Re: Punished by Rewards

[Marian Mackey <MKMackey@AOL.COM>]

Just a thought, or few - How many of us would do the job we are doing now if
it weren't for the "reward" of a salary?  How many of us expect a larger
reward this year because we have served a year longer or acquired additional
academic credits?  What is merit pay other than a larger reward for
additional effort?  Would we expend that additional effort if we knew the
reward would not be increased?

I understand Alfie Kohn's premis and almost agree with it.  But is it
realistic?  As we mature don't we simply substitute more mature rewards
(salary, personal satisfaction in a job well-done) for gold stars and smiley
faces?  Can we expect immature children to read for fun when they would get
greater pleasure from playing baseball with their friends or earn a couple of
dollars for mowing a neighbor's lawn?  Shouldn't they receive extra
encouragement until they discover the inner satisfaction of reading a good
book?

I was raised under a system of rewards and punishments, and there were three
types of behavior: normal behavior, what was expected of us on a day-to-day
basis, was treated neutrally; "good" behavior, above and beyond normal
behavior, was rewarded; unacceptable behavior was punished.  Today there are
only two types of behavior, good and bad, and, therefore, since children are
not to be punished for bad behavior (currently considered abuse), they must
be rewarded for good behavior in order to recognize the difference between
the two; unacceptable behavior is pointed out to the child but no penalty is
charged; acceptable behavior is rewarded so that it will be repeated and
replace unacceptable behavior; exceptional behavior, then, earns larger
rewards.  Is the reward a punishment?  Perhaps we should bring back
old-fashioned punishments so that rewards can again be viewed as rewards.

JMTCW

Marian Mackey, Librarian             Knowledge is of two kinds:
Perkiomen Valley High School      we know a subject ourselves, or
509 Gravel Pike                            we know where we can find
Graterford, PA  19426                   information upon it. - S. Johnson
email: mkmackey@aol.com

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