Chapter 15b: Play and work in the curriculum

Dewey criticizes the current misconception of work as "drudgery"--a consequence of the idea that work must be the "subordination of an activity to an ulterior of material result" (p. 168). Schools enjoy (or should enjoy) the benefit of freedom from an emphasis on extrinsic reward. Instead, by introducing conditions where activity can be carried on for its own sake, we  can instill an appreciation and interest in the social value of whatever we are engaged in and intrinsic reward become the benchmark for judging future pursuits.