<p>Eric Dammer Fr. Rick Wojnicki Styles & Ways of Learning February 20, 2001 “Un-rewards” Include Play at Work</p><p>In chapter 3, Ellen Langer proves that changing mindset or attitude can make work fun when there are no conflicting motives (such as being forced into an activity or punished for not doing that activity). If a person doesn’t evaluate an activity as work and does distinguish likable characteristics of that activity, perception and enjoyment can follow. Any activity can be varied so that it is not arduously repetitive. Langer gives four main reasons why work is generally not enjoyed: work is considered mutually exclusive of play by implicit societal definition; play comes naturally but one should first mentally prepare for work; rewards let people down because they are usually unrewarding (but work can be); people’s sense of justice demands that work and enjoyment activities be separate and performed in that order.</p><p>In my own academic experience, I have fallen into all the attitude traps that Ms. </p><p>Langer explains. The way out definitely is to change my attitude about calculus homework: doing assigned (but unchecked) problems will be my reward; calculus can be made fun by finding sample problems on the web that involve electrical engineering, my intended major. Electronics is tied to calculus, but I’ve associated one with a good job and career, and the other with evenings hovering over a text trying to apply my lecture notes. Ramping up my practice sessions but varying the duration and what I expect to get from each session should be a push in the direction Langer is encouraging. (At minimum,</p><p>I will work to comprehend the concepts behind just one set of problems in a section per sitting). In this way, I can do assignments and be on the same page as everybody else. </p>