Blog Three--Rewards or Punishment?
What an interesting topic to discuss as the end of school nears! Motivation...how successfully to motivate students. I imagine you will begin to see students wiggle more in their seats, push the behavior envelope as school winds down for the year. Teachers may revamp their teaching methods in these last days. Reflect on the notion of rewards and punishments being "mirror images" of each other. How does your teacher motivate students without dangling the proverbial carrot or threatening with "or else?" Are grades rewards or punishments? How so? What does Mr. Kohn think of grades? Does he propose alternative assessments?
Everyone likes a good pat on the back now and then...how does Mr. Kohn evaluate praise and its place in the classroom? What would Mr. Kohn do? What would you do to motivate students? Lastly, reflect on the the differences between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Which do you see your cooperating teacher use in the classroom. What kinds of teaching methods would you use to motivate students and why?
Bafile, Cara, "Carrots or sticks? Alfie Kohn on Rewards and
Punishment." Education World, 2009.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_issues/chat/chat031.shtml
Due: March 25, 2012, by 11:59 p.m.
posted by Cheri Anderson @ 7:00 AM
6 comments
6 Comments:
In my classroom, Mrs. Taylor motivates the kids by letting them do more fun things once they finish their work. Once the students finish their morning work, they are allowed to read a book of their choice. Many students enjoy this, so they are motivated to get the work done. I think grades are rewards because you are the one who works for them. Only you can earn that grade. Mr. Kohn also prefers that they earn their grade, not a different reward. I like the way Mr. Kohn evaluates praise in the classroom. He says that he wants to give them praise under his conditions. The students should have to do things according to his standards and jump through his hoops. To motivate students, I would give them educational rewards, like Mrs. Taylor does. It makes the kids want to do their work, but they still are being educated in their rewards. Intrinsic motivation is when you do something because you like doing it, but extrinsic motivation is when you do something because you get a reward. I see my teacher using a little bit of both because I have a few students who would never do school work if they didn't have to. I would use the fun learning motivational technique. The students are motivated to do their work because they want do so something fun in the classroom.
Similar to Sarah, my teacher Mrs. Smith motivates the children by letting them have free time after they are done with their work. We have computers, books, blocks, coloring activities, and games in our classroom that the students can participate in when finished with their work. This motivates the students greatly to finish their work so that they can have free time. I think that grades are an excellent award. In school, students put tons of effort towards their studies and the result is good grades. I've seen in my classroom how excited the first graders get when they have received a good grade, and good grades pay off.When asked if rewards motivate children, Mr. Kohn says, "There's a place for unconditional love and support and attention and encouragement. That's what kids need." I completely agree with Mr. Kohn. Children need encouragement and support to continue doing excellent work. They also need love and attention that shows them that you care. I think that love, attention, support and encouragement motivate children more than anything. If you show a student that you really care about them and you believe that they can do something, they will succeed. When I am a teacher, I hope to motivate my students with not only stickers and prizes, but also love and support. Both of these help the children to succeed and do their best work. Intrinsic motivation is when you do something because you enjoy and like doing it. Extrinsic motivation is when you do something in hope of getting an award out of it. I see my teacher using both. She uses a "prize box" for when a student does well on their behavior chart for the week, but she also uses love and support to help the kids enjoy what they are doing.
I am not against rewards and punishments. I think that giving students an incentive to do things isn't necessarily a bad thing. However, I don't think rewards and punishments should be used all the time. If it's towards the end of the year and students begin losing interest in school work, then offering a reward and putting a punishment in place is just the teacher's way of telling the students that school isn't over yet and they still need to try. However, I also get what Kohn is saying about how rewards and punishments sometimes take away from students actually learning things. "For example, research shows that students who are given grades (rewarded with A's) become less interested in whatever they're learning than those who are given no grades at all." I really agree with Kohn on this. Mr. Weisenbach once said something similar to this at our National Honor Society induction last year. He said that he was very proud of everyone for getting really good grades, but what really matters is actually wanting to learn not just wanting a good grade. That statement really stuck out to me. Sure getting good grades is great, but what does it matter if I don't learn something or take something away from the class that I can apply to something in my life. When I am a teacher, I will strive to get my kids interested in what they are learning about so they can really take something away from my class that will hopefully help them in the future.
My teacher Ms. Meyer moptivaties her student by making them have respect for her. The kids do not want to let her down and that really motivates them in their classwork. The students also gwet motyivated by little things of praise. Ms. Meyer is not one to praise excessively so when it is given it is earned. Whether it be a cooment on top of anassignment or a sticker I can tell the students are proud of it. I agree with Mr. Kohn when he talked baout not just earingin a grade, but actually learning. I think that that is important in every classroom at any age. The strive to learn should come before the strive to get a good grade. Sometimes i think teachers, students, and parents mix those too up. I would rather have all my styudents failing but learned stuff then straight As and them learn nothing.
I think both rewards and punishments should be used. A child needs to know that certain behaviors are not approved of in classrooms or in society. Punishments will help get this point across. A child should also be rewarded for successful improvements in behavior or work done or performance levels. By punishing a child for doing something wrong and rewarding them for doing it the "right way" or improving, you will reinforce and promote the good behaviors. While this sounds similar to manipulation, you realy are preparing the student for the expectations they will be facing in the future in class and outside of it! My teacher motivates students to behave well by sticker charts. They get stickers for good behavior and good quality work. They also have conduct cards that they get each week. When they get an A+ in conduct, they get to pick out a prize which could be stickers, a small frisbee, or candy! I know of one student who had behavioral issues so each day, my teacher writes a note to her parents in her planner telling them about her behavior of the day. IF it's good, she gets a smiley face. If it's bad, she gets a frowny face. (Is "frowny" a word?) All of the students have magnets that are on a stoplight. They start at green and each time they misbehave, she will move their magnet up to yellow and then, red. Red is the worse. She also writes down what the magnet was moved for such as unfinished homework, not following directions, bad behavior... I believe that she doesn't dangle the carrot by writing notes to or emailing the students' parents when they misbehave over and over. They know that mommy and daddy won't like to hear about bad behavior so they try to not misbehave. I believe that grades are a reward because they already understand what a good grade is, how awesome an "A+" is and what bad grades mean. Mr. Kohn believes that earning the grade isn't the most important goal. He believes that laerning the material is the most important goal. There are teachers who teach the material wonderfully and then, they fail do the same when it comes to creating the homework. I have teachers like that now! But it helps when the homework has the student review over that material and then challenges them to go a little further. Extrinsic motivation is when effort is put forth in order to gain a reward while intrinsic motivation is when you do well because you like to. While Mrs. Schultz rewards the students with prizes for their conduct grades, she pushes them to strive and to achieve goals beacuse they want to learn!I like both kinds. I think some work better with different ages of students because they have a different mindset and their goals vary in complexity by age.
Mrs Auger motivates the kids by keepig them involved. Instead of making them sit in their seats she has tem do little strechs. At the end of the day she always makes time for prayer and a game of sparkle or around the world. Also whenever they are having a good day, she gives them "brain-food" which are M&Ms. They love it and they get so excited when they get som of that brainfood. Also if there isnt enough time for a game she allows them to ask questions to her or even to me. They love to hear about my day and what i learn. I think grades are a reward. When you give the right amount of effort then you get the grade you want. I want kids to get something out of learning, not just the grade.
Post a Comment
<< Home