Re: Alfie Kohn WAS Intro
Jennifer Deets
Punished by Rewards (has
anyone else
audience of teachers and school administrators. I like what he has
to say.
*****
'Punished by Rewards' is a book I've used with my prospective-teacher students. I've also used his thinner, more-condensed book, 'Beyond Discipline.' (I prefer PBR because in it he provides all of the rationale for his point of view). With both books, I met lots of resistance to the ideas and ways of being and teaching that he recommends. Although my students are intrigued and think that "in an ideal world" his ideas might work, "we don't live in an ideal world," thus they seek the comfort of the behaviorist mindset, that kids *need* to be rewarded in order to want to do any of the often incredibly useless and boring stuff that they have to do in school. It's almost like they forget what it's like to be a student in school!
But then I hear from one or two of them that they are transformed. I see their words on paper and I see their interaction change in class and I know that a few will enter schools questioning and challenging the status quo. That is exciting!
Every day Kohn's words (and yours here -- thanks!) challenge me to trust my children. He doesn't advocate abdicating parental responsibility, and he shares that his own transition to fatherhood severely tested him and his views. Sometimes I don't want to be the grownup; I just want to have my way with no arguments or explanations. Maybe it's because my kids are pretty young (8, 5, 3) that I get non-stop questions, but one thing PBR and BD have helped me to see is that the questions are usually steps toward begin able to find harmony, it just takes a little longer (and lasts longer) than having clear-cut rules and consequences.
Jennifer
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
anyone else
> read that).I've read it. Alfie Kohn is the author. I also saw him speak to an
audience of teachers and school administrators. I like what he has
to say.
*****
'Punished by Rewards' is a book I've used with my prospective-teacher students. I've also used his thinner, more-condensed book, 'Beyond Discipline.' (I prefer PBR because in it he provides all of the rationale for his point of view). With both books, I met lots of resistance to the ideas and ways of being and teaching that he recommends. Although my students are intrigued and think that "in an ideal world" his ideas might work, "we don't live in an ideal world," thus they seek the comfort of the behaviorist mindset, that kids *need* to be rewarded in order to want to do any of the often incredibly useless and boring stuff that they have to do in school. It's almost like they forget what it's like to be a student in school!
But then I hear from one or two of them that they are transformed. I see their words on paper and I see their interaction change in class and I know that a few will enter schools questioning and challenging the status quo. That is exciting!
Every day Kohn's words (and yours here -- thanks!) challenge me to trust my children. He doesn't advocate abdicating parental responsibility, and he shares that his own transition to fatherhood severely tested him and his views. Sometimes I don't want to be the grownup; I just want to have my way with no arguments or explanations. Maybe it's because my kids are pretty young (8, 5, 3) that I get non-stop questions, but one thing PBR and BD have helped me to see is that the questions are usually steps toward begin able to find harmony, it just takes a little longer (and lasts longer) than having clear-cut rules and consequences.
Jennifer
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]