Earlier this week I wrote a post called Reward Not! It was prompted by my getting multiple catalogs filled with colorful pages of those small, useless toys bought by teachers who keep them in their classrooms for rewards and prizes. In the same time frame, I was reading Drive by Daniel Pink. In this book, Pink talks about intrinsic motivation, a concept that is the opposite of any reward system (extrinsic motivation.)
One quote from the early pages of this book really spoke to me, a coffee lover: “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.” (location 149)
There is something to this. I can’t help but think about those kids I grew up with who got money as a reward for their report card: $10 for every B and $20 for every A. Are you kidding me? I would have been rollin’ in the Benjamins. But it’s funny, now that I think of it because those kids, after a while ended up almost resenting the money (too much pressure?) OR expecting the money (much to their parents’ chagrin.)
In a 1978 study conducted by Mark Lepper and David Greene an interesting discovery was made. Three groups of preschool aged students who clearly enjoyed drawing were asked to draw. The first group was promised a reward before they began drawing, the second was given a reward after they drew, and the third was simply asked, but did not receive any reward. Two weeks later, the researchers arrived in the classroom again and observed secretly. They noticed that the students in the second and third groups drew, but the children in the first group, the ones that were promised and given rewards for drawing, did not. Interesting, isn’t it? “Those alluring prizes – so common in classrooms and cubicles,” Pink concludes, “had turned play into work.” (location 508)
I think this might be the key… read on:
“It wasn’t necessarily the rewards themselves that dampened the children’s interest. Remember: when children didn’t expect a reward, receiving one had little impact on their intrinsic motivation. Only contingent rewards – if you do this, then you’ll get that – had the negative effect. Why? ‘If-then’ rewards require people to forfeit some of their autonomy.” (locations 509-513)
My last post Reward Not! elicited a few passionate comments from readers. (I love that!) It really prompted me to continue with this topic. Linda Aragoni, a college writing instructor, commented on how she sometimes will acknowledge a students hard work with a simple lollipop and she saw this as just fine. And, quite honestly I agree. That simple gesture can be a sweet expression of noticing someone’s hard work.
The difference is in the nature of the reward. Is it spontaneous or contingent? Does the teacher have stickers to give out to those who wow her or is there a sticker chart on the wall with each student’s name? It’s not that we shouldn’t reward people (with a high-five, some good feedback or even a surprise sticker), but more that we need to watch how we incentivize our classrooms.
Another huge piece to this puzzle I am piecing together for myself is the idea of autonomy. More on that for the next post!
For now, I would love to hear your comments on this idea of contingent vs. spontaneous awards; rewards vs. incentives.
EMP
All excerpts are from Drive by Daniel Pink, Riverhead Books, 2009
Related posts:
Elizabeth Peterson has devoted her life to education and to reaching out to other teachers who want to remain inspired. Mrs. Peterson teaches fourth grade in Amesbury, Massachusetts and is the host of www.theinspiredclassroom.com. She holds an M.Ed. in Education, “Arts and Learning” and is currently enrolled in a C.A.G.S. program through Plymouth State University with a focus in “Arts Leadership and Learning.” Elizabeth is author of Inspired by Listening, a teacher resource book that includes a method of music integration she has developed and implemented into her own teaching. She teaches workshops and courses on the integration of the arts into the curriculum, leads an arts integration PLC (PLaiC) and is adjunct faculty for PSU. Mrs. Peterson believes there is a love of active, integrated learning in all children and from their enthusiasm, teachers can shape great opportunities to learn. 
Thank you for this post. It is making me re-think things re: how I motivate my 7y/o autism impaired son. I do see the sense of entitlement in him, as I implement the “if – then” reward system. I’m going to do more praising now.
I really agree that motivation is most successful when it is intrinsic. Shiny stars are nice, but knowing you succeeded in something is so much more powerful.
Interesting: I just read this other blog about motivation with private music students, posted today as well.
http://www.musicteachershelper.com/blog/what-it-takes-to-motivate/
I liked the lollipop story. To me the lollipop isn’t trivializing, it is saying, “I see you.” It is also saying, “Relax.” It’s not exactly a reward, in my opinion, in this situation.
The most rewarding, maybe I should say effective, incentive I have used with elementary students was offering them a chance to reflect on their learning and to share their personal discoveries in a safe, respect-honoring, environment.
As an example, the students were learning about the writing process from collecting writing ideas through to publishing, finally ending with a learning celebration (call it a ‘publishing party’) where each student could share their finished piece, which they were now quite proud of, and share their biggest learning. Sometimes the biggest learning was learning to spell their favorite word. Yes, there was a party as an incentive to meet a deadline, and the reward was a ‘published’ product that represented their hard work.
The reward has to correlate to the inner core of the task–the reward must match the depth of the effort. If the task is to share your heart and soul (what writing is often about), the reward must speak to your heart.
Great post
I am listening to the audiobook version of Drive right now and am completely fascinated by it, even though it makes all the sense in the world about extrinsic vs. intrinsic motivation. I know from my own experience, money as a reward can turn me off from something I enjoy doing. I read this article, and though a bit dated, it’s still relevant and is a good supplement to what Pink says. http://www.alfiekohn.org/teaching/ror.htm
Thanks again for sharing your thoughts!
Stephanie
Jaketta – The problem that really sets my thoughts into play is this overall feeling of entitlement that kids get when they expect a reward. Yuck! That’s not life. When I first started thinking about incentives, I was potty training – doing the sticker chart thing. It actually demotivated my son, so I got rid of it. Potty training still took a long time, but it was in his time. Some things you can’t force.
David – Thank you for the link to the post citing Faber and Faber. Music and the arts are a perfect model for hard work and pay off. Though the steps to get there are difficult, the pay off in the end is great.
Jackie – I love how you said “the reward must match the depth of the effort.” That’s something to keep in the back of our minds as we move through the year.
Stephanie – This book is fascinating… Pink has so much knowledge to offer the edu world. Have your read A Whole New Mind??