Why Teach? What Motivates Me?

By: Madelyn Wendling

Throughout our lifetime we often make decisions that require both extrinsic and intrinsic
motivations. Extrinsic motivations are those that are on the outside; money, prestige, or what
others see of you. On the other hand, intrinsic, is what’s on the inside, how it makes you feel.
This week I was asked to reflect on what my intrinsic and extrinsic motivations are in regard to
teaching.
After carefully examining what I truly care about and value, I found that I have more
intrinsic motivations than extrinsic. From the readings I could agree that my extrinsic
motivations include benefits/retirement, status, and work schedule. As a teacher I know I will not
be receiving the highest paycheck, which is personally okay with me! Teachers on the other hand
tend to have great insurance with health care and especially retirement plans. I know that the
state of Massachusetts has a rewarding retirement plan, as I have heard from teachers back home.
The status of a teacher also motivates me. I feel it will give me a sense of community in my
everyday life, knowing that parents, students, and more will trust me each day to give their child
the best and believe in me as I do it. A teacher work schedule is also a large motivation for me.
Later in life I hope to have a family. Teaching allows for me to do that. I will essentially be on
the same schedule as my “children” and have adequate time at night to run errands, have a social
life, etc. In addition to ideal working hours, I have holidays and weekends off, and a snow day
here or there...and who doesn’t like an adult snow day! My family owns a marina and being able
to help them during the summer is something I want to do, and teaching allows for that time in
the summer! In the readings of “Those Who Can Teach” there was an extrinsic motivation listed,
power. That motivation threw me off quite a bit upon reading it. I personally, don’t find teaching
to be a means of exerting power but rather being a leader, a genuine leader that is. As I continue
my studies and things get tough, I can always reflect on my current three extrinsic motivations;
benefits/retirement, status, and work schedule.
Currently, it would be a fair statement to say that I am pursuing teaching primarily for my
intrinsic motivations. Motivations I relate to from the reading are the students, the performance
of a significant social service, support from fellow teachers, and the work/art of teaching itself. I
personally find the rewards of working with students, especially at the elementary level limitless.
Every day they learn something and from them I learn something too. I could have the next
president, educator, scientist, and so forth in my classroom. I get to help plant the seeds to a
beautiful flowering story, and what is more satisfying than that? Being able to perform such a
significant social service, is something I would never take for granted. I get to step in and work
in a field that affects lives, currently and the future. Teaching is very powerful, and I am going to
use it wisely. I find that the environment of a school and its faculty is much livelier than sitting in
an office and working from a computer all day. I find the environment in schools to be upbeat
and full of building connections. My high school demonstrated what it looks like when staff
becomes family with one another, their common goal of educating turned into something much
greater. However, my main motivation is the art of teaching itself. It simply gives me butterflies.
Anything from designing/decorating the classroom, creating lesson plans, meeting students,
meeting families, and even writing name tags for the first day! When I think about all that...I
nearly cheer with excitement! (Yes, I’m a total nerd!) It is a fact that I can’t wait to have the first
day of school jitters for the rest of my life! To me seeing my intrinsic motivations makes me
realize I am on the right path to what I want to do for the rest of my life. After analyzing your
motivations towards teaching, your current job, or even something you’re considering...do you
feel passionate about your motivations and happy with them? I sure know I do.