Manufacturers may
possibly in their turn bring men back to aristocracy... Whereas the workman
concentrates his faculties more and more upon the study of a single detail, the
master surveys a more extensive whole, and the mind of the latter is enlarged
in proportion as that of the former is narrowed…The master and the workman have
then here no similarity, and their differences increase every day...the one is
continually, closely, and necessarily dependent upon the other, and seems as
much born to obey as that other is to command. What is this but aristocracy? --
Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America (1840)
When I first read Democracy in America in 2008, I was
shocked that despite being the best read text on early-American history, this section
and so much else in the book is almost completely ignored. Inspired by Democracy
in America, I read book after book, started my own blog on the subject, spoke with individuals like Traci Fenton from WorldBlu, and went back to school so that I
could study organizational democracy and prepare to be part of a democratic
business. After I was accepted to BYU I seized upon an opportunity to be a volleyball
PE teacher—to teach BYU undergraduates. In this arena, I decided that I would
begin to apply what I was learning.
The first democratic concept that I
brought to the classroom was to make learning optional. In the book Maverick
by Ricardo Semler, I learned that people are naturally curious and can direct
their own learning, and I was drawn to his idea to make all business meetings
optional. So, at the beginning of each class, I teach optional volleyball workshops.
Those who do not want to participate can play volleyball. Those who do want to
participate learn volleyball skills. Currently, each workshop is attended by
approximately one-third of the class and students’ intrinsic motivation drives
them to master each skill.
I adopted a second value from
Ricardo Semler, outlined in his book The Seven-Day Weekend, which is
that people should be treated like adults. To do this, I memorize all 36 of my
students’ names, I build bonds of trust and respect, and I make sure students know
that they are in charge of the class, not me. Beginning the first day of class,
students tell me what they want to learn, how they will warm up, how they will
be graded, and how they will choose their teams. My only job is to make
volleyball workshops available, make suggestions, and enforce what the students
decide.
One of the toughest lessons I am still
learning is how to optimally challenge my students. In the book Drive by
Dan Pink, I learned the importance of “flow” a term coined by Mihaly
Csikszentmihalyi. “Flow” essentially means being “in the zone” and that can
only happen when people are optimally challenged. Within the first few weeks of
class, the most advanced players complained of being bored because the
intensity of the games was low. They suggested that I drop the idea of optional
workshops and force everyone to attend, so that beginners could learn to play
better. One student suggested, in complete seriousness, that “for any mistake
on the court, students should do ten pushups—this would make everyone better
players.” Initially, I had no idea what to do, and I began to doubt my democratic
strategy. I felt stuck. I struggled to find a way to improve the “flow” of the
class without stifling students’ intrinsic motivation and desire for
self-determination. It was at this time that I began reading Drive and, over
a weekend of studying and thinking, the answer came to me. The next class
period I gathered the students together and asked if they would like to have an
intense court of play. Those on the intense court would play a coordinated
offense of their choice at game-level intensity. I made a signup sheet, and to
my surprise, everyone signed up. The class now has two intense courts where
everyone has equal amounts of playtime. Moreover, the beginner students decided
that I would teach them the offenses. In two class periods, the beginners learned
to play both the 5-1 and 6-2 offenses, and now during games, the advanced
players help the beginners perfect their new skills. The new intense courts help
advanced students reach an optimal level of challenge, and thereby reach a
higher level of “flow” and satisfaction in the class. What is more, the added
“flow” in the classroom sparked an increase in workshop attendance.
Along the way I make mistakes, but I continue to correct them as I listen and learn about what motivates people. After reading the book Punished by Rewards by Alfie Kohn I learned that rewards and punishments stifle intrinsic motivation. As stated earlier, all of my volleyball workshops are optional; however, out of insecurity I initially offered Snickers candy bars as rewards to participants. As I read Alfie Kohn’s book I could see how my insecurity drove me to stifle my student’s intrinsic motivation to attend my workshops. So, I changed my ways. Initially my students were disappointed that they could not win Snickers bars for attending workshops; however, contrary to my intuition, attendance to workshops has doubled, and students are more interested in improving their skills to be better on the court and less interested in winning the games we play at the end of the workshops. With the Snickers bars gone, my insecurity with optional workshops, ironically, disappeared because I know my students attend workshops to learn, not to win candy bars. No longer blinded by Snickers-bar, control schemes, I have a deep respect for my students’ natural desire to learn.
Along the way I make mistakes, but I continue to correct them as I listen and learn about what motivates people. After reading the book Punished by Rewards by Alfie Kohn I learned that rewards and punishments stifle intrinsic motivation. As stated earlier, all of my volleyball workshops are optional; however, out of insecurity I initially offered Snickers candy bars as rewards to participants. As I read Alfie Kohn’s book I could see how my insecurity drove me to stifle my student’s intrinsic motivation to attend my workshops. So, I changed my ways. Initially my students were disappointed that they could not win Snickers bars for attending workshops; however, contrary to my intuition, attendance to workshops has doubled, and students are more interested in improving their skills to be better on the court and less interested in winning the games we play at the end of the workshops. With the Snickers bars gone, my insecurity with optional workshops, ironically, disappeared because I know my students attend workshops to learn, not to win candy bars. No longer blinded by Snickers-bar, control schemes, I have a deep respect for my students’ natural desire to learn.
The final lesson I have learned from
my teaching experience is that “blissipline” unifies and motivates people. From
Vishen Lakhiani, founder of the company MindValley I learned that when people
enjoy what they are doing, they want to do more of it and they want to help
others along the way. At the time I heard Mr. Lakiani speak, I was trying to
discover how to communicate the value of stretching while respecting students’
desire for self-determination. At the start of class, all students would warm
up their arms by playing Pepper, but the problem was that very few of them
stretched consistently, which can lead to injuries. After hearing Mr.
Lakhiani’s lecture on “blissipline” I decided that I would find a stretching
game for class. I began my search on the internet. The first thing I came
across was a video called “Richard Simmons Leads Fun Stretches for Desk
Workers,” and so, I watched it hoping to find an idea. While entertaining, I
couldn’t see how it would help make stretching more enjoyable. After finding
dozens of stretching games, I came across the well known game, Simon Says. I
thought, “I could combine stretches into a game of Simon Says.” I felt that I was
getting somewhere, but it didn’t seem fun enough. Then the idea came to me, Simmons
Says! I would dress as Richard Simmons and play Simmons Says, and add some
dance moves as we “Sweat to the Oldies” on my boom box. Let me just say, the effect
of the experience was beyond my expectations. All my students were hooting and
cheering as I performed my skit, and for the first time, everyone stretched at
the beginning of class. Now, I bring my boom box to class and I or a student wears
the wig and gives his/her best Richard Simmons impressions as we warm up together. In addition, the added playfulness has unified the class. Those that
were too busy to teach others now have the time to assist others, and efforts
to build small, exclusive cliques have diminished.
Through my volleyball instructor
experience, I have learned that the science is true. Not only are there endless
examples that democratically-organized, intrinsically-motivated people
accomplish more and reach higher, but I have first-hand experience that it is
true. My teaching experience has further solidified my determination to be a
prophet of democracy. I wish now that I had so many more lifetimes to teach
everyone what I am just beginning to know. However, I find consolation in my
beliefs because to choose democracy is to concede that one day I will die. No one can manage forever, but by relinquishing the illusion of power, I can pass on a culture and a sure knowledge that “men can be trusted to govern themselves without a master.” (Thomas Jefferson)
