Is rewarding kids for good grades bribery or motivation?

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Eve-O
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Eve-O
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December 5th, 2007 at 12:53am
What's so bad about parents paying kids for good grades?
plenty, say some who believe the practice undermines efforts to install in kids everywhere a true appreciation for learning!!! Come on people what's a little money going to do? some say that a little push is all you need for the bid leap, others say that it makes kids think that, thats where their big income will be forever more what do' ya think?
Macfadyen
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December 5th, 2007 at 01:52am
Whether it be bribery or motivation, I don't see what's bad about it. In the end, it's getting your kids to work harder and earn better grades.
Kids don't understand the importance of learning. If a little bribery is what it takes to keep them from ruining their future, then why not? Besides, I don't see it as any different from giving a kid a golden star sticker for getting an answer right, or letting them watch TV after they finished studying.
JOOLS
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Mibba Blog
December 5th, 2007 at 02:08am
^^^ I'm going to have to agree.
I don't think bribery comes into affect until you start altering a person's mind to suit your own life. With children it's just hard, because, as stated, they don't see how much they'll need education. So to me, while they're young, it's motivation.
The Doctor
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Mibba Blog
December 5th, 2007 at 02:00pm
I never had this!

Well, I get EMA so I guess that motivates me to actually turn up to school every day. But I get nothin' for gettin' good grades. Just the good feeling of boasting-while-pretending-to-be-shy-about-it is good enough. And getting apologies from teachers who said I would fail. That's a good feeling.
Sherlock
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Sherlock
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December 5th, 2007 at 02:09pm
Its called conditioning. Cassie

Its how you get animals to learn things. You reward them with good behaviour and punish them for bad.
The Doctor
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December 5th, 2007 at 02:11pm
bjtp:
Its called classic conditioning. Cassie

Its how you get animals to learn things. You reward them with good behaviour and punish them for bad.
Ah! Ol' Pavlov and his drooling dogs. Mind you, that only works with behavioral psychology.
Sherlock
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December 5th, 2007 at 02:32pm
Isn't that what we're discussing here? Coolio
The Doctor
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December 5th, 2007 at 03:22pm
bjtp:
Isn't that what we're discussing here? Coolio
Yeah, I'm just saying that a follower of Freud would say that it was rubbish then go on about something called the Pleasure Principal.
lyrical_mess
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December 5th, 2007 at 03:45pm
I don't think 50 dollars is reasonable. I know my dad used to have a system when I was in third grade and my brother was in fifth. getting a B = a lecture on how we have so much more potential, A- = $5, A=$10, A+= $15.

I only kept track for one marking period though, so I only got thirty five dollars and they're still in the bank, so...yeah. But it made us feel good to be rewarded and acknowledged. And the thing is, at least in my house, a B was for below average people. Until I was in middle school, B's were like...dirty words. We were geeky kids. And in middle school, C's were no-nos.

I think its motivation in a sense. You could say that my pride was being bribed, but just that feeling, that knowledge of "I am above average and I refuse to be less" was...it made me work. And you could even call classroom competition bribery if you so wish. Because in your mind, its like winning against your friends and classmates.

And I hate being second best.
Sherlock
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December 5th, 2007 at 04:13pm
Herr Doktor:
Yeah, I'm just saying that a follower of Freud would say that it was rubbish then go on about something called the Pleasure Principal.
Well idk, I agree with both. Dno They both hold true and although Freud's theories can't be disproven, in theory, it is still a workable model.
The Doctor
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December 5th, 2007 at 04:29pm
bjtp:
Herr Doktor:
Yeah, I'm just saying that a follower of Freud would say that it was rubbish then go on about something called the Pleasure Principal.
Well idk, I agree with both. Dno They both hold true and although Freud's theories can't be disproven, in theory, it is still a workable model.
I'm just saying that some people in the Psychology world will not believe in somethings, regardless of research.
Sherlock
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December 5th, 2007 at 04:43pm
Herr Doktor:
I'm just saying that some people in the Psychology world will not believe in somethings, regardless of research.
I don't know about that, I think the point is that some things cannot be scientifically researched in such a way as to confirm or deny certain theories, the whole point of modern psychology is that it is a science. People don't just ignore the results of such studies.
schooldropout
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December 5th, 2007 at 07:18pm
In all honesty it doesn't bother me, the thing is not everyone is meant to be an acaedmic yet people still change that.
Jax.
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December 5th, 2007 at 07:41pm
I think that it's motivation, if it's done in proportion. My friends' parents gave them £100 for each A they got in their GCSE's.

They got 11 A's each, totalling £2200.

I think that is ridiculously extreme, but I guess it shows that money works. (They were usually B/C workers).

But I also think that you should be "weaned" off it over time. Later on in life if you do well, you won't necessarily get a material reward. So setting kids up to thinking that everything comes with a prize is wrong in my opinion, but a little encouragement can go a long way.
Kurtni
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Mibba Blog
December 5th, 2007 at 08:07pm
It motivates kids to do well in school and succeed, how is this bad? And rewards don't have to be monitary. Psychology shows that adolescents in highschool are much more likely to succeed when they recieve encouragement and motivation from their parents/relatives. Teachers were mentioned as well, but parents seem to have the highest impact. There was an article in US News and World report about this just a few weeks ago.
cabot gal
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Mibba
December 5th, 2007 at 09:02pm
My sister's friend got £10 for every A he got, £5 for a B, nothing for a C and he had to give his parents a fiver if he got a D.

Personally, I can see how kids could get corrupt in the way that they get it into their heads that there's no point in doing anything unless we get rewarded.

But this could just be because all I get for good grades is a "well done." Coolio
worn-out astronaut.
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December 5th, 2007 at 09:17pm
Boobmeister:
My sister's friend got £10 for every A he got, £5 for a B, nothing for a C and he had to give his parents a fiver if he got a D.

Personally, I can see how kids could get corrupt in the way that they get it into their heads that there's no point in doing anything unless we get rewarded.

But this could just be because all I get for good grades is a "well done." Coolio
lmfao same here.

I don't think its bad to motivate kids, but isn't 50 dollars too much? Sometimes in life we try hard and do things and we don't get rewarded, how will those kids face that if all they work for is money. I mean I can study, get an A, get paid and then just forget everything because all I have done I did for the money which I now have so I don't care about anything else. Dno

I mean, sure, anyone will do good if they get paid for it, but is it really worth if you don't remember anything? People should study hard and be motivated for different reasons than money.
Eve-O
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Eve-O
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December 6th, 2007 at 12:53am
Well the $50 dollars was all I had at mind, but whatever floats your boat.
newagecarny
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Mibba
December 6th, 2007 at 01:03am
It takes different things to motivate different people. Money just seems to work the best.
worn-out astronaut.
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December 6th, 2007 at 12:11pm
camera obscura:
It takes different things to motivate different people. Money just seems to work the best.
Am I the only one who thinks thats sad? Coolio
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