ChristineKnutson

Week4/Unit4DiscussionResponse
October25,2013

Likeanyothertoolforfacilitatingthecompletionofaquestionabletask,
rewardsoffera"how"answertowhatisreallya"why"question.
AlfieKohn,Punishedbyrewards:Thetroublewithgoldstars,incentive
plans,A'S,praiseandotherbribes

PaulChance,apsychologistandformerteacher,arguedforusingextrinsicrewardswithin
theclassroomwithinmonitoredconditions.InhisarticleTherewardsoflearning,Chance
offeredrewardguidelinesforteacherstoimplementtoincreasestudentmotivation.
Hestatedthatteachersmustsupplementthestudentsintrinsicrewardsystemswithextrinsic
rewardsbut,ifusedincorrectly,extrinsicrewardscouldhavetheoppositeaffectonstudents
interests(Chance,1992).
InarespondingarticlecalledRewardsversuslearning:AresponsetoPaulChance,Alfie
Kohnclaimedthatrewardsandreinforcementsofanykindaredetrimentaltoonesacademic
motivationandareviewedascontrolling(Kohn,1993).Kohncalledrewardsbehavioral
manipulations.UnlikeChancewhobelievesthatrewardscanbeeffectivewithincertain
parameters,Kohndistruststheuseofrewardsaltogethergrades,stars,praise,patsontheback,et
cetera,thesereinforcementshurtstudentlearning.
Specifically,ifwethinkofaspectrumthatrepresentstheuseofrewardsoneendislabeled
proextrinsicrewardsintheclassroomandtheotherendislabelednorewards,whatsoever,in
theclassroomIthinkwewouldfindAlfieKohnsbeliefplacedfirmlyatthelatterendandPaul
Chancesbeliefrestingsomewhereinbetween.Therefore,Idontbelievethateithernotedscholar
hasadefinitiveanswerformotivatingstudents.Kohnbelievedthataninterestingcurriculummight
remedystudentsdisinterest.Iagreebutaninterestingcurriculumwillonlyhelpsolvetheproblem
incertaincircumstances.Likewise,somestudentswillforatimerespondsuccessfullytoextrinsic
rewards,asChancesuggests,butthiswontapplytoeverystudent.
AndreaCohnexplainsanothersystemcalledPositiveBehavioralSupport(PBS)bywhich
astudentsneedsareindividuallyassessed(FunctionalBehavioralAssessment)byobservationand
datacollectionandthenaspecialistcreatesawrittenplanforthestudent(Cohn,2001).The
processofmakingthistailoredplaninvolvesthestudent,teacher,schoolpsychologist,principal
andparents/family.AlthoughIdobelievethatwecanfindsuccessfulsolutionsforstudentswhom
displaygrosslyunwantedbehaviorinordertoimprovetheirlearningexperiencebyusingPBS,I
dontbelievethatitsnotallinclusive,schoolwide.
ConsideringtheaforementionedviewpointsofChance,KohnandCohnImleft
wondering,Whatquestionarewetryingtoanswer?Whatproblemarewewantingtofix?Ithink
weneedtocompartmentalizetheseissuesthatariseineducationtothebestofourabilities.If
challengingbehavioristheissue,thenletsimplementPBS.IffallinggradesacrosstheU.S.isthe
issue,letsreviewthestateofexistenceforstudentstoday,notwhatworkedfortyyearsago,and
adjustaccordingly.Ifweretryingtobolstermotivationwithintheclassroom,maybeweshould
reintroduceArtandMovementtostudents,makingitmandatoryinschools.
Inconclusion,whenitcomestotheissueofbehavioristpracticeIstandsomewhereinthe
vicinityofoverallpositiveandnegativeeffects.IdontthinkitscompletelysoundteachingandI
dontthinkharmfulmanipulation,either.

References

Chance,P.(1992).Therewardsoflearning.PhiDeltaKappan,200207.
Cohn,A.M.(2003).Positivebehavioralsupports:Informationforeducators.RetrievedOctober
22,2013fromhttp://www.nasponline.org/resources/factsheets/pbs_fs.aspx
Kohn,A.(1993).Rewardsversuslearning:AresponsetoPaulChance.PhiDeltaKappan,
783786.