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Pastimes : Let's Talk About Our Feelings!!! -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Grainne who wrote (99281)	3/22/2005 9:09:09 PM
From: epicure	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 108807

I deal with discouraged students, and reluctant high school readers (as well as the functionally illiterate, the disabled, and ELL students). As an experiment last year I had the students write me a description of what rewards I could give them that would encourage them to read. Many of my students have never read books in school. They find ingenious ways to get out of reading, simply because they think reading is "too much work"- even though they go to some lengths to get out of it. When I read what they had written, I was surprised at how little it took to reward them. I've always been a teacher to praise students for what is worthwhile in their work. I've never been false in my praise, but I am not stinting of it either. But students wanted tangible things. They wanted a Jamba Juice coupon, or 5 dollars, or a gift certificate for a book, or for me to take them to the movies. These were not tremendously expensive rewards, and looking in my gradebook for last year I see that all but 4 of my 32 kids earned a reward (in my second period class), by doing ALL their reading in class for the whole spring semester and bringing their book to school every day. In order to win the reward they had to remember their book every day (which I think was genuinely difficult for some of them- especially the students who were shifting homes during the week due to custody issues), and they had to read in absolute silence for the entire 1/2 hour of silent reading. I was amazed at the effect a small reward had, and I think a good size reward could trigger higher graduation rates. It doesn't matter that we might think students should love reading and read just because it is good for them, or go to school because we have paid for it and it is there for them, and that they should do well because we expect them to, or it's important for their careers- because that doesn't get us maximum effect. I don't care what they should do, I want to know how I get my students from point A, where they are, to point B, where I want them to be. If a carrot works, I say give them the damn carrot.

To: Grainne who wrote (99281)	3/22/2005 10:53:52 PM
From: Augustus Gloop	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 108807

I freely admit that black and other minority groups have some disadvantages. If you go back to the post where I discussed the Lady I met from Madagascar I believe I was very quick to point out that slavery and the poverty that followed was the catalyst for black America vs. Blacks in other well off nations. That said I'm not a believer that money can solve all problems. Welfare did nothing to improve the family unit and in fact probably set us back a number of years. If we've reached the point where we have to pay students not to skip school or to graduate then its already too late. And if thats where you contend we are now I have news for you - we didn't just get there since January 20, 2001. You don't have to like or even respect George W. Bush but the decay of societal values, responsible parenting and educational achievement didn't start under his watch. I want kids to grow up to be respectful, productive citizens. No...I expect them to grow up to be that way because I'm part of the funding to make that happen. I think a voucher system is a GREAT idea because it will give inner city kids a chance to go to the same schools that the "rich kids" attend. But nobody wants to redistribute that way. Their not interested in my opinion they just want me to write out a blank check and I'm not going to do that. Children are the future of this country....they always have been. But the parents who raise them, guide them and teach them values are the backbone of this country and I'm of the opinion that THEY, the parents, are letting us and their children down - not the taxpayer. There are ways to work on this issue but throwing money at problems isn't always the answer. Money doesn't get the kids out of an abusive house with a drunk for a father. Money doesn't make parents suddenly realize that while having kids may be a right it comes with enormous responsibilities. And while other people just talk about how people should pay this or do that I actually get my hands dirty. YMCA league sports start in 3 weeks up here and I coach the kids of some of these parents. They will scream at the kids or consume alcohol only once while I'm the coach. The very first day I tell the kids what I expect of them in terms of respect for adults, grades and behavior. Then when I have them practice I tell their parents what I expect of them! I know the financial status of each of the families and last year only 6 of my 12 kids paid a dime. We won the league last fall and we'll win it again this spring. That will happen for two reasons - Superior coaching <g> and hard work that took kids from all walks of life and made them a team. And just for future reference...I don't get paid and because an NFL jersey is given out there is no possible way to let kids play for free. They each get 65.00 worth of equipment at the start of the year to keep. Who do you think paid for those 6 kids? Who do you think paid for their trophies? Who do you think paid for their team pictures so that they can have some positive memory on their dresser to look at? I'm getting just a little tired of do gooder snobs telling me I don't understand or I'm ill informed as if I'm some sort of heartless, educational black hole.