Submitted by Dusty (not verified) on November 29, 2007 - 15:11.
Both my husband and I are high school teachers in very low income schools (with up to 70% of the students non-native English speakers). Many of my students have parents who had very little education and don't see much value in it. But when my husband proposed the idea of "paying for grades," I was horrified. Like many of the ivory tower respondents to this issue, I have always believed that the love of learning should be motivation enough. However, as I am preparing to offer a compensatory ed, after-school program for students who have failed the reading section of the state-required test, I am seriously reconsidering my position. How else am I going to get these kids to this class? Talking to their parents will do no good. I know that once I start working with them, I can light a fire under (some of) them, but if I don't offer some kind of incentive for coming to the classes and working hard, I'm going to be sitting in an empty classroom, and these students are going to be in the same (failing) boat as before. So, do I become a Pied Piper and lure them in with McDonald's coupons and promises of pizza? Or do I expect that somehow, the magic fairy of intrisic motivation will alight upon them and they'll eagerly give up their after-school time to absorb the nuggets of wisdom (and test-taking skills) that I will be so kind as to shower upon them?
Sometimes reality bites, but I have a feeling I'm going to end up paying, no matter how distasteful it is.
I'm struggling with this
Submitted by Dusty (not verified) on November 29, 2007 - 15:11.
Both my husband and I are high school teachers in very low income schools (with up to 70% of the students non-native English speakers). Many of my students have parents who had very little education and don't see much value in it. But when my husband proposed the idea of "paying for grades," I was horrified. Like many of the ivory tower respondents to this issue, I have always believed that the love of learning should be motivation enough. However, as I am preparing to offer a compensatory ed, after-school program for students who have failed the reading section of the state-required test, I am seriously reconsidering my position. How else am I going to get these kids to this class? Talking to their parents will do no good. I know that once I start working with them, I can light a fire under (some of) them, but if I don't offer some kind of incentive for coming to the classes and working hard, I'm going to be sitting in an empty classroom, and these students are going to be in the same (failing) boat as before. So, do I become a Pied Piper and lure them in with McDonald's coupons and promises of pizza? Or do I expect that somehow, the magic fairy of intrisic motivation will alight upon them and they'll eagerly give up their after-school time to absorb the nuggets of wisdom (and test-taking skills) that I will be so kind as to shower upon them?
Sometimes reality bites, but I have a feeling I'm going to end up paying, no matter how distasteful it is.