Schoolwork done well reward system? Anyone done this?

[frugalmama]

I'm debating doing this with my K dd - while she is more than capable of the work she lacks motivation to do anything more than circling and coloring. She's the one asking for school, but then she only wants to do the easy work. I'm not asking a bunch - listen to one story, do one or two pages of simple handwriting, 2 pages of math, a coloring page related to said story {done while I read the story and we discuss}, and we do a Girl Scout project once a week. She's fine with the math and story but doesn't like to write or even trace letters and numbers but I know she can as she has written on her own on our big dry erase board. I'm trying to work with her on writing between the lines and lowercase letters, so I need her to do some writing as a part of schoolwork.

I remembered today from back when I was in K-1st the teacher having a box of goodies, and if you did and your work well and behaved in class you could either A. pick out an item from the box {normally just dime store toys, pencils, erasers, etc} or B. Save up your points for something big on Friday {normally something a little larger - big box of crayons, deck of cards, off-brand barbie, etc}. I think this might for for dd - she is a kid that needs a carrot/motivator sometimes.

Has anyone done this with their home school kiddos? Thoughts?

[moominmamma]

Not something I would ever do. I read "Punished by Rewards" and it made sense of a lot I had felt intuitively, and put good solid scientific research behind it too. Rewards seem to sometimes be helpful in establishing short-term compliance, but generally at a cost: of weakened relationships, decreased interest in the task, reduced creativity, loss of intrinsic motivation, diminished intellectual risk-taking and so on.

I would urge caution, and suggest you read PBR before deciding to implement something like that. 

Miranda

[2xy]

Nope. Learning is its own reward. Ask yourself whether you want her to learn or whether you want her to perform. I can guarantee you that she won't leave the nest not knowing how to write letters. When she's interested in it, she'll learn it.

[Aeress]

My girls like to occassionally get a star on a math quiz or spelling test. The stickers are available to them all the time, so they chose whether they want to put a star on something they completed.

Otherwise, we don't reward the girls for learning, as mentioned, we believe learning is its own reward.

I say things like, "Hey, you didn't know that yesterday, but now you do. What do you think about that?"

[SpiderMum]

When I was a child my mother gave us pennys that we could save up and exchange for small toys.  However, I really disagree with such things now.  I second the recommendation to read "Punished By Rewards".

Here is a shorter article discussing the same topic as the book: http://www.alfiekohn.org/teaching/pbracwak.htm

[octobermom]

 For long assignments we sometimes do plan somethign special for when it is over. I don't use it as a bribe or a threat though its jsut a fun celebration.  Like for example right now my 8 year old is Memorizing the Apsotles creed for religion its a long prayer with lots of big words for her. She is taking it a little at a time she she knows when shes can recite it in its entire "mistake" free she will get to go choose a new Breyer horse. (the $14 ones not the $40+)  so far she has about 1/4 done and the more she reaches the goal the less the prize matters cause the hard work IS its own reward.. But at the same time its kinda fun its a rare thing we do lot and lots and lots more that don't have stickers and prizes and such. I though disagree that ALL prizes are horrid or that the ONLY thing we should accept is the sastification of a job well done. 

Deanna

[Kangatoherroo]

 I don't reward for everything, however, I think that some rewards are a good thing.  And sometimes, yes, I do want her to perform, as opposed to "learning".  There are times when she knows how to do the math problems, I just need for her to get them done.  I tell my daughter that school is her job.  On my job, I get paid...er...rewarded.  I think the occasional, surprise reward  is a good thing, and keeps her wondering.  I honestly can't see anything wrong with saying, "If you finish that set of problems by 1pm, we can go to the park."  Isn't that a reward?  Sure, learning is its own reward, but it doesn't hurt to sweeten the pot on occasion. 

Linda

Home schooling one child in Louisiana and on the internet ~~ 

[frugalmama]

Originally Posted by SpiderMum 

When I was a child my mother gave us pennys that we could save up and exchange for small toys.  However, I really disagree with such things now.  I second the recommendation to read "Punished By Rewards".

Here is a shorter article discussing the same topic as the book: http://www.alfiekohn.org/teaching/pbracwak.htm

Read the article - still don't see a problem with it really.

Real life is getting rewards for performing tasks. A paycheck {or almost any other form of income really} is a reward for work done, plain and simple. It's on an adult level, but really its not much different.

[2xy]

Originally Posted by frugalmama 

Real life is getting rewards for performing tasks. A paycheck {or almost any other form of income really} is a reward for work done, plain and simple. It's on an adult level, but really its not much different.

A paycheck is compensation (not a reward) for work done for someone else. Learning is done for oneself. Personally, I've never wanted my kids to associate gaining knowledge with performing tasks. Makes it sound like drudgery, and there's enough drudgery in the world.

[moominmamma]

Originally Posted by frugalmama 

Real life is getting rewards for performing tasks. A paycheck {or almost any other form of income really} is a reward for work done, plain and simple. It's on an adult level, but really its not much different.

No, as 2xy says, a paycheque is an exchange of commodities. The employer gets your labour/expertise/time to serve his needs, and you get money to pay the mortgage or put food on the table. 

There are some employee-employer payment systems, like performance bonuses, that are indeed rewards. But interestingly research shows that these have an overall net negative effect on morale and company productivity.

Miranda

[Greenmama2]

Originally Posted by 2xy 

A paycheck is compensation (not a reward) for work done for someone else. Learning is done for oneself. Personally, I've never wanted my kids to associate gaining knowledge with performing tasks. Makes it sound like drudgery, and there's enough drudgery in the

Completely agree with this. A paycheck is nothing like a reward.

I will admit though I have bribed DD to practice violin. It went like this...Her old violin teacher

was pushing me to bribe her to practice. I found myself really frustrated and confused because DD on the one hand didn't want to do violin (it turned out because she didn't like the teacher, duh me!) but on the other refused to quit (because she really wants to play, again duh!). One day in the midst of all this I jokingly said "Would you like me to bribe you to practice violin?"

DD: "What's a bribe?"

Explanation ensues, ending with

"So, you know, I could say if you play all of x y z I'll get you a bowl of ice cream or something."

DD: "Oh, I'd really like a bowl of cornflakes. Will you get me a bowl of cornflakes if I play it?" (cornflakes are just for her, in her snack cupboard completely accesible to her at all times.)

Me: "Sure." ROFL

She's since asked for a bowl of cornflakes after practicing a few times lol. Strange girl.

Oh & we ditched that teacher

It sounds to me like it's only the written component of her schoolwork your daughter is not enjoying. Can you not focus on doing more things verbally for a while until her fine motor skills catch up and the written stuff is not so difficult anymore? My DD is only 4.5 but she goes through spurts of enjoying maths workbooks. I used to offer to write the answers for her after she told them to me but she likes to be more independent these days so when she feels like doing SIngapore she often uses numeral stickers or a set of numeral stamps and a purple stamp pad. Maybe your DD would like something similar. THe stamps we have include the alphabet and a few other symbols so I imagine they could be used for various language arts worksheets as well.

[laohaire]

Yeah, that's a road I wouldn't want to go down.

What I take from your post is that she enjoys math but not writing so much. How old is she? Is she left brained or right brained? If the latter, and if she's still fairly young, your best approach might be to back off for a while so she can mature enough to comfortably tackle this skill.

[octobermom]

 There are plenty of times in life we are rewarded and not always JUST by an inner feeling. I wont set up a sytem of constant bribes and rewards bt yes sometiems we do set up a bit of a reward for a "job well done".. I grew up in the no praise no good job no reward cause I'd learn to only expect the reward cause I needed to be sasitifed and pround internally ect... It majorly backfired I grew up unsure I still to this day second guess a ton of things and when a complement is given especially by family I have a hard time accepting it. My parents were not mean they were loving and caring and supportive they never belittled and thye praised in the way they thought best. WOW that has a lot of bright colors.. You look happy about it tell me why. Im happy you are happy. ect.. but never a just free from then way to go... Something I despertly needed and so despertly tried over and over to obtain. I wont put my child through that. I wont make praise sappy and fake I wont go around dripping with prizes and candy but yes at times we will do a little more.

 Might screw her up as well I don't know but I know I wont do what was done with me. Not to the extreme measures I went through.

[2xy]

Originally Posted by octobermom 

 There are plenty of times in life we are rewarded and not always JUST by an inner feeling.

I don't think anyone was suggesting that rewards are never justified. I'm simply opposed to rewarding children for learning. Children are born to learn; there's no reason to impose artificial rewards upon it, IMO. Rewards are for going above and beyond (yes, even in the "real world").

[octobermom]

 I'd agree with you their. We set up a sometimes prize for work thats not A typical. Like  my example above  its a fairly long prayer and there are a lot of big words in it. Its going to take time and effort on her part its kinda her big thing for this term and its a big job for her age. We will simpily celebrate its accomplishment but her inner "award" is her own achievment. She is already excited when she gets another few lines down or when a heard word becomes easy from repeated practice.

Deanna
I'd agree

Originally Posted by 2xy 

Originally Posted by octobermom 

 There are plenty of times in life we are rewarded and not always JUST by an inner feeling.

I don't think anyone was suggesting that rewards are never justified. I'm simply opposed to rewarding children for learning. Children are born to learn; there's no reason to impose artificial rewards upon it, IMO. Rewards are for going above and beyond (yes, even in the "real world").