There have been several experiments by school districts at paying students for attendance, good behavior, and good grades. The most recent attempts in Washington, D.C. and New York City have shown some promising results. Money is a powerful incentive. Read the article and leave your thoughts about "money for grades."
43 comments:
The reality of life is if you're not motivated then you're going to do a half-job at things. Some kids are all for self motivation, which is an awesome trait, but when you're told by those around you that you're going to achieve only assistant standards not become manger eventually, then you don't expect anything more. Incentives are a great thing because it allows a child to reach a certain goal that they never thought possible, yet it is important to note that not every child is on the same level so setting specific goals for each child is a major aspect of gaining the children's interest in even trying to aim higher. Its a cool thing to get kids who think they are "academically challenged" to surprise themselves and see that they are capable of so much more, so more power to incentives.
The idea of paying for kid's grades is one of extreme controversy. I believe that it is of no business for schools to bribe children with money. Kids should go to school based on their own desires for education. If any incentives were to be given, they should be applied by parents. Schools should focus money on supplies to further education for children instead of supplying bribes.
Brooke Follett period 4
Be payed to study sounds amazing but is it really what we want to promote? What if person is so used to getting paid to study that they don't study, if no one paid them. Isn't studying supposed to be for your benefit. Isn't paying somebody to study giving out the wrong message?
Based on what I have read, this payment idea isn't a complete disaster, but sure enough like any other matter it does have its own disadvantages. Leaning on the positive side first, if given this type of incentive and the student is willing to work hard and produce appreciative outcomes, then it benefits himself and the society. Say this particular kid’s family is going through rough times such as a financial crisis, well then this extra amount money will more likely help them out. Motivation and recognition is what most students desire, and if they can achieve these factors through this incentive, well then this idea as President Obama said surely should float on national airs. Now for the negative part, not every child should take this idea in the right sense. If we go overboard with this rewarding plan, might as well allow them to just sit down like a bump on a log and get paid for it. Another really concerning fact being that if these students are continuously paid money, then eventually they will lose that innate skill of I-want -to - be -someone-no-matter-what. For isn’t it good to work diligently and know that there is a reward in the end, rather than being constantly appreciated every step of your journey?
Paying kids for good grades seems right and wrong to me. Kids who are motivated by receiving this incentive is a nice idea, but they should not be getting good grades just so that they can get some money.they should study to advance their knowledge and be beneficial to the society. The bad part of paying kids for every good grades they make is that they will acquire a habit of doing good deeds only to be paid later. Eventually they will build up a notion that through doing good deeds one can earn great benefits rather than just personal satisfaction.
Paying the kids for their best grades is an choice with a lot of different opinions. In a way it will motivate the kids to strive harder in school and to successfully achieve the best grades possible. The negative aspect of this proposition is that the kids are only willing to study for the money that they will receive and not for the benefits of gaining wisdom and knowledge for their futures that can impact them tremendously in their lives. If in case the parents are not able to give the child any more money due to some financial crisis, then the child would just automatically be demotivated to stop studying and waste his life away with showing regrets.
I wish I was lucky enough to receive this kind of reward..I could use some extra cash right now...
But I honestly don't think its necessary especially when the economy is in a bad condition. The people who want to make all As will continue to make all As, and the people who want to fail will continue to fail. Therefore it's wasting cash for no reason.
Although I do believe that there should be some sort of finical reward for academic excellence, because people study to be successful later on in life, and therefore, rich. Nobody studies for pure enjoyment...PERIOD.But it should not be like a salary-ish deal.People who make good grades should be awarded with reduced college costs(independent from scholarships or federal aids),it could be based on a year to year basis. EX: Exceeding the benchmark for qualification in 9th grade can reduce your future cost for college by $2000(if you decide to go to college), if you starts to make Bs in 10th grade, you won't get any for that year. This will not only give incentive for motivation, will also promote more people to go to college.
-Kevin Ma, Period 4
Receiving money for being successful in academics sounds very rewarding! However,education is also somewhat taken granted for in this country nowadays. With that being said, kids being bribed with money for making good grades is like teaching them to work only for a monetary incentive rather than personal gain. Schools should provide incentives, but not in money form since it will eventually be taken advantage of and many kids will want to quit learning for just the sake of gaining knowledge.
Receiving money for making good grades seems very motivating. People who tend to make lower grades are going to start focusing more on education for the benefits that they will receive. Surely everybody loves money! If people think of this as being very controversial they should at least try to let them have some incentives, but not in money form. I’m sure that this will actually improve our student’s education and I think this also increases the chance of a kid going to college.
Money for good grades is a great way to help push students into getting better grades. However at the same time, kids are just doing the work to get money not to learn. Their focus switches from education to making money. I think that a small amount is a good way for a parent to recognize their child's achievements, but it should not be every single time that they make good grades. That way, the student is going to work hard in order to get a little present. In that aspect, students are probably going to be well prepared for the real world.
At first glance I thought that Geoffrey Canada’s proposal to “pay kids for good grades” was completely ridiculous. As a student myself, I was never formally paid to do well in school. Yet, in other ways there were positive incentives to do well, if nothing else for the satisfaction of making my parents proud. Unfortunately, in this day and age there seems to be much less parent involvement in kids’ lives, especially in large inner-city areas like New York. That being said, maybe more drastic measures need to be taken. Although I still don’t completely agree that people should be paid to do well, something every person should automatically strive to achieve, I do believe that Parents need to reevaluate their involvement in the education of their children. Hopefully, Canada’s project allows some parents to step up to the plate and offer positive enforcement for their kids, rather than allowing others, like Geoffrey Canada, to parent for them.
The success of Geoffrey Canada's idea is definitely not surprising.Paying kids is one way to get them to earn good grades. But is money the reason why they should study. Education is supposed to help them become good citizens in the future. Although, money is the ultimate goal, morals and values are involved too. If they are given money for every little chore they do, kids will not do anything without expecting a reward. Plus, parents would have to declare "bankruptcy" if they were to give their children money as reward for a good deed or grade.
The idea of paying kids for good grades is wrong because when they don't get good grades or don't accomplish what the parents want they don't get money. The reality of life is to have good grades no matter what happens like what would happen if the parent have financial problem kids would get bad grades because there is nothing to motivate them. Some things are just to motivate kids to have good grades not to exceed them in money desires.
Rewarding children for their grades through money, although possibly morally wrong, would probably be an extremely successful endeavour. Kids understand the concept of money and realize that if they have money, they can buy things that they like. Knowning this fact and knowing that they will be rewarded with both a pat on the back and a bit of cash would increase a child's drive in the classroom. The only dilemma is how morally okay bribery is. Do you care more about your child's grades and effort in school? Or do you care more about your child's perception of money? That is one of the main hinderances of this great idea being put into place.
School and education is a privilege granted to few people. In America, everyone gets the opportunity to receive an education. However, in other parts of the world, education is a privilege. If we start paying our kids to get good grades, the value of education will be lost. The kids will be studying for the purpose of getting paid. Moreover, once we graduate from school and college, who is going to pay us for getting higher education? To me, getting good grades is a sign of achievement. In addition, I would like to use my good grades as a leverage for something I need later on. If my parents pay me for the grade, I cannot use that leverage anymore. Some people might not be self-motivated, but I don't think motivation through money is the right way to do promote it. Rewards should be given occasionally to encourage the child, but the child should not be paid for every good grade the child gets.
The notion of giving financial incentives to kids in return for better grades is wrong. If kids constantly receive incentives for the "good" grades that they make, what motivation will they receive to work hard in their future careers, in the real world where mommy and daddy aren't there to give money? From a moral standpoint, this justification is also wrong, as kids will grow up with the wrong idea that they would be doing "good" things simply for money, and not for the inherent satisfaction of doing those "good" things. However, some ambivalence characterizes this idea. To begin, it all depends on the background and setting of the student: did their parents instill within them the power and necessity of an education? Were kids taught that they would be able to reap the rewards of the struggles and tribulations experienced during school after they get a job?
The argument can also go the other way. Those kids who are not encouraged and bolstered throughout their childhood may lag behind. Thus, incentives may help these kids. In this case, the ends would justify the means, and
"positive reinforcement" would work well. Thus, financial incentives should be used as a second option.
I think it's right, honestly. I mean, when we get older we work in order to get paid...not because we genuinely like working. It's a good idea to me for people to see the value of money at a young age. Society works the same way- the better college and more degrees you have, the more money you are likely to make. So it shouldn't be a matter or morality; if it were a question of morality, then why have people work for money to begin with? Money gets addictive, so when people lose it, they will do anything in their power to find it. So sure, kids should be getting paid. And yes, this post is coming from an angsty, broke teenager.
The idea to pay kids to make grades, to me, seems completely wrong. Sure kids would be more motivated to get good grades, but that just means they will do whatever it takes to achieve that grade. Students can be cheating for their grades and they still get paid for them, especially those who have a lack of interest in school and their education. Though there are some honest kids who work hard for their good grades, it would only be unfair for them to get paid just the same as someone who cheats for them.
Although to the students receiving money for good grades it is also hurting the economy by giving away money to children when it could be used for other necessities a family may need. I believe that paying your children will obviously make them want to succeed more in school because they know they will be getting a present in the end; however, their focus is no longer on getting an education. If you praise your children and simply show that you are proud of them, I believe the students will still focus on their education rather than the money.
Madelyn Hogue, Period 4
Honestly, I'm not against parents giving small monetary incentives but... schools...really? While potentially successful, I think it's a shallow concept in the long run. With schools bribing the kids we are instilling in children the wrong message early on about what is important. Children must understand the value of education and learn to appreciate it. I mean there's already free public education and it’s already somewhat taken for granted. I mean no one goes to school for pure enjoyment, but paying them is crossing the line. Where are the schools supposed to come up with the extra money anyway?
Schools should only have to provide emotional encouragement and support-- the rest should be up to the child.
I think there's both positive and negatives to paying kids for good grades. As mentioned in other posts, it should be a child's aspiration to want to go to school to get good grades and have their own personal satisfaction when receiving that grade. However, I think money should be a reward rather than an incentive given by the parents,not the school. If a child is rewarded for good grades, they know that their hard work has been recognized and it will make them want to strive harder for better grades. I agree with the fact that schools should be using their money for educational purposes like supplies, books, etc., in order for those children to be put in a better position to get better grades.
Caitlin Donovan period 7
In my opinion, while it may entail promising short term results, paying school children for their good grades cannot go anywhere productive. Paying children for good grades will only lead children to believe that they should be paid for their good deeds, and will motivate cheating for profit. If a student gets an A in a class, he will get money for that grade. Naturally, certain children will abuse this pay other students, based on the grade they receive at the end of the term, to cheat for them on assignments and tests if possible.
Though it is clear that paying kids for grades produces results, it does not necessarily create solutions to the actual problem. A child lacking motivation may not fully understand the repercussions of failing to develop a good work ethic from a young age. For this reason, it may be helpful to demonstrate these effects in terms that the child can understand, and thus some parents and schools turn to money as a motivating factor. In the end, though, I'm not sold on the idea that these practices are an adequate substitute for a desire to succeed for personal satisfaction because it creates a direct correlation between material rewards and success. This instant gratification is often unrealistic and unhealthy for the child's future.
I think schools shouldn't pay kids for good grades. If we did, kids would only work hard for the money any for their own educational benefits. Not to mention if they do have bad grades they could lie cheat and steal for that A just to get money. We as people have to understand that when ever we do right people are not always going to be their to pat our backs or in the case give us money.
Every person works differently. If a child is able to do well in school and get good grades by just pure motivation that's good, but if a child is being bribed to do well, then pure motivation won't workout for them. By rewarding a child, you're setting up a goal for them and it sounds more positive, but if a child is bribed it sounds really negative but both situations sound as if the person reward or bribing them does not believe in them. Being reward or bribed or whatever you want to call it sounds positive and negative, but in the end the child being paid must learn to motivate themselves or set goals for themselves so that they can benefit themselves and get used to that lifestyle so they can be more successful in life.
Receiving incentives for something that is already expected like good grades can seem morally wrong in the sense that the goal becomes the money, not the grade. The fact of the matter, though, is that kids love to see immediate results and often times without incentives the results of good grades don't come until after high school. By giving an incentive such as money for good grades, the child's hard work is recognized immediately and the child strives for higher grades, ultimately resulting in a better education and better preparation for the real world.
I don't believe paying children for good grades really is a "right" or "wrong" thing at all. Its more of a preference. If a parent decides to give their child 5 dollars for evey A on a report card it is no other persons job to tell them it is bad parenting. However, on the other hand, if a parent believes their child needs to get an A just because they said so isnt bad parenting either. It's just an extra incentive, that can help the vigor of that child in getting their high grades. Some kids can give themselves their own extra-push and some need a little monetary help,butif it's a reasonable way to ensure an A on that report card why not?
Students receiving money for achieving in school does not bother me at all. I think that rewarding good grades with money will cause more students to study harder in school. In our society, money is the greatest reward you can give anybody because it gives the person the ability to purchase whatever he or she wants. If prizes were offered, there will always be people who do not like what is being offered, so they won't put in the effort to try and win the prize. Money really is the only prize a school could offer kids that would ensure total participation for the prize. Paying kids who get good grades seems like a very good idea to me because it shows that the school values your efforts.
Bon Ikwuagwu Period 4
This is a very controversial discussion. Personally, it can be right or wrong. If the incentive of having a future isn't enough to motivate children to go to school then giving them a small incentive of money to "prime the pump" will help jump start that mindset. The mindset I am talking about is the mindset that good grades will get the student money eventually. Often times students won't see far enough down the road and give up early. So this is to help them stay on track.
On the other hand, students shouldn't have to have this kinda motivation. Students should be motivated to better themselves and not let their education go to waste along with their minds.
Kamal McMillan, Period 4
Kids should be self-motivated to work hard and do what they need to do in order to make their future promising. Incentives such as money could allow students to realize that hard work will give them money as adults as well. Similar incentives are given at workplaces, in which getting As and Bs are rewarded through higher pay. However, these rewards should not be given unless they are earned. The problem with systems such as communism is that there is no incentive to work hard. As longs as the incentives are reasonable and causes no problems to those who distribute them, there's no problem with it for me.
Alex Collins, period 4 (sorry).
Whether or not incentives are advantageous all has to do with who the kid is as a person. For some, getting paid at the end of every nine weeks/semester would be enough motivation to succeed. For others it is still not enough reason to work now play later. I do believe that incentives allow children to see self improvement more frequently which in turn will make them appreciate their work. It allows a reward that pays them now which is all we really care about as children. Of course good grades are a safety net to a financially secure life, at least we hope, but children obviously don't view it as that. All this being said, I believe incentives are great purely because they can only help and not harm.
I believe schools paying kids for good grades isn't ethical nor is it logical. The current economic situation wouldn't allow for that and in return unethical practices such as cheating and copying would occur more frequently. However, I do support a parental based reward system because then the student knows his parents are proud and he gets something for his effort.
Utilizing fiscal "rewards" for positive grades is a strategy that yield only few, immediate results.
A student falling short of self-motivation may benefit from parents offering money as an incentive to do well and develop a strong work ethic from the beginning. Ultimately, however, this strategy is not a legitimate substitute for the personal, self-drawn desire to succeed.
Contrastingly, it creates a direct link between material satisfaction and "success" in the student's mind. This idea of instantaneous gratifaction does nothing for a student's senses of hard work, dedication, and doing something simply for the sake of it being the right thing to do, not because of personal gain.
The idea of paying students for their grades could be seen from both ends of the spectrum. Receiving money for making good grades or showing up to class is a huge incentive which motivates students to do well all the way around. Grades and attendance all across the nation would improve tremendously. However, the concern is that going to school and making good grades is what children are supposed to do. Without those factors in life a further education or a future job may not be possible. In addition, money in school districts should be focused on the necessities, not on paying students to do something they're expected to do. Although both arguments prove to be valid, the stronger of the two is in favor of not paying the students.
Lauren Swindell, 4th period
Giving money to kids for grades is something that I do not advocate. Performing such actions could cause kids to cheat and use corrupt methods to do anything for their grades. Parents should instill ideals into their kids so that they become self-motivated. Sure, these children should be rewarded for their accomplishments, but these accomplishments should be done properly and through hard work.
Haris Vakil, period 7
Even though money can be a good motivator for kids, it is not the right one. It might, for some time, be effective on the students and they will try hard to get the good grades. But later on this will lead them into finding loop holes, like cheating, copying and stealing answers. Because of this, I believe money is not the right motivator. I believe students should be self motivated and they should not work hard for the money, but rather for their benefits.
Tom Malayil, Period 4
Money can be used for motivation but it should be learning new things and the thrill the student gets from doing something in order to better themselves that motivates them. Money can lead to cheating and doing that are damaging to education. Yes, money allows children to try and reach goals but money is not and never will be everything. Money might help people try harder, but at the same time students have to have that drive within them selves.
Paying kids for good grades, in my opinion, is fine under the right circumstances. In some homes, education isn't valued at all and leads to failure in school due to lack of motivation. When money comes into the equation, these kids may have the necessary motivation to excel in school. At some point, however, there must be a cutoff. Human nature says that we will try to find the easiest way to obtain a goal. Eventually, good grades will stop being the goal and children will discover new tricks to get the "payout." The problem with this payment incentive is that it will surely lead to deception. The program can only hope that through this incentive, the child will obtain a sense of self-drive. Otherwise, the "bribery" could go terribly wrong.
Paying kids for good grades is a good thing. When I was in middle school and the first two years of high school, I got money for good grades. at first I do admit the main purpose of getting good grades was for the extra couple of bucks, but in the middle of my sophomore year, I realized the true value in an education. So in summery, I think paying kids for good grades is a good thing, as long as you "wing them off of it" as the years go on.
I believe that using money as an incentive for a child's "good grades" should not be looked down upon in any way. This method simply follows the American Dream-- the kid works hard, gets the good grade, and gets paid for it. The majority of people's problems with this method does not lie with rewarding the child, but rather with using money to reward the child. However, money can replaced with anything that the child finds interesting, whether it be candy, or baseball cards. Using incentives with your child is simply training them for the real world. The child is able to make the connection that if he or she works hard and does a good job, that they will be rewarded for it. If the child expected to receive nothing, then that child would most likely not work as hard as he would if he knew he was going to get something out of it. It is not teaching kids to be greedy. Instead, it is teaching them how to be efficient workers.
All kids would like to get paid for doing a good job. Giving kids money for a job well done will definitly motivate most of them to do their very best, but what about the average children? The ones that make the B's and C's?
The truth is that money is not a fair reward, and it will often corrupt the community and a persons morals. When money is offered to kids, they start working just to earn some, and this will cause them to lose insight on what actually matters. They began to forget the true meaning of "following your dreams" and "working hard" to achieve their dreams.
If money is the reward for a work well done, people start expecting it everytime they do something good. This not only ruins the character of the children, but it may endanger the future of our society, because children will start focusing on the materalistic things in life.
Paying students for getting good grades and doing well in school can be a good or a bad thing. It would really be a good motivator for students, maybe most of them would be doing well if students were paid. Maybe by being able to get paid for doing well in school, most of the potential in students can be pulled out, thus bringing out the best in most of these students. Yet, if it seems like they only do for the money and not for the knowledge, doesn't it sound wrong? But if you think about it, it would all lead to the same thing. Doing well in school would mean these students can get better jobs in the future, which means better pay. Most adults who have jobs try to do their best so they can get more money. Money is a very powerful motivator.
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