LIVING AND WORKING IN AN INTERNALLY MOTIVATED SETTING

written by John Strong, Niagara County Community College

We've all had those students who we would like to find a way to motivate. Perhaps we feel that the student is missing out on an opportunity that they don't seem to see, or that they're not reaching their full potential.

Having recently met Dr. Edward Deci and having begun reading his work, I've come to appreciate his Self Determination Theory (SDT) and how it relates to motivation. SDT is based on the premise that human beings have three basic needs: relatedness, competence, and autonomy¹. In short, it states that, "To be self-determined is to endorse one's actions at the highest level of reflection. When self-determined, people experience a sense of freedom to do what is interesting, personally important, and vitalizing." Edward Deci & Richard Ryan. Doesn't that sound like an optimal learning environment? An environment where a student is compelled internally, rather than constantly by the teacher's external urgings, to strive for greater and greater heights of achievement in their educational and athletic pursuits?

I would personally relish such a setting, and try very hard to create one in my physical education setting at Niagara County Community College. This article is not about creating that environment however. If you're interested in how to utilize SDT in that pursuit I suggest you begin your research at http://www.selfdeterminationtheory.org/ to familiarize yourself, and then find your way to competence autonomously from there. No, this article is about teachers themselves, and how to live and work in an internally motivated setting rather than an externally motivated setting.

As I wrote earlier, internally motivated acts are ones that are driven by a sense of relatedness, competence, or autonomy and as such are empirically fulfilling. It is my hope to convince educators who read this article that there are avenues available to them in their vocation that can still fall under this definition - that the ability to create your 'dream job' is close at hand and you need only consider some of the following ideas to reclaim it.

The suggestions I will put forth are rooted in part in the NASPE Initial Physical Education Teacher Education Standards. While I'm aware that there are some out there that believe, at least in part, that we as educators are constrained by standards - let me say I understand but do not agree. Externally motivated actions that manifest in the form of 'teaching to the test' can feel limiting and disagreeable because they seem to belittle both the student and the teacher. Teaching with the standards, not so much 'to them', is different.

Standards are a guide constructed by highly educated, well-intentioned peers that are put in place as sign posts to designate good professional practice. Ultimately, if you would like to do right by your students you're going to want to put forth practices that have been tested and proven to work. Right? It's like preferring to enter a building that's been constructed by a group of experts rather than one that's been designed and built by a group of novices. I don't know about you, but I'd sleep better under the roof of an expert, and that's where I'd feel more comfortable resting my children's heads for that matter.  

To stay with the building simile, I'm going to suggest some 'decoration suggestions' in this article. Because while you may have to give way to the educational framework, the question of educational freedom remains yours to color as you see fit. And so I'll offer this 'Fab Five' to get you started and perhaps you could come up with some of your own ideas in the aftermath to help refresh your curriculum. The result should be a feeling of connectedness, competence, and yes, autonomy.

Standing on the Sidelines - In many physical education curricula there are multiple opportunities for competition in the classroom; small-sided games, Beat the Clock style initiatives, and a whole listing of others. In these situations many teachers take the opportunity to facilitate the activity safely and efficiently, but not all teachers take the time to seek out the teachable moment.

Standing on the sidelines denotes the idea that we are not in close proximity to our students, which of course ought to be the case. I don't mean that we have to be the star of the game, or even in the game at all (although never underestimate how much fun students of every age have trying to beat their teacher at something!). It simply means that we don't disconnect from the experience. We should intentionally work to integrate ourselves into the active mix of the class in order to be in the right spot at the right time to take advantage of the teachable moment. A missed shot, a poor defensive decision, a taunt in place of a kind word, can all give rise to this moment. When you are detached from the action you're usually too far away to notice these moments let alone have your students learn from them.

Theory and closed practice only go so far; demonstrating higher ordered thinking (applying previously learned skills to a novel situation) should be reinforced in the class setting by the instructor when it is demonstrated. In short, catch them doing something right, or correct them when they get off track, but above all be present so that you can discern between the two. 

Create a Memory - A couple of months ago I wrote about bringing in community representatives to enhance your curriculum. Whether it's a Sport Night, Father-Daughter Dance, or a Scavenger Hunt, the idea is to go outside of what your contract asks of you and "create a memory" for your students and their parents. Doing so will distinguish you and your program as something special in the school community. The connectedness that you may yearn to feel in your school may only be a Winter Olympics Night away. Get together with the PTO/PTA in your school and brainstorm about how you can bring in a big-ticket item that students will recall fondly 20 years from now. Over-the-top water elements, exotic animal trainers, outrageous obstacle course components; your imagination is the only limit!

Getting to Know You - It's been said that "people (students) don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." But the question of how to show that caring appropriately in today's hyper-sensitive society can be a difficult one. Get back to simple things. Ask students about their classes, their hobbies outside of class. Ask about siblings that you may have taught in the past. Ask how they liked the last unit. But most importantly, listen to them intently.

Don't just pass the time waiting for their teacher to come pick them up, or until the discomfort of a chance meeting in the hallway, office, or even somewhere outside of school has ended so that you can go on your way to what's really important. The student IS what's really important, and your opportunity to forge a bond with any one of them is just that - an opportunity. Take it as an opportunity, and you will be on your way to a more connected school environment.

Same Lesson Different Year - The Simpsons kicked off their 23rd season this past September. Homer still works at the nuclear plant, Marge is at home with Maggie who still doesn't talk, and Bart and Lisa are still in elementary school. It's a formula, and many Americans still enjoy it every Sunday and any other day they show re-runs.

If your class has been going on for the better part of two decades or more, perhaps you are familiar with this idea of formulaic consistency. What I'd like to suggest is that perhaps 'your Simpsons should leave Springfield.' The supports of proficient modeling, well constructed progressions, deliberate practice, honest execution and effort should stay in place in your class setting. However, perhaps you could consider some new 'guest stars.' New lead-up activities to practice different aspects of similar skills, new rule and/or scoring structures to compel transfer of learning to unfamiliar scenarios; or how about new activities altogether? Have you ever tried tchoukball, korfball, or cricket?

These are games with similar skill sets to many common North American games, but posses an interesting twist that may even appeal to some of your students from other countries. Perhaps the games will be novel enough that students who have long been at the bottom of contesting situations can start off on a more even footing and in doing so find renewed interest in physical education as a whole.

Professional Development is Personal Development - your new curriculum will have an even better chance to thrive if it's backed by solid professional research. You don't have to come up with every idea on your own. Professional development opportunities are set up by enthusiastic peers who want you to succeed! Change is growth and growth is living, so professional development can also facilitate personal development. Whether it's a new way to get off the sidelines and into the game, create a memory that lasts students a lifetime, create an opportunity to get to know your students better, or spice up your curriculum with something new, professional development should be part of a steady diet of growth for any professional who wants to enjoy a long and healthy career.  

In closing, many of us want so much for our students, but sometimes neglect to cast the same wistful gaze on ourselves. We hope they'll strive for excellence, and at the same time believe that our chance to excel may have come and gone. We expect students to work hard to become great contributors to our society just by telling them, when we could perhaps get farther by showing them. Drive yourself as you would your own students. Ask more of yourself and step outside of your comfort zone. The gifts you receive shall not be extrinsically pleasing, which may have dulled your drive up until now²; but rather intrinsically satisfying, which is limitless in its capacity.

¹Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (1985). Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behavior. New York: Plenum.

²Deci, E. L. (1971). Effects of externally mediated rewards on intrinsic motivation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 18, 105–115.

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