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Not long ago our Grandson came home from school and said he won a Bike. I looked at him and said, what do you mean you won a Bike? He said, I did really good on my test and I won a Bike.
I asked my Wife what was going on and she said, I don't know, he's been talking about it ever since he got home. The following day he insisted we pick him up from School so he could get his Bike and bring it home. OK, call us stupid, we went up there and to our surprise the little guy actually won a Bike!
I don't know about you but I used to daydream in school about having my very own new Bike but reality set in and there was no way I was getting something like that. Not for Christmas, Easter, nothing!
Now all you have to do is go to school and do well on your test and the Board of Education will hand you a Bike, a Helmet, Knee Pads, you name it! Tell me, what's wrong with this picture?
20 comments:
Buckingham in Berlin did the very same thing. One bike was given away to one third grader and one to one fourth grader on a job well done on their state testing.
The local counties are in partnership with Baxter Enterprises, the owner of McDonalds, which supports Title 1 schools in an effort to boost attendance, create positive behavior plans, and encourage children to do their best. The Board of Education did not purchase these bikes. They were donated to the schools for the children from Baxter himself. In addition to this, McDonalds supports "Spirit Nights" at a store and donate a percentage of their revenue to the school. They do this with every school they are partners with. This is a wonderful program, and allows Baxter to give back to the community. The Board spends zero dollars for the bikes.
Congratulations to your grandson and to you for doing such a good job with raising him! You must be so proud! AND, HE must be so proud! For the many parents who must hope for passing grades from their kids, this is an inspiration.
Those tests are long, tedious and boring to the elementary schoolers.
Again, congratulations to you all!
Thank you Mr. Baxter and McDonalds!
You should be proud of your grandson. For some it takes more than just the hope of good grades to succeed. When my son was small it was stickers or ice cream treats. Be proud of him. Thank you McDonalds.
Didn't know Mr. Baxter and McDonald's did this but thanks and you should be (and I know you are) very proud of your grandson for doing well on the testing. My first reaction would have been the very same as yours though (what do you mean you won a bike?????????).
GREAT JOE,Makes you/wife proud.Just a note. I see the WCYCC will be hosting the up coming JMB commencement services this year.Do you think your blog had any influence on this decision?YES SIR It DID! HARDHEAD
Many schools offer incentives for students to try their best. It really does motivate those children.
Yep. Quite a surprise from your grandson Gavin. And a big "Well Done" to him for his being good enough on the testing to win the bike. Now you have to teach him to ride this thing. Good luck on that.
A. Goetz
Winning the bike has NOTHING to do with test scores. It has to do with perfect attendance during the days of testing. The scores have not been released to the schools yet, only the Board and principals.
Way to Go Gavin~!
Joe...
Thanks for highlighting something good that is done in our schools. Tom Baxter is a great man and totally supports our local schools.
Many elementary schools in our county did incentives for students for doing their best on Stanford and MSA testing. Not all schools receive support from Mr. Baxter and should be commended for being creative in obtaining funds.
I heard my son's school gave over $800 dollars worth of prizes and used private donations and fundraising monies for this. If last year's scores are an indication, it works.
The prizes have nothing to do with doing well on the tests--just behaving and showing up. Some comparable prize for kids who make high scores will never happen.
The problem Joe is that any and all school systems are and will do everything it takes to pass the test. In most cases this comes at the expense of good teaching and our children are suffering. High stakes testing is beginning to take it's toll on the quality of our children's education. The few teachers that stand up and refuse to do things that detract from the proper education of children are often reprimanded for doing so. I am increasingly surprised that more parents aren't irrate that science and social studies are all but erradicated in elementary schools in order to make more time for the reading and math tests.
Pride in doing your best in school has gone down the drain. There is no such thing as self-discipline , self-satisfaction and the intrinsic desire to want to succeed for success sake. NOW students want to be rewarded for any effort they apply to doing good school work. The question many ask is what is in it for me.Ths is a shame that society has allowed our children's success-drive to have deteoriated to the payoff system.
10:46
You are exactly right. These incentives are not rare or just for big events like state tests. Kids constantly get stickers, candy, longer recesses, prizes, etc., for doing as they are supposed to do. If they help someone, bring in homework on time, use good manners, put forth a minimum of effort, they are given a reward. Schools are robbing them of the intrinsic good feeling of doing the right thing. Once the children get out into the real world and learn there is no tangible reward every time you do what you should, it will be too late to correct the damage done. This system of constant rewards does not work. If it did, there would come a time in upper elementary or middle school when the rewards could stop because the kids would have learned to behave and put forth a good effort. This reward system comes from having very low expectations of children and thinking they will do nothing positive without being given a gift of some type. When the incentives stop, so will the productive behavior.
Parents need to ask themselves if they want their children receiving tangible items in school every time they show good manners, do homework, put forth any effort, etc. At home would parents give children a piece of candy for setting the table, let them stay up later for using good manners, give them a gift for being kind to grandma? It's as if we can't expect children to learn to feel good intrinsically from doing the right thing so we have to give them something. Extrinsic motivators are supposed to be reduced gradually and then taken away completely, but in the schools this step never happens.
I used to get money if I cut the grass and did chores, it's called an allowance. When I was old enough I got my own paper route and made good money for a 14 year old kid.
Incentives are what drive many people that work for commission, or a bonus for a job well done and going beyond the call of duty. The harder you work they better off you are, MOST of the time, I will have to agree there are exceptions.
Take away the incentives, and you see why people are slackers that let their co-workers do their job. Get what you pay for when you get out of school as well!
8:14
Of course people get paid for a job well-done. You accomplished a task--mowing lawns, delivering papers. You did not get paid for just taking out the lawnmower or just showing up at the newspaper office. To get rewards today, kids in school do not have to accomplish the task--they just have to show up and give some minimum effort. Also, you do not mention getting paid for doing what your parents and teachers said to do or for not hitting someone for a day.
I hope the pathetic group of teachers who bribe our children to do what is already expected of them are fired. If teachers can't motivate students with enthusiasm and exciting lesson presentations, they should and must be terminated. Replace the deadbeat teachers who are stagnant and breed boredom in the whole system. Of course, motivation and enthusiasm start at the top and filter down to the classroom teacher. Come on School Board, hire some energetic superintendents, supervisors and principals.Hire the best and stop worrying about hiring the politically correct number of sex and rave of employees. I predict law suits in the future when schools fail to properly educate their children.
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