Today I had one of those great thought moments that can only happen during deep professional and personal reflection. George Couros, a principal I admire, did some thinking out-loud on my latest blog post, a follow up to another post on behavior. Part of his comment is shown below:
I am going to challenge you a bit on this post, but not necessarily on its content. I noticed that you listed some stats on how many hits you have had, retweets, etc.. I also noticed that you listed that "Alfie Kohn" commented on it (like it was some kind of award that he did that). You have also written how you were disappointed that you did not get an edublog award: (http://mrspripp.blogspot.com/2010/12/im-loser.html)
With the listing of these stats (kind of like marks) and discussion of awards, are you somehow showing that you have a part of you driven by the same thing that you are saying we should take away from students in the classroom?
Just some food for thought. I think that your posting discussing the importance of intrinsic motivation and not extrinsic motivators is contradicted by use of the stats of your blog hits and retweets.
Is there room for both to drive us? I know I have a twitter counter on my own blog posts and love recognition.
I am going to challenge you a bit on this post, but not necessarily on its content. I noticed that you listed some stats on how many hits you have had, retweets, etc.. I also noticed that you listed that "Alfie Kohn" commented on it (like it was some kind of award that he did that). You have also written how you were disappointed that you did not get an edublog award: (http://mrspripp.blogspot.com/2010/12/im-loser.html)
With the listing of these stats (kind of like marks) and discussion of awards, are you somehow showing that you have a part of you driven by the same thing that you are saying we should take away from students in the classroom?
Just some food for thought. I think that your posting discussing the importance of intrinsic motivation and not extrinsic motivators is contradicted by use of the stats of your blog hits and retweets.
Is there room for both to drive us? I know I have a twitter counter on my own blog posts and love recognition.
Part of my response to George was this:
George, what a great comment that really made me think early this morning. I think your questions prove avery valid point for me; we as adults struggle for the same recognition as our students do. However, the reason why I listed those stats etc with this particular post was because it showed that somehow this particular post really struck something in people, which I had no idea it would. I never expect anyone to read my blog so the fact that that many people took the time to share or read shows that this a debate that many others are either thinking about or engaged in.
So all day I wondered; was I indeed a hypocrite (not that George implied it, I label myself that way)? Had I published those statistics and name dropped because I too craved recognition and reward from my peers? Could I possible be wanting the same thing that I despise so much in my own classroom? The answer is not easy to come up with. On one hand, I really do not seek out recognition but rather reflection, however, on the other hand, do I obsessively look at my blog counts to see if I matter? Is that what it really comes down to?
Perhaps when we look at our blog visits or comments received, we are really looking for some sort of validation that there are others like us out there. That we are not alone in this educational ocean where the tide continuously shifts. Perhaps, when a lot of people respond to a post we have found an island on which others seek refuge as well. Perhaps, the need for recognition is so intrinsically ingrained in us that we can never truly escape it no matter how much we try.
I am not perfect, which thankfully no one has ever accused me of being. I struggle publicly with many of my own teaching practices and choose to chronicle this struggle in order to give myself clarity from a distance. I wish I could be 100% staunch anti-reward, but I am not, I still praise my students for great behavior, amazing work or just being all around fantastic kids. Some would consider that a reward as well. What I am opposed to, though, are the public reward ceremonies, the in-class recognition of only the best and brightest, rather than different categories where all children can be celebrated. So perhaps I am a hypocrite, but at least I am a hypocrite who is willing to share their thoughts.
