Another question for Middle School Teachers.....

what's your opinion on this statement:


"I believe in rewarding students for doing their homework"



eta: this is for 8th grade - Middle School students.

Message edited 9/26/2006 7:08:58 PM.

Re: Another question for teachers.....

Hell no!! That's what they're SUPPOSED to be doing!!

Re: Another question for teachers.....

ok..now what if you were told there are prizes to win:

"students who are caught working hard in class will receive a ticket. tickets are given out on a daily basis, and can be used at the end of the week towards a "prize" of their choosing"

Re: Another question for teachers.....

Is there a definition of "working hard'
"?

Re: Another question for teachers.....

Re: Another question for teachers.....

Homework does not require rewarding...it's expected to be done.

Re: Another question for teachers.....

"caught" working hard?

I do not care for the wording of that at all.

"Caught" is usually assoc with something negative. IMO

Message edited 9/26/2006 3:07:58 PM.

Re: Another question for teachers.....

exactly what i'm thinking...

homework isn't something that needs to be rewarded, because quite frankly, it's SUPPOSED to be done!

and with regards to being "caught" working hard... again, isn't that what they're supposed to be doing, working hard????

i'm all for encouraging the students to work hard and do what they're supposed to, but to me, this seems more like bribing, no? almost like back in kindergarten...if you put all your toys back, you get a star!!

Re: Another question for teachers.....

I guess if the teacher is having trouble getting the students to do the homework, then reqarding the ones that do it might be a way of showing them that they are doing a good job. And it might show the ones who aren't doing it that they are missing out.

It all depends on the situation.

Re: Another question for teachers.....

I teach in the MS and I give my kids a homework grade. Everyone starts out each quarter with a 100. Each missing HW is a 5 point deduction. If they make it up by the next day, they earn 1/2 the points back.

Re: Another question for teachers.....

Re: Another question for teachers.....

As for HW I just went through it today.. it is only what 14 days into the school year and already have kids who dont do it.. have 5-7 assignments not done.. they need incentives sometimes in order to complete it.. whether its right or wrong.. shiould they be doing it EVERY night? Absolutely.. do they? NO. Do the parents check? NO
I have to do whats right for my group of kids and sometimes you just have to offer incentives..

Re: Another question for teachers.....

The homework situation, I definitely don't agree with, I hate that kids are rewarded for simply doing their job as a student. As for the tickets idea, maybe the wording isn't great, but I understand the idea, it is pretty common.

Re: Another question for teachers.....

As a teacher, I gave HW every night and expected it would be done. I would drop two assignments from my grade book, knowing that sometimes life gets in the way, but that was the same for everyone.

I did sometimes give free homework passes for things like bringing things in for the canned food drive or something like that, but those occasions were pretty rare.

Re: Another question for teachers.....

Re: Another question for teachers.....

Re: Another question for teachers.....

is this the teacher from Dangerous Minds or Summer School?

Message edited 9/26/2006 5:48:00 PM.

Re: Another question for teachers.....

I personally don't think there is anything wrong with it. If that's her management plan and it works, then more power to her. I once heard someone compare being a student to having a job. We get paid for our job, and they should get some sort of reward too. I've heard of giving tickets for caught being kind, not caught working hard. I use a class marble jar, and have table points as well as the "super student" of the day. They're all incentives for kids to work hard, and follow the rules, especially in the first few weeks of school when they're learning the routines and procedures.

Re: Another question for teachers.....

It can be motivational and encouraging for students who lack confidence-who don't get good grades all the time but try to do their best


ETA- If my students were not having trouble doing their homework-I would not do this kind of thing-but if it were an area where my students needed the extra PUSH, then I would consider it

Message edited 9/26/2006 6:07:52 PM.

Re: Another question for teachers.....

i must say i find i sad that we have to bribe students into doing what they are supposed to be doing

i get the concept...because it is huge in behavior mod..

but i think it is sad that we have to do that kind of thing now a days

i guess good grades isn't "reward" enough

Re: Another question for teachers.....

I just find that it is giving students the wrong message

life isn't about getting prizes..for doing what they are supposed to be doing..

i feel it is taking away teaching responsibilty to kids

Re: Another question for teachers.....

Kids get "rewarded" by good grades anyway, so there is an incentive, there's always an incentive, but since grades won't really "matter" until HS (or Jr High, depending on what kind of HS you want to go to), it's hard for kids to wrap their minds around the importance of good grades. Parents incentivize good grades all the time, even though kids are "supposed to" get good grades anyway. i don't really see anything wrong with teachers doing it in class. For kids, whether it's stars or a pizza party, putting something in currency they can understand is good.

I don't see a problem with it.

Re: Another question for teachers.....

Message edited 9/26/2006 6:05:21 PM.

Re: Another question for teachers.....

Re: Another question for teachers.....