All parents want to transit the child into the intrinsic motivation stage because in this stage, the child is self-regulating and self-discipline. No more nagging and no more threats or bribes. However, to move to this stage is a long process and it really needs planning the whole process.
As a starter, I will simplify the concepts of both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation into more concrete examples. Here are a few examples.
Extrinsic Motivation
External and usually consumable.
- Sweets, chocolates
- Money
- More time on computer games
- More dessert
- Praise
- More time on TV shows
Intrinsic Motivation
This is some sort of enlightenment in the child's head.
- Sings because the child enjoys singing
- Does his homework because the child enjoys doing homework
- Keeps his toys because he wants to be tidy
- Revises his work because he knows it is important to do so
Too much extrinsic motivation is no good as it will create a lot of difficulty to transit the child into intrinsic motivation. For example, if you offer $50 for homework EVERYTIME. The link between the $50 and the homework will be very strong. The child will do his homework for the $50, and not for completing the homework itself. Take the $50 away and the child will see no meaning in doing the homework and stop doing his homework unless the $50 is offered again. In addition, the child may ask for more than $50 next time. Very dangerous.
However, I have to say again that extrinsic motivation by itself is neutral. It is only bad when we overuse it. If a child has totally no motivation to do his homework, some extrinsic motivation should be used to get him started. However, almost immediately after finishing his homework, steps should be taken to downplay the $50 and focus on the joy of completing the task. This is the process that is often missed out.
The secret to intrinsic motivation is actually the task design. A task well-thought and well-presented to the child will let the child fall in love the task itself. The task cannot be boring or too easy. The task cannot be too exciting or too difficult. It has to be just nice. So, how do we design such a task? We have to begin by understanding the child and also understand the task itself.
For my next post, I will share on how I develop the habit of reading in my children.
Stay motivated. See you next week.
little motivator
Tuesday 25 December 2012
Monday 17 December 2012
First Post!!!!
Finally, I decided to blog about my thoughts on motivating your child to learn.
My observations are mostly from my profession and from my two boys at home. They may not fully apply to your situation, but it should shed some light for you.
Since this is my first post, we shall talk about something very basic: motivation. Motivation can be broadly categorized into two categories: intrinsic and extrinsic.
Intrinsic motivation is the motivation that has been internalized. It is the higher form of motivation that comes from within. It is something that the child want to do because the child enjoys the task. This is the level that each parent wants to achieve.
Extrinsic motivation is the motivation that is external to the child. It is an outside factor acting on the child. Some examples are rewards, sweets and praise. Extrinsic motivation links these external factors to the task. This is the easy way out for most parents. Offer a reward to get a job done. Bribe the kids with sweets to control them.
At first look, intrinsic motivation is better than extrinsic motivation. On a very loose context, you are not wrong. However, the best way to motivate your child is to use both. Extrinsic motivation is very useful if your child has totally lost interest in the task. It is vital to start your child feeling a bit motivated first. Then, we can transit him into intrinsic motivation.
Some people may say that I am very lucky that Zenith (my eldest son) has an interest in learning and doing homework. But, they do not know that he followed a very intricate plan of motivation. His interest did not happen by chance.
As you can see, I am very much into this and hence the long blog post for the first post. Stay tuned as I share my observations!
the little motivator
My observations are mostly from my profession and from my two boys at home. They may not fully apply to your situation, but it should shed some light for you.
Since this is my first post, we shall talk about something very basic: motivation. Motivation can be broadly categorized into two categories: intrinsic and extrinsic.
Intrinsic motivation is the motivation that has been internalized. It is the higher form of motivation that comes from within. It is something that the child want to do because the child enjoys the task. This is the level that each parent wants to achieve.
Extrinsic motivation is the motivation that is external to the child. It is an outside factor acting on the child. Some examples are rewards, sweets and praise. Extrinsic motivation links these external factors to the task. This is the easy way out for most parents. Offer a reward to get a job done. Bribe the kids with sweets to control them.
At first look, intrinsic motivation is better than extrinsic motivation. On a very loose context, you are not wrong. However, the best way to motivate your child is to use both. Extrinsic motivation is very useful if your child has totally lost interest in the task. It is vital to start your child feeling a bit motivated first. Then, we can transit him into intrinsic motivation.
Some people may say that I am very lucky that Zenith (my eldest son) has an interest in learning and doing homework. But, they do not know that he followed a very intricate plan of motivation. His interest did not happen by chance.
As you can see, I am very much into this and hence the long blog post for the first post. Stay tuned as I share my observations!
the little motivator
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)