Intrinsic Motivation VS Extrinsic Motivation

Look around. Everything you see, in one way or another, is made by money. Except for nature, everything we have is controlled and a by-product of money.

It is not surprising why others think that money equals to power, that it can buy everything. Well, can't it?

When you live in a very poor community like mine, money is always an issue. I know because I am from a third-world country. Before, I thought that if I had money, I can buy all the happiness in the world. But one ordinary incident in my life told me that I was wrong.

I am an honor student in my school, and hopefully by the end of the school year I would graduate with an award. I was used to not being rewarded for my efforts since we are poor. However when I started going to college and earning excellent grades, a relative of mine started "recognizing" my efforts by sending me "incentives." I eventually gotten used to it that I and my relative ultimately developed the mentality that everything has its monetary value. Until such time that I realized that the very essence of giving rewards faded between us. The emotional factor of it vanished, and was replaced by cold cash. It was as if I worked for the money's sake, but not for my growth, not for my studies either.

According to Principles of Teaching, intrinsic motivation lasts longer than extrinsic motivation or any other external factors like money. Seldom did I receive verbal praises from my family or relatives when it comes to my work in school. That could have been the primary reason why my motivation in every task easily fades, even if equalized with money. Because of the "arrangement" I and my relative had, our relationship changed as well. He always thinks that every time I report my grades to him, he would always tell me that he will send money soon. As a result, a gap came about between us.

To future teachers and to future parents, never let the child get used to being rewarded materially. Verbal praises and support yield better results than any other external factor - both mentally and emotionally.

Source: Vanderbilt University, Center For Teaching