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"I try to instill a sense of intrinsic reward in the students," Reagan Hawkins told Feller. "I'd rather see a student want to learn for the sake of learning than learn for the sake of a car."
Adults work for money--and sometimes take lower-paying jobs for the sheer joy of doing what they love. But adults have already built their lives and (should) understand the consequences of less-than-best effort.
Once we start giving letter grades for good performance, we are already giving them a reward beyond learning's intrinsic pleasure. Adding cash value to those grades can make some kids work harder.
The law firm of Crowell & Moring offers cash to top-performers in algebra and history at Sierra Intermediate School in Santa Ana, Calif., where 85 percent of the students qualify for free lunches. Now in its third year, the program shows promising results, writes Crowell & Moring partner Scott Feldman in the L.A. Times.
"Time will tell whether this approach bears fruit," Feldman writes, "but the worst that has happened is that dozens of kids got a pat on the head, and some real money."
What motivates your kids to get good grades? Send your comments to parenting@washingtonpost.com, and I'll share some in next week's newsletter.
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Discussion Transcript: Finding the Best Curriculum for Your Child
From Summer to School: It's Time to Get Your Brain and Body in Shape
Clueless Parents, Part I: Childhood Obesity
Parents can delude themselves about their own children's weight, a Canadian study has found. Only 9 percent of parents think their own kids are overweight or obese--far less than the 26 percent of Canadian children who fall into those categories, according to the government.
