Motivation in the 21st Century

Kia ora.

I must have arguably the greatest job in the world!  Don't get me wrong, some days I have to deal with problems and issues that test one's resolve and character. However, every day, that's right! EVERY DAY I walk my school and I meet with students that make me feel so privileged to be their principal.  They offer salutations, they ask me how the job is going and they even follow up on conversations that we may have had the last time we met.

A highlight for me this week during Walkthroughs was a year 10 maths class - I spoke with three of the students about their learning.  They were amazing, they were highly motivated and it was a unit of learning about Algebra.  The high level of motivation was clearly linked to their teacher giving them the freedom of choice to select the parts of the unit they would work through.  They spoke to me about this autonomy.  Te Kotahitanga celebrates this type of power sharing and Dan Pink's work (check last weeks blog) resonates with this when he talks about 'autonomy' which contributes significantly to intrinsic motivation when involved with higher cognitive activities!  These students spoke clearly about the benefits and their enjoyment in learning this way.

For Lytton to move Teaching and Learning into the 21st century, we need to develop and create the conditions that will encourage the growth of intrinsic motivation for our students!  Te Kotahitanga shows the path forward and Dan Pink's research collection coincides.

Have a safe weekend with friends and family.

Video of the week - Dan Meyer: Math class needs a makeover