am intrinsically motivated, then I've won half the battle!

(OK, enough soap-box...)

Ramblings

I met an old friend at the store yesterday and the first thing she said to me was, "You haven't updated your blog in a long time!" I realized then that I should be better at this than I have been. It seems that life passes me by, but I tell my creative writing students that in order to be a good writer, they should be writing every day. That should be incentive enough for me to write at least every week! I've always told my students I wouldn't give them any assignment that I wouldn't do. So...here's my assignment! I am going to organize my life to be able to follow my own advice. There is so much to do and so little time, but hey, my shows don't start up again for two weeks...just kidding. (Thanks, Latu for my TiVo!)

Quick update--I finally finished the Special Ed classes..yipee!!! I passed every class with an A or A- giving me a 3.88 GPA. Not bad for an old lady! I just need to take the Praxis II (for my teaching license) and the Praxis for SpEd and I will be officially done and certified. My next goal is to get my Master's in English with an emphasis on Reading. I think that will have to wait until next year, though. I was hoping to start this year, but I'm not financially ready to do that.

Speaking of being an old lady...last week I was in the store with Mason and he said to me, out of the blue, "Grandma, why are you so old?" I said "Because I've been alive a long time." He thought for a minute, then said, "I want a new grandma!" He cracks me up!

Can I just say that I LOVE being a grandma! I'm not anything close to the wise, loving, wonderful grandma my mother was (or her mother, for that point), but I love my grandkids. I have had all the materials to make them quiet books for a year and a half. I have not been able to motivate myself to get them done. I finally figured out why. I am so completely OCD (and ADHD and a bunch of other initialisms) that I can't stand the thoughts their quiet books would look "homemade." I am now in the process of making them tote-bags (a job I can reasonably expect will not look homemade) and I will fill it with all the cutesy things I can find and make to keep them quiet during church. This will also serve another purpose that was upsetting me; I can let the t0te-bag "grow-up" with them. I can add more mature activities as they get older.

Well, enough of my rambling. I need to get to work on the tote-bags.
Julie