QUESTION:
Once in awhile, I would love to treat my class to a fancy pencil or a snack just because they are a great group of kids. However, now that I am using DISCIPLINE without STRESS, I pull back because it seems like I am rewarding them. Have you any thoughts on this?

RESPONSE:
You might find Alfie Kohn’s definition of a reward, from his book, PUNISHED BY REWARDS, helpful in clarifying this issue for yourself.  Kohn explains:

Give a kid a banana and that’s not a reward.

Say to a kid:
“Do this and I’ll give you a banana,” and that’s a reward.

Rewards are always tied to some condition(s), whereas treats are given unconditionally–as gifts.

It’s important to be clear on another point too. The nature of the actual item being offered has no bearing on whether or not it can be considered a reward or a treat. A glittery sticker or an ordinary cracker–both can be used as EITHER a reward or a treat-–it depends entirely on how these items are offered.

Whether openly expressed or not, rewards are always connected to the meeting of certain requirements, whereas treats are given freely and are not contingent upon certain behavior, academic achievement or amount of effort on the part of the recipient.

Even though for a number of years I did use some rewards in my teaching, I always felt uncomfortable with the practice. It felt wrong to hand out special things to ONLY SOME of my pupils, while leaving others out. The sad looks of my students bothered me and I worried what this practice said about ME as an individual.

My teaching partner and I no longer give rewards to students but we certainly do give treats occasionally. In fact, we think that it’s smart to have treats every once in a while, simply because it helps create a positive and upbeat atmosphere in our classroom! When a student of ours has a birthday, we give them a tiny bag with a few inexpensive gifts inside and at Halloween we might give inexpensive trick or treat bags for each of our students to take home. Recently, we bought some little paint sets at a liquidation store, priced unbelievably at 2¢ each! Every child in our class received one–simply because we felt like treating them.

We often use food or little trinkets as a part of academic lessons to make our program more interesting. For example we always give every student a fancy jeweled ring on the day that we highlight the phonetic pattern, “ing.” That night, as a home task, we ask the parents to help their child make a list of “ing” words to bring to school. Having a glitzy ring to show off makes an ordinary task seem exciting and is sure to generate some talk at home about “ing,” which is our goal. We find that students tend to better remember lessons such as this one because the ring provides a “memory hook” for their learning.

Food, candies and even toys, offered UNCONDITONALLY to every student in the class are treats or gifts–not rewards. When we studied farms two years ago, we brought in corn on the cob to cook and on the day that my teaching partner introduced fractions she started by having our students divide several pieces of shoestring licorice into halves, quarters and thirds. At Halloween, we might estimate, count and then eat a number of orange and black jelly beans that have arrived by way of the pretend mailbox we have in the corner of our classroom. Special memories and meaningful learning are a result of such experiences!

Keeping Kohn’s definition of a reward in mind, you will be able to determine whether you are using a particular item as a reward or as a treat. That will help you to know what you want to do in any given situation. Personally, I always strive to become aware of my OWN MOTIVATIONS and INTENTIONS in my dealings with others. Inwardly, I ask myself, “WHY am I doing this? What’s my purpose in giving this item to this child at this time?” If I realize that my purpose is to manipulate, then I am likely using the item as a reward and I will change what I am doing. I do not want to be a person who is consciously manipulative.

If my purpose is simply to give my students a gift (without making ANYONE feel badly in the process), or if my intention is to make my classroom program more interesting, more educational or more fun, then I notice that I feel good inside, and I go ahead and give the item happily and with a clear conscience–it is a treat, not a reward.

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Posted In: Rewarding
posted On: May 21, 2007: 12:27 am: By Kerry Weisner
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