View Single Post
  #12  
Old December 6th 07, 04:35 PM posted to misc.kids
Chris
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 223
Default Rewarding good or "not bad"

On Dec 6, 6:35�am, "Welches"
wrote:
I'm coming from the view of #1, who sits still, listens and obeys (at school
anyway!!) and is at the top end of her form. Her teacher commented that she
"coasts" the academic side, and still is at the top. Certainly she produces
much better work at home than she does at school.

At various times she has commented that you get more rewards at school by
being "not bad" than being always good. It's been comment before but I'm
beginning to sense a frustration, as often these other children are getting
rewards frequently that she would like to have occasionally.

Having observed at various times the 3-4 children in her form that are least
able to concentrate seem to get more than half the visible rewards going at
any time, this does seem to be disproportionate, but I can sympathise with
the teachers who have to keep them going. The school is very
non-competative, and don't seem to reward achievement either academically,
sporting, or other although they're good at recognising effort. I like the
awarding for effort, but sometimes #1 is confused by this and thinks she
must have done something badly because others got commended and she didn't
or thinks she must be really good at something that she isn't, but gets
rewarded because she tries.

Last year I overheard her discussing with friends whether it was worth being
"naughty" one day to get "star of the day". Luckily they decided it wasn't
worth being told off back then, but I'm not sure she's going to keep that
decision up if this continues. (I susequently noticed that the "star of the
day" was basically awarded to the same 3 children every week, and maybe
another if they remembered to do it on another day)
#1 has commented that the rewards are not done on an equal scale, which she
seems to find a bit confusing (she commented one time that her teacher had
said that 2 stories in the class were "superb" and one subsequently got a
head teacher's certificate for it and the other didn't. She thought the head
teacher must have forgotten the other child) and I have discussed with her
about finding different things hard and trying hard being important.

I think this is an issue with at least one other girl in her class too, from
speaking to her parent.

I'm wondering how other schools deal with this problem, as I can't think of
a realisitc way round this where all are going to be motivated and feel
rewarded. The ones who really seem to miss out from my observation are those
who are quiet, obedient, and middle of the class in achievements, they seem
to get very, very few rewards at all.

Debbie


I think I would certainly point out the issues the teacher is probably
inadvertently creating with her reward system to the teacher, and at
the same time, I would tell my daughter what a wonderful student she
is and that the system is really created for children who *should*
know better to try to do better, that we all know she is already doing
her best, which IS wonderful, and that she should be quite proud that
she doesn't need a reward system to motivate her to be the best person/
student she can be. I hope that teacher is at least willing to keep
the "not bad" rewards at a different level than those that should be
created for star students.