Te{a}ch Talk
Tips, Tricks, and Thoughts on Transformation
Purpose: A cause larger than ourselves
"One cannot lead a life that is truly excellent without feeling that one belongs to something greater and more permanent than oneself." -Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
This is the third leg of the tripod of Daniel Pink's motivation theory in his book, Drive. As he states, "Autonomous people working toward mastery perform at very high levels. But those who do so in the service of some greater objective can achieve even more" (p. 133).
When we work toward something that betters the world around us or leaves a positive impact or legacy that outlasts us, we are generally motivated to put forth our best work, even when the work is challenging.
Where and how do our students find purpose in learning?
- Collective products--collective work for which our contributions are valuable to others
- Service to others--coursework that provides a benefit to our class, school, family, or community
- Expanded audience--coursework that is shared beyond the classroom and can be seen or used by others
- Real-world application--learning that involves interacting with real-world problems in an authentic context
Kim Briske, Northfield Public Schools
Email: kimberly.briske@nfld.k12.mn.us
Website: www.nfld.k12.mn.us
Location: Northfield, MN, United States
Phone: 507-664-3399
Twitter: @kimbriske