necessary for the healing of society and the planet. Consider the lobbyist for toxic waste producers—is he doing his work because of his heart's desire to poison aquifers? Or is he doing it for an external purpose: the money? Ask the same of the environmental activist or the hospice volunteer or the founder of the animal shelter. You can even ask yourself, in your role as a teacher or simply as a member of society, is money an ally or an obstacle in devoting yourself to the things you really care about? Is money an ally or an enemy in those situations where you feel pressure to compromise your integrity? Is it money, or is it something else, that motivates you to be the best teacher you can be? It would be too simplistic, though, to advocate sheltering children from any “external”
motivation, be it money, grades, or social approval. The distinction between internal and external rewards is a red herring. Human beings are social animals, and our motivations, even our identity, are socially constructed. So it is that curiosity—surely an internal moti- vation—usually accompanies a desire to talk about one's discoveries, and bringing happi- ness to other people is gratified by evidence of the fruition of those efforts. For a culture to embody certain qualities requires social reinforcement. Cultures
based on cooperation and sharing not only liberate those elements of human nature; they also have social structures that reinforce them and draw them forth. Likewise, the gift economies of non-monetized societies were not realms of pure disinterested altruism. The generous person had the satisfaction of seeing the positive effects of her gifts radiate outward and return to her via the gratitude her gifts inspired in others. Such is the fabric of community: it is a circle of gifts. In a gift-based community, altruism and self-interest blur as the good of each person enables them to give more generously to the others in the community.
We Can Do Better
The question, then, is not whether motivation is internal or external, but what various kinds of motivation do to the individual and to the group. Merely measuring how effective different motivational techniques are in produc- ing higher test scores gives a very partial picture of their effects. Let us return to the question, “What purpose does school seek to achieve?” Maybe it is time to enact a dif- ferent conception of the purpose of human life. Could the social incentives of the classroom develop in children the habits of community, the joy of seeing one's efforts benefit others, the felt realization of interconnectedness, the satis- faction of dedicating one’s gifts toward something greater than oneself? If so, I am afraid the motivational power of money
runs counter to what we really want to create in the class- room. We need to explore other ways of doing things and understand that pedagogy and curriculum are inseparable. Whatever is being taught, the implicit meta-lessons can engender a new kind of literacy: not financial literacy, but community literacy. That means to be conversant in the concepts, habits, and mindset of community. Specifically, these meta-lessons might include:
Cultivating the gifts of community can take many forms.
Could the social incentives of the
classroom develop in children the habits of community, the joy of seeing one’s
efforts benefit others, the felt realization of interconnectedness, the satisfaction of
dedicating one’s gifts toward something greater than oneself?
1. What goes around comes around: What I do to someone else will affect me as well. 2. More for you is more for me: In a gift economy, your good fortune is my good for- tune because it enables you to contribute more.
©SYNERGY LEARNING • 800-769-6199 • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012 Connect • PAGE 13
irene canaris
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