As we enter the final stages of this academic year, the focus in our secondary school is on final assessments and in Grade 9 & 11 on end of year exams.
I want to dedicate this piece to pondering on the way we learn and grow best. If we are able to be intrinsically motivated and driven, our learning and growth will be so much stronger and deeper than if this is “forced” upon us externally - by our parents, the school, the law etc. When we prepare for an exam or an assessment and understand the value of this assessment or exam for our own learning, we will certainly be more committed to the process and in the end learning and growth will be more sustainable and have more meaning for ourselves.
Extensive research documents the benefits of intrinsic motivation over the extrinsic kind. Intrinsic motivation tends to lead to greater academic achievement and a better sense of well-being (Burton et al., 2006) lasts longer, enhances creativity, and cultivates higher-order thinking (Brewster & Fager, 2000).
We learn for our own growth and the reason for sitting down and studying should never be “because we are told to do so”, “because there are grades to be obtained”. The grades give an indication of our progress and learning, but ultimately, they are not what matters. What matters is that we find the motivation in ourselves to grow and learn and that we have the desire to move forward in our lives. This might be a bit philosophical and not necessarily the common understanding all around. It is, however, the only way to pave our way to a life and career that is fulfilling and satisfying.
If we are able to acquire skills that benefit our personal and professional or academic growth early in our academic careers, we benefit from those right through our academic life. Experiencing growth contributes to our wellbeing and therefore is a further inspiration for development and moving forward.
Scholars have described several key differences between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation (Mitchell, 2013):
Intrinsic Motivation | Extrinsic Motivation |
Purpose of participation: Enjoyment in the process itself | Purpose of participation: Benefits derived from participating |
Emotions experienced: Pleasant (enjoyment, freedom, relaxation) | Emotions experienced: Pleasant (enjoyment, freedom, relaxation)Emotions experienced: Tension and pressure (social approval is not under direct control) |
Rewards: Effective rewards (enjoyment, pleasure) | Rewards: Social or material rewards |
More likely to stay with a task long term | More likely to do a necessary task of little interest |
Self-motivation to take on new tasks and innovate | Increases social learning compliance |
Self-motivation to take on new tasks | Increases speed of task |
And is this not what we all strive for?
For the upcoming “trial” exams in Grade 9 and 11 and the final summative assessments in Grades 6 - 8, I wish all our students the (intrinsic) drive to do well and give it your best so that you can succeed and be happy with your progress.
You will then be able to move into the next academic year with confidence and the motivation to further build on an academic foundation that is solid and rewarding.
Maggie Reiff
Secondary Principal
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