[daylily]

This practice is getting out of control in our school district, IMO. Dd got all A's on her interim report card. Today at her school, all the children who got all A's were taken to the vice principal and given a plastic halloween cup, halloween themed pencil, huge pack of starburst candy, bag of skittles, gum, and smarties candies. I think this is outrageous! Keep in mind, this wasn't even a regular report card--just an interim report that comes home halfway through the marking period to give parents a heads up if their child is doing poorly.

At my younger dd's school, teachers have arranged a complicated system of points and stickers and rewards for good behavior. In just one month of school, dd has accumulated 3 coupons for free ice cream in the cafeteria for good behavior.

Call me old-fashioned, but when I was in school, we were just expected to behave ourselves and schools *never* handed out candy for good grades. I don't think it's good for children to become accustomed to getting a reward for simply doing what is expected of them. In the adult world, you don't get treats for good behavior. How is this going to affect our kids as they get older?

Is this an issue at anyone else's school?

 

[lauren]

That does sound excessive!! Are there a lot of kids who do have behavior problems that they are trying to target, and feel the need to include everyone in on the program? (Some schools are like that--if one person earns a treat, everyone has to have access to it.)

We do not have anything like this at my kid's school. Last year at dance class though, they gave out candy at the end of every class to the girls for 'doing a good job.' I had the same reaction as you--isn't it enough just to experience the joy of dancing?--the girls do not dance just to earn a treat, do they? I have a problem with these types of reward systems too. I think motivation should come from within, based on one's values. I think that for most kids, that is enough. There are some children who need a boost (kids with ADHD for example, I've got one of those

and they can benefit from a reward program. But I don't see any reason for the whole school to do it!

 

[AnnMarie]

I agree, it's out of hand. My daughter told me today they get candy for being good. Why does it have to be food? I do NOT like using food as a reward. I think that's setting kids up for eating disorders.

 

[emmaline]

at my sons school edible treats are not allowed, various teachers come up with schemes for points that can be redeemed with free time or for the younger kids time in the play corner or choosing a special activity. Some use stamps and stickers.

 

[mojomom]

My dd's school does the same thing with the candy last year. It is hard because dd comes home so happy when her table is ahead in points and she knows on friday she gets a prize. It is not candy this year, her teacher is very big on the kids eating healthy snacks and she told me she feels it is hypocritical of her to be passing out candy to her students it is cheapy toys. Anyway dd gets upset if her table does not win for the week or she is not artist of the day or student of the day. I just feel this is misplaced competition and misplaced focus and energy. I have been taking some time to mull this over in my head to come up with some good outlines to talk to dd about this. Don't mean to hijack the thread but if anyone has some good words and thought to share with my 6 yr.old I would be happy to hera them.

 

[bestjob]

Oh, that all sounds so yucky. Here is another way:

At dd's school, many teachers have a jar of candy for treats. Sometimes everyone gets one "just because it is nice to have a treat" and sometimes it is as a tangible "thank you". In Grade 3, dd often helped tidy up at the end of the day, and her teacher would suggest afterwards that she could help herself to a goody. I thought that was a nice way of saying thank you to dd for putting in a bit of extra effort... like me sending Thanksgiving flowers to my kids' teachers, or the children making a special Christmas card for them.

I wonder, though, if dd and other children saw the candy as an expression of thanks, or as a reward. I'll have to ask her what she thinks about it!

 

[mammabear]

Dd came home with a bag of assorted treats just yesterday.
One of the kids in her class had a birthday and that is what she brought for snack. I don't know why the parents assumed this was allowed because at the beggining of the year a notice was sent home with the snack list stating that sweets were not allowed for snacks. They stated that healthful snacks were what the parents should be providing.

To me, birthday or not, rules are rules, and the parents who sent the sweets in for a snack/birthday treat should have put more thought into respecting the request for healthful snacks.

I do not NOT allow treats- but we only allow them minimally.
When dd showed me the bag of treats I asked her to give it to me to put up and she may ask me if she may have a treat.

A few nights ago we attended a school function. After the activities were finished, to my surprise, the President of the PTA carried in two huge containers of heavily frosted cupcakes.
Wowzers!!!
I wonder if some people get off on sending kids home to their parents high on sugar.

I remember when I was in 1st grade, we used to play Heads Up 7 Up and Doggy Doggy, Where's Your Bone? Those were the only times we won prizes, and they were little coin machine type prizes in a "treasure box". We got to close our eyes and pick a prize.
Other than that we were never given candy or treats. Never for good behavior or for getting good grades.

This, IMO, sounds like an issue that should be brought up to the PTA or the teacher- whoever is funding these types of treats. Otherwise it will probably just continue and fester at you and possibly other parents.
You would hope that most teachers would be open to hearing you voice your concerns with them. Be sure to suggest alternatives.

 

[mojomom]

I agree with you mammabear. I really wanted to post and say i remember playing heads up 7-up in grade school. I don't think they do that in school anymore. For us playing the game was such a treat. I think the teacher handed out stickers to the winner.

 

[LunaMom]

I think handing out rewards for grades or behavior in school, especially candy, is totally inappropriate. As far as I'm concerned, working hard and behaving appropriately should be expected behavior, and setting up a reward system undermines this idea. Rewarding it makes it look as though the children have done something above and beyond what is expected, KWIM?

If teachers want to "treat" kids, they should do it to celebrate a class achievement and everyone should be included. If he/she wants to recognize children who put in extra effort, then ceertificates or a class "honor roll" are more appropriate ways to do so.

The best way to reward children who do well in school? Call their parents and tell them how wonderful they are. I used to do that with my students all the time. Kids are so used to thinking that phone calls from the teacher are bad news, so this really makes an impact.

I would complain to the principal if I were you.

 

[teachma]

ITA with LunaMom. Sounds like we are the same kind of teacher! With my particularly challenging class this year, I have considered (bt not yet given into) the idea of a reward system in which the whole class "earns" something- doesn't have to be food-related! In seven years of teaching, though, I have never had any kind of system like this- just the expectation of appropriate behavior. When students say to me, "Last year, Mrs. So-and-so gave us sticker charts and when we got to 10 stickers, she gave us candy," I always reply, "Oh, so she was giving you a choice about whether to behave or not? Well this year, we're not having choices. We're all just going to follow the class rules." And my students are 7! Am I harsh or what?

edited because 2nd grade teachers shouldn't misspell!

 

[angela&avery]

just wanted to post from a teachers perspective, i do think what you all are explaining in most cases seems excessive, just remember that today, there are many children that are reared in a way that they are completely indulged at home and can be difficult in the classroom.. though excessive treating with candies and sugary foods does seem wrong, please remember that teachers are hugely challenged in the classroom today, and that they are trying their best to positively reinforce children as they are limited in what they can do to try to control a classroom......

that said, maybe you could talk to the school or your childs teacher just explaining from a parents perspective what you are seeing and how it affects you and your child.

just remember, most teachers have this job because they love children and want to help them... they definately arent in it for the money!! LOL....

 

[Lousli]

I agree that this seems a little excessive. I am a teacher as well, and I do reward my students for their good behavior. There are many of my students who have very few standards for behavior at home, and who encounter this type of structure for the first time at school. It is sad but true that they have no intrinsic motivation to behave appropriately or to care about school and need to be motivated in other ways. I also reward my students to reinforce the positive behaviors that I see, so that they realize I have noticed when they're doing something right. However, one line in the original posting got me. It said that in the adult world, we do things without this type of external motivation (I'm paraphrasing). Really? How many adults would go to work every day if they weren't paid to do so?

 

[Britishmum]

An interesting read on this subject is Kohn's Punished By Rewards.

I can see both sides. First, I don't want my children to be given candy in class for rewards, or stickers, or any such stuff. But I would expect them to be self-motivated to behave well and to learn in school. However, having worked in areas of major deprivation and social challenge, as a professional I have used a variety reward systems. But my policy was to set up systems to 'kick start' a system, not for long term. Reward may be needed short term to get a desired behaviour, either with a group or an individual, but the aim should be to wean from the reward system asap. Eg, a teacher might need it for the first few weeks of a term, or an individual student might need extrinsic rewards as part of his individual programme, but neither should be used long term, or they will undermine self-motivation.

There are lots of fun ways to recognise success - I say 'recognise' not 'reward' because there is a big difference. IMO that's what teachers should be aiming for - children who are intrinsically motivated to behave well and to learn, and who need their achievements to be recognised by the teacher and their peers. Not rewarded, but recognised.