Are Rewards Rupturing The Classroom Setting?

Hannah GrimmettENG 252

Think of all the rewards our school systems

However, the truth is that they are only sitting

use; pizza coupons for reading a certain

still in hopes that they will be rewarded for

number of books, Krispy Kreme donuts for

doing

every A received on a report card, stickers

motivation. In the book Punished by Rewards,

on a homework assignment, the list goes on

Alfie Kohn (1999), an author of a variety of

and on. But what might this suggest to the

education, parenting, and human behavior

student? It suggests that only after the grueling

books, writes about the troubles rewards bring

homework

completed

and the damage they can do to people,

assignment is the student able to have fun and

especially children. He says, Peoples interest

receive an award. Should rewards in our

in what they are doing typically declines when

educational programs be eliminated? Rewards

they are rewarded for doing it (p. 71).

should be eliminated because they reduce

Receiving a treat for reading a book implies

intrinsic motivation, rewards do not always

that reading is a grueling process and only

elicit the teachers expected behavior, the

after it is finished may the student be allowed

student will expect to be rewarded every time,

to have fun and enjoy a treat.

and

reading

and

so.

Rewards

decrease

intrinsic

Peoples
interest in
what they
are doing
typically
declines
when they
are
rewarded
for doing it.

and rewarding is manipulative and ruin

relationships.

Rewards Do Not Always

Teachers Expected Behavior

Reducing Intrinsic Motivation

Reduced intrinsic motivation may not bother

Rewards teach about the use of power, not

someone who is dealing with a classroom full

about how or why we behave properly. They

of rowdy children, but then we need to look

may occasionally get children to sit still during

and see if rewards even work in the first place.

school, but we must ask ourselves: why are

Imagine a teacher enters the classroom finding

they sitting quietly and listening to the

all the children out of their seats and out of

teacher? We may choose to ignorantly think

control. Frantically, the teacher tries to think

that it is because they are genuinely interested

what she can do to again maintain control. She

in what the teacher has to teach them.

tells the class that whoever is in their seat in

Are Rewards Rupturing The Classroom Setting?

Elicit

the

ten seconds can have a chocolate candy. The

and require, the treats.

timer starts ticking and kids are scrambling

towards their desk; every kid except Johnny.
The teacher repeats the direction in hopes that

Rewards are
Relationships

Manipulative

and

Ruin

Johnny just didnt hear, but Johnny informs

The reason rewards are manipulative is

her that he doesnt want a chocolate candy.

because they make a student feel like their

Johnny just proved to the teacher that rewards

personal value is tied to performance instead

do not always elicit the behavior a teacher is

of the fact that they are intrinsically valuable.

looking for. If a teacher plans on using

The student may feel that the teacher who is

rewards, they need to be sure that the reward is

rewarding them is only doing so to elicit a

appealing to the recipient in the first place.

certain behavior from that student. In one of

Can teachers always keep this up? Perhaps a

his many books on teaching and parenting,

chocolate candy would be fine for a student

Teaching with Love and Logic, Jim Faye

the first time, but eventually they will want

(2010) teaches how one of our strongest

something bigger and better.

desires is to be loved for who we are, not for

how we perform (p. 128). Rewards are given

The more
rewards
are used,
the more
they seem
to be
needed.

The Student will Expect to be Rewarded

Every Time

when performance has met the expectations of

How can a teacher or parent be sure that the

have tried to meet these expectations and then

student or child will continue the desired

are told that it isnt good enough for the

behavior even after the authority figures are

reward to be given, that child feels cheated and

not around? If a child is constantly being

manipulated. If a teacher is sitting in judgment

bombarded by rewards for their behavior, they

of what the students do and if that judgment

will expect the rewards to continue if their

will determine whether good things or bad

good behavior is to continue. But when the

things happen to them, this cannot help but

adult is not around and no one is there to

cause the child to feel manipulated and warp

reward the child for behaving properly, should

the relationship between the teacher and

we expect him or her to behave properly? The

student. In her argument paper, The Misnomer

more rewards are used, the more they seem to

of Positive Peer Pressure, Marcia McManus

be needed. The more often a teacher promises

(2012), a professor at Brigham Young

the student a treat for doing what they want,

University-Idaho, writes about how teachers

the more it causes the student to respond to,

many times overstep their bounds by trying

the giver and so when a child feels that they

Are Rewards Rupturing The Classroom Setting?

to pressure students into doing what the

What do other educators think and say about

teacher wants them to do. She says, The

the use of rewards in the classroom? Many say

attempt to coerce or inappropriately influence

that they do not want to eliminate rewards in

another

and

their schools and education programs because

disrespects anothers agency (p. 1). In

children are motivated and obey more quickly,

Doctrine and Covenants 121:41, we read of the

because it is easier to control a classroom

commandment to the priesthood where no

when a reward is introduced, because as a

power or influence can or ought to be

teacher they will lose a childs interest in an

maintained other than by persuasion, by

activity without a reward, or because they

long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness,

simply cannot eliminate rewards overnight.

and by love unfeigned. The use of rewards is

Each of these concerns will be addressed and

an attempt to influence what another person

you will see why it is important to consider the

will do and thus disrespecting their agency.

underlying problems with reward systems.

persons

actions

minimizes

Many times when teachers use rewards, they

are setting the students against each other. For
example, many teachers will choose a student

Children are Motivated and Obey more

Quickly

to be the Star of the Week depending on

Again, we need to look at why the child is

how well they have done on homework

motivated. If a student is told they may have a

assignments and quizzes. The student who is

piece of candy or a toy only after their math

chosen will be able to enjoy a set of privileges

homework

that go with it. Imagine how this affects the

motivated to finish it only to receive the

way the students view each other. Do you

candy. They arent interested in whether or not

think that students will be motivated to help

they learn the math so long as it is finished.

one another on assignments? The central

And because of the fact that the child tries to

message that is taught herethe central

rush through their work in order to receive

message of all competition, in factis that

their prize, wouldnt it be safe to assume that

everyone else is a potential obstacle to ones

their work quality is poorer than if the reward

own success (Kohn, 1999). The relationship

was never introduced in the first place? Now

between the students begins to rupture and

as far as obeying more quickly when a reward

class unity dissolves.

is in place, this again all depends on whether

is

completed,

Are Rewards Rupturing The Classroom Setting?

they

will

[] Work
quality is
poorer
than if the
reward was
never
introduced
in the first
place.

be

Enthusiasm
quickly
vanishes
when a
teacher is
controlling.

Or not the reward is appealing to the student.

Animate, Dan Pink (2009), an author about the

If the student isnt interested in the reward

changing world of work, talks about three

being offered then this argument is invalid.

factors which lead to better performance and

personal satisfaction. Autonomy, mastery, and

It is Easier to Control a Classroom

purpose are what children strive for and if they

Some teachers may find it easy to give awards

are manipulated by rewards then how can they

to students who behave properly, but is it

practice

really easier? True control of a classroom must

vanishes when a teacher is controlling. A

include the teaching of self-discipline for

teacher that deprives a student of self-

students instead of a consistent offering of

determination not only deprives the student of

rewards for proper behavior. In the book, The

motivation but also eliminates enthusiasm for

First Days of School, by Harry K. Wong, it

learning. The research shows that children

says, You cant teach self-discipline if the

perform at a lower quality when motivated by

students are always looking for more treats,

rewards and so it becomes very difficult for a

raffle tickets, and goodies from the Treasure

child to master a subject when they are being

Box (p. 156). Now looking at whether it

overwhelmed with rewards. The purpose of

really does control the classroom, teachers

the child completing any given task? Rewards.

need to realize that many times they are

So losing a childs interest should not be a

rewarding the behavior of the good kids and

concern because if the teacher is using rewards

punishing the behavior of the bad kids, thus

then they have already lost that childs interest.

autonomy?

Enthusiasm

quickly

increasing the likelihood of a disruptive class.

It becomes
very difficult
for a child to
master a
subject when
they are being
overwhelmed
with
rewards.

In the video Practical Application of Love and

Logic, Betsy Geddes (2009), a speaker on
school and parent issues, talks about the

effects of rewarding the good and punishing

Rewards cant be Eliminated Overnight

There may be the problem that children arent
going to adapt immediately to this new method
of no rewards. So, in order to begin the

the bad by saying, The good kids get gooder

process of elimination we need to first consult

and the bad kids get badder.

the children about the change of plans and

make them feel included in the process.

Losing a Childs Interest

In the video clip Drive: The surprising truth
about what motivates us by RSA

Students may resist the sudden withdrawal of

rewards if they are appealing to them,
however, generally if a child is informed about
the reasons for the change and they feel a part

Are Rewards Rupturing The Classroom Setting?

of the
McManus,
decision,M.,
thenOctober
they will
24,comply
2012, The
far more

Here are a few suggestions: Allow for active

easily thanMisnomer
expected.ofSome
Positive
may
Peersay,
Pressure,
But

learning (hands-on activities, breaks between

doesnt the Brigham

widespread
Young
use of
University-Idaho.
rewards indicate

lessons, etc.), give the reason for a

thatPink,
they D.
work?
[theRSAorg].
The use(2010,
of rewards
April 1).
is RSA
due

homework assignment (no busy work), set

less to some
animate-drive:
fact about the
thesurprising
nature oftruth
the

an example (letting the students see you read

student than
about
to what
the earlier
motivates
useus of
[Video
rewards
file].

for pleasure), and welcome mistakes. If a

(Kohn, 1999).
Retrieved
If a teacher
from makes a unilateral

teacher uses rewards to manipulate a student

decision to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6X
remove rewards, then he or she is

into performing as the teacher expects, it will

essentially APnuFjJc.
saying that the preferences of the

not only create poor quality of performance

students
Pink, do
D. not
H. (2009)
matterDrive:
in theThe
classroom.
surprising
That
truth

but also students who do not value

is why it isabout
critical
what
to motivates
involve the
us.class
NewinYork:
the

education, because they are too extrinsically

decision-making
Penguinprocess
Group. when considering

motivated by treats and goodies. Do rewards

eliminating
Wong, H.rewards.
K. (2009).
TheThe
students,
first days
after
of years
school.

motivate children? Without question. They

of being
California:
rewarded
Harry for
K. Wong
their Publications,
homework and
Inc.

motivate children to get rewards.

Involve the
class in the
decisionmaking
process when
considering
eliminating
rewards.

behavior, may have become quite dependent

on the rewards. They will not want to learn

Works Cited

anything extra that will not be on the test,

Fay, J. & Funk, D. (1995). Teaching with love

homework, quiz, etc. This doesnt mean the

and logic: Taking control of the

teacher should continue feeding them extrinsic

classroom. Colorado: The love and

motivators because they dont know how else

logic press.

to get the kids to learn. This is simply an

Geddes, B. [LoveandLogic1]. (2009,

indicator to start trying to undo the damage

September 25). I noticed [Video file].

that rewards have created.

Retrieved from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baX

1FNgvsu4.

Conclusion
If we look back to all of these examples listed,
then we can see the effects of introducing
rewards to students and how they are more
interested in the prize than in the process. So

Kohn, A. (1993). Punished by rewards: The

trouble with gold stars, incentive plans,
As, praise, and other bribes. New
York: Houghton Mifflin Company.

the question remains: If we cant use rewards

then how do we motivate our students?
Are Rewards Rupturing The Classroom Setting?