A Brief about the book
From Daniel H. Pink, the author of the bestselling A Whole New Mind, comes a paradigm-shattering look at what truly motivates us and how we can use that knowledge to work smarter and live better.
Most of us believe that the best way to motivate ourselves and others is with external rewards like money—the carrot-and-stick approach. That’s a mistake, Daniel H. Pink says in, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, his provocative and persuasive new book. The secret to high performance and satisfaction—at work, at school, and at home—is the deeply human need to direct our own lives, to learn and create new things, and to do better by ourselves and our world.
Drawing on four decades of scientific research on human motivation, Pink exposes the mismatch between what science knows and what business does—and how that affects every aspect of life. He demonstrates that while carrots and sticks worked successfully in the twentieth century, that’s precisely the wrong way to motivate people for today’s challenges. In Drive, he examines the three elements of true motivation—autonomy, mastery, and purpose—and offers smart and surprising techniques for putting these into action. Along the way, he takes us to companies that are enlisting new approaches to motivation and introduces us to the scientists and entrepreneurs who are pointing a bold way forward.
Drive is bursting with big ideas—the rare book that will change how you think and transform how you live.
My Reflection..
This book was like a tempting cook book - like when you keep turning the pages of the cook book, and you are excited to try out each recipe. The experience was akin to finding the perfect recipe for every occasion, bringing a smile to everybody’s face. Each protocol was described as a recipe in the cook book. I had the delightful opportunity to savor many of these protocols at HTH and on returning home am eager to try out a few of these in my classes.
The Basic Ideas:
‘We professional educators should take charge of our own learning. That is because only we can direct it towards managing the real problems of our work, and towards meeting our students’ real needs...
It is so important for each educator to take charge of our own learning and I see this applied at TGES. Each one of us is required to enroll for a professional development course (100 hrs of training each year). Be it online courses or attending conferences (the way we have enrolled for HTH) or in-house trainings, or acquiring a qualification required for their subject or just acquiring new knowledge. This has undoubtedly been helpful in tackling situations at the individual level so far, but now I am beginning to explore and
experience the power in collective learning.
‘No educators work alone, although we seem to…all our efforts for better or worse , are mediated by efforts of our colleagues…our colleagues’ values, standards and methods are our business as ours are their business..
This is so true. Every individual in his or her own way comes with a package of novel learning experiences. As I began sharing and discussion ideas, plans and strategies with the LSP team, I was able to reap the benefit of collective smarts. I realized that sharing my work with my colleagues had opened up a host of new ideas and varied perspectives.
In our own way, we are moving towards an educational culture of openness and honesty. We are responding to and becoming increasingly supportive of habits of inquiry, dialogue and reflection. Our school has always invested us with the opportunity to take the necessary actions to improve our work and we work in an atmosphere that encourages participation. As a result of our renewed vision, we have benefitted in terms of harnessing the potential of many brains versus one and in setting common goals and visions of growth in terms of educational and holistic growth for our students.
We read students’ work closely, collectively for two reasons. One is to learn more about the student’s learning – to gain clues about their strengths and weaknesses, their misconceptions, their progress with respect to some defined standard……We also read students’ work closely as texts that captures the efficacy of our own work.
Quite recently as I was marking the Annual Examination Papers of the Grade 9 students, I realized that I was not just looking for student excellence and areas of improvement but also making a concrete assessment of the effectiveness of my teaching practices and the areas that I needed to work on. This assessment is going to be a springboard for me to refine and where needed rework my pedagogy.
I am really excited about using some of the protocols as soon as students return from the Diwali break on the 26th of Nov. The new academic year will begin. All Grade 9 students will graduate to Grade 10. I feel this will be the best time to practice these protocols.
During the Class Teacher’s period (we get 15min thrice a week), I wish to introduce two protocols..
1) Protocol for Setting Norms
2) All-Purpose Go-Round
In the first week I will be introducing the simple and sweet protocol the All-Purpose Go-Round.
Every class I will get an opportunity to discuss matters of student interest. This will help me understand their areas of interest/talents, their inclinations and their aversions which will allow me to build a positive relationship with the students. In the weeks to follow, I may also ask students to facilitate, thus helping them become facilitators as
well.
The second protocols I wish to introduce is the Protocol for Setting Norms.
I want the students to set norms for 'acceptable and unacceptable behavior in class’ with peers and teachers’.
Unlike our usual first day rule-making ritual, I find it helpful to wait until the second or third week of school to set norms. Students will have had a chance to experience how the group already interacts and works together. If they have no problem respecting each others’ ideas, the class might not need a norm that addresses this aspect of getting along. If, for example, they notice that some students always answer questions and others never get a chance, they might feel the need to set a norm about not speaking a second time until everyone has had the opportunity to speak a first time.
When setting norms with a class I will be able hear all voices. I find this method provides a greater opportunity for participation, even from the shyest students. Setting norms with the class will give me the chance to create an inclusive classroom environment through which all student voices are heard and honored. And that’s good for students and teachers alike.
Taking up this protocol is going to be an interesting exercise in channelizing students’ energies and modifying their behavior. Since I will be revisiting and fine-tuning it, over regular intervals, it will equip me with the know-how to set norms in every sphere of my
teaching-learning experience.
Questions….
1 Following protocols will enhance educators’ and students’ qualities of judgment.
How does one enhance qualities of judgment?
2 How do educators develop, and teach, patterns of behavior and thinking that become habits?
3. By adhering to time frames, which is the backbone of Protocols, do we lose the essence of intense discussion and its benefits ?
Most of us believe that the best way to motivate ourselves and others is with external rewards like money—the carrot-and-stick approach. That’s a mistake, Daniel H. Pink says in, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, his provocative and persuasive new book. The secret to high performance and satisfaction—at work, at school, and at home—is the deeply human need to direct our own lives, to learn and create new things, and to do better by ourselves and our world.
Drawing on four decades of scientific research on human motivation, Pink exposes the mismatch between what science knows and what business does—and how that affects every aspect of life. He demonstrates that while carrots and sticks worked successfully in the twentieth century, that’s precisely the wrong way to motivate people for today’s challenges. In Drive, he examines the three elements of true motivation—autonomy, mastery, and purpose—and offers smart and surprising techniques for putting these into action. Along the way, he takes us to companies that are enlisting new approaches to motivation and introduces us to the scientists and entrepreneurs who are pointing a bold way forward.
Drive is bursting with big ideas—the rare book that will change how you think and transform how you live.
My Reflection..
This book was like a tempting cook book - like when you keep turning the pages of the cook book, and you are excited to try out each recipe. The experience was akin to finding the perfect recipe for every occasion, bringing a smile to everybody’s face. Each protocol was described as a recipe in the cook book. I had the delightful opportunity to savor many of these protocols at HTH and on returning home am eager to try out a few of these in my classes.
The Basic Ideas:
‘We professional educators should take charge of our own learning. That is because only we can direct it towards managing the real problems of our work, and towards meeting our students’ real needs...
It is so important for each educator to take charge of our own learning and I see this applied at TGES. Each one of us is required to enroll for a professional development course (100 hrs of training each year). Be it online courses or attending conferences (the way we have enrolled for HTH) or in-house trainings, or acquiring a qualification required for their subject or just acquiring new knowledge. This has undoubtedly been helpful in tackling situations at the individual level so far, but now I am beginning to explore and
experience the power in collective learning.
‘No educators work alone, although we seem to…all our efforts for better or worse , are mediated by efforts of our colleagues…our colleagues’ values, standards and methods are our business as ours are their business..
This is so true. Every individual in his or her own way comes with a package of novel learning experiences. As I began sharing and discussion ideas, plans and strategies with the LSP team, I was able to reap the benefit of collective smarts. I realized that sharing my work with my colleagues had opened up a host of new ideas and varied perspectives.
In our own way, we are moving towards an educational culture of openness and honesty. We are responding to and becoming increasingly supportive of habits of inquiry, dialogue and reflection. Our school has always invested us with the opportunity to take the necessary actions to improve our work and we work in an atmosphere that encourages participation. As a result of our renewed vision, we have benefitted in terms of harnessing the potential of many brains versus one and in setting common goals and visions of growth in terms of educational and holistic growth for our students.
We read students’ work closely, collectively for two reasons. One is to learn more about the student’s learning – to gain clues about their strengths and weaknesses, their misconceptions, their progress with respect to some defined standard……We also read students’ work closely as texts that captures the efficacy of our own work.
Quite recently as I was marking the Annual Examination Papers of the Grade 9 students, I realized that I was not just looking for student excellence and areas of improvement but also making a concrete assessment of the effectiveness of my teaching practices and the areas that I needed to work on. This assessment is going to be a springboard for me to refine and where needed rework my pedagogy.
I am really excited about using some of the protocols as soon as students return from the Diwali break on the 26th of Nov. The new academic year will begin. All Grade 9 students will graduate to Grade 10. I feel this will be the best time to practice these protocols.
During the Class Teacher’s period (we get 15min thrice a week), I wish to introduce two protocols..
1) Protocol for Setting Norms
2) All-Purpose Go-Round
In the first week I will be introducing the simple and sweet protocol the All-Purpose Go-Round.
Every class I will get an opportunity to discuss matters of student interest. This will help me understand their areas of interest/talents, their inclinations and their aversions which will allow me to build a positive relationship with the students. In the weeks to follow, I may also ask students to facilitate, thus helping them become facilitators as
well.
The second protocols I wish to introduce is the Protocol for Setting Norms.
I want the students to set norms for 'acceptable and unacceptable behavior in class’ with peers and teachers’.
Unlike our usual first day rule-making ritual, I find it helpful to wait until the second or third week of school to set norms. Students will have had a chance to experience how the group already interacts and works together. If they have no problem respecting each others’ ideas, the class might not need a norm that addresses this aspect of getting along. If, for example, they notice that some students always answer questions and others never get a chance, they might feel the need to set a norm about not speaking a second time until everyone has had the opportunity to speak a first time.
When setting norms with a class I will be able hear all voices. I find this method provides a greater opportunity for participation, even from the shyest students. Setting norms with the class will give me the chance to create an inclusive classroom environment through which all student voices are heard and honored. And that’s good for students and teachers alike.
Taking up this protocol is going to be an interesting exercise in channelizing students’ energies and modifying their behavior. Since I will be revisiting and fine-tuning it, over regular intervals, it will equip me with the know-how to set norms in every sphere of my
teaching-learning experience.
Questions….
1 Following protocols will enhance educators’ and students’ qualities of judgment.
How does one enhance qualities of judgment?
2 How do educators develop, and teach, patterns of behavior and thinking that become habits?
3. By adhering to time frames, which is the backbone of Protocols, do we lose the essence of intense discussion and its benefits ?
Responses from my fellow participants and critical friend in the program ...
Ms. Doshi - Hi Sakina
I appreciate when you write about “I want the students to set norms for 'acceptable and unacceptable behaviour in class’ with peers and teachers’.” As teachers, we all face challenges related to students’ behaviour. We often face a situation in class wherein a student out smartly attempts to answer all the questions ignoring others in class or ridicule when one tries to express his ideas. As you mentioned in your QQC, setting a norm is essential. These issues might seem to be petite, but I think it very important to nurture certain habits in students (may be in form of norms) .I think it helps in building up a culture. A protocol always helps in doing things consciously, efficiently and systematically. I think, I should also introduce norms with new batch in December.
Mr. Krueger - Hi Sakina:
I loved your recipe analogy in the beginning. I think that is a great way to think about protocols!
I like the idea of the all-purpose go around. It sounds like you will get some interesting info and student
perspective from that meeting. I think it is always nice to revisit norms as well, and ask kids to be reflective about the environment that they are in, and help them to see that they have an integral part in creating that environment.
I think it is really great you are pushing yourself so much to get equal voices from all students. It seems like a never-ending quest. I have been thinking about this a lot myself, and I think the effort is so valuable to everyone. I think opportunities to have a larger voice can often be profound for kids that are shy/quiet, and can be reluctant to participate. It can help those kids to feel confident in ways they haven't sometimes. It is so great for other kids to work on becoming better listeners as well. Please let me know
how it goes, I am interested in putting a little more structure in my advisory group conversations, so I am interested to hear how yours goes.
Ben
Ms. McBain - Sakina
I love the recipe analogy you used in this QQC. So true. I really appreciate how you are now looking at student work through the lenses of achievement and design. I recently taught a session of the use of critique in the classroom and as we talked the teacher became more aware that the flaw in the student work was not in the effort of the students rather in the design of the prompt. Like you I believe, once you start examining student work from the lens of your design, it reshapes your mindset as a teacher.
I love that your bringing in these two protocols into your class. I think you are spot on in waiting to set the norms with kids. Setting them before any behavior has been done might seem arbitrary.
Lastly I think your questions are great. With respect to the qualities of judgment, I think you can start to enhance the quality through the debriefs. This is why debriefing protocols are important because it allows students to think what comments or questions were most valuable. I could see journal prompts after the protocol where students write about one or two moments in the discussion that were thought provoking. Then by sharing these comments, this becomes shared knowledge and will influence the next conversation.
The last question is a tough one because protocols can appear to be stifling to intense conversation. There maybe a few things at play here. One it could be that the person who feels stifled really wants to tell others how to do something which may or may not be helpful to the presenter. I also think it is important to create a parking lot (a list of ideas that don’t pertain to the presenter’s dilemma/protocol) but are good to remember to come back to at the end of the conversation. Finally know that you can always adjust the times. If things are moving in a discussion, extend it but just don’t short-change the debrief!
Thanks!
Ms. Doshi - Hi Sakina
I appreciate when you write about “I want the students to set norms for 'acceptable and unacceptable behaviour in class’ with peers and teachers’.” As teachers, we all face challenges related to students’ behaviour. We often face a situation in class wherein a student out smartly attempts to answer all the questions ignoring others in class or ridicule when one tries to express his ideas. As you mentioned in your QQC, setting a norm is essential. These issues might seem to be petite, but I think it very important to nurture certain habits in students (may be in form of norms) .I think it helps in building up a culture. A protocol always helps in doing things consciously, efficiently and systematically. I think, I should also introduce norms with new batch in December.
Mr. Krueger - Hi Sakina:
I loved your recipe analogy in the beginning. I think that is a great way to think about protocols!
I like the idea of the all-purpose go around. It sounds like you will get some interesting info and student
perspective from that meeting. I think it is always nice to revisit norms as well, and ask kids to be reflective about the environment that they are in, and help them to see that they have an integral part in creating that environment.
I think it is really great you are pushing yourself so much to get equal voices from all students. It seems like a never-ending quest. I have been thinking about this a lot myself, and I think the effort is so valuable to everyone. I think opportunities to have a larger voice can often be profound for kids that are shy/quiet, and can be reluctant to participate. It can help those kids to feel confident in ways they haven't sometimes. It is so great for other kids to work on becoming better listeners as well. Please let me know
how it goes, I am interested in putting a little more structure in my advisory group conversations, so I am interested to hear how yours goes.
Ben
Ms. McBain - Sakina
I love the recipe analogy you used in this QQC. So true. I really appreciate how you are now looking at student work through the lenses of achievement and design. I recently taught a session of the use of critique in the classroom and as we talked the teacher became more aware that the flaw in the student work was not in the effort of the students rather in the design of the prompt. Like you I believe, once you start examining student work from the lens of your design, it reshapes your mindset as a teacher.
I love that your bringing in these two protocols into your class. I think you are spot on in waiting to set the norms with kids. Setting them before any behavior has been done might seem arbitrary.
Lastly I think your questions are great. With respect to the qualities of judgment, I think you can start to enhance the quality through the debriefs. This is why debriefing protocols are important because it allows students to think what comments or questions were most valuable. I could see journal prompts after the protocol where students write about one or two moments in the discussion that were thought provoking. Then by sharing these comments, this becomes shared knowledge and will influence the next conversation.
The last question is a tough one because protocols can appear to be stifling to intense conversation. There maybe a few things at play here. One it could be that the person who feels stifled really wants to tell others how to do something which may or may not be helpful to the presenter. I also think it is important to create a parking lot (a list of ideas that don’t pertain to the presenter’s dilemma/protocol) but are good to remember to come back to at the end of the conversation. Finally know that you can always adjust the times. If things are moving in a discussion, extend it but just don’t short-change the debrief!
Thanks!
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