Dateline: New Orleans, December 5, 2008
A contingent of students (6) and staff members (10) from Bentley School arrived three days ago for the annual People of Color Conference sponsored by the National Association of Independent Schools. Our first day was spent in the Upper Ninth Ward doing community service work together with members from other schools across the nation with Habitat for Humanity.
Enjoy!
Friday, December 05, 2008
Monday, December 01, 2008
GUEST POST: BY LIA
As an educator, I know how difficult it is to motivate all students in all subjects. I’m glad formal and research-driven incentive programs are being explored in schools across the country.
Alfie Kohn’s states that “getting them hooked on the rewards” undermines the ultimate goal of loving learning for its own sake. However, research has shown that even after rewards have been removed, the positive effects persist. In a Kenya study, “Incentives to Learn” published in January 2008, the removal of rewards did not impact motivation. “Surveys of students in our Kenyan data provide no evidence that program incentives weakened intrinsic motivation to learn or led to gaming or cheating.”
Also, in an evaluation of the Advanced Placement Incentive Program (APIP) conducted by C. Kirabo Jackson of Cornell University, “A Little Now for a Lot Later; A Look at a Texas Advanced Placement Incentive Program” published December 2007 Kirabo reports that AP course enrollment increased for all AP courses even if rewards were only given for certain subjects.
I was inspired to read that Samantha would save the money for college or donate some to charities. What an excellent use of her hard earned money! Perhaps programs should look into uBoost, a performance-based rewards and recognition program for students. Instead of cash (which seems to draw quite a bit of controversy) students earn points which can be redeemed for rewards or donated to charities. uBoost provides students with an easy way to “give back” based on their achievements.
Alfie Kohn’s states that “getting them hooked on the rewards” undermines the ultimate goal of loving learning for its own sake. However, research has shown that even after rewards have been removed, the positive effects persist. In a Kenya study, “Incentives to Learn” published in January 2008, the removal of rewards did not impact motivation. “Surveys of students in our Kenyan data provide no evidence that program incentives weakened intrinsic motivation to learn or led to gaming or cheating.”
Also, in an evaluation of the Advanced Placement Incentive Program (APIP) conducted by C. Kirabo Jackson of Cornell University, “A Little Now for a Lot Later; A Look at a Texas Advanced Placement Incentive Program” published December 2007 Kirabo reports that AP course enrollment increased for all AP courses even if rewards were only given for certain subjects.
I was inspired to read that Samantha would save the money for college or donate some to charities. What an excellent use of her hard earned money! Perhaps programs should look into uBoost, a performance-based rewards and recognition program for students. Instead of cash (which seems to draw quite a bit of controversy) students earn points which can be redeemed for rewards or donated to charities. uBoost provides students with an easy way to “give back” based on their achievements.
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