Comments on: Paying Kids to Study – Does it Send the Wrong Message?

By: megan fox

megan fox — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:53:16 +0000

Sign: umsun Hello!!! rcuwwymhyw and 4151ssgfhphzye and 3330I love your blog. I just came across your blog.

By: sandrar

sandrar — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:57:09 +0000

Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post… nice! I love your blog. Cheers! Sandra. R.

By: Amber

Amber — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 14:48:40 +0000

Not so keen on the idea myself. Though a few years back (quite a few actually) I read an article about a McDonald’s in WA state that was paying their student employees to study for an hour on each shift they were scheduled for. Not sure if it was in response to parents complaining that with the job their kids didn’t have time to study or if it was a pre-emptive thing. Doubt it still exists but I thought it was a cool idea.

By: Bill Coyne

Bill Coyne — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 18:17:25 +0000

This is nuts. They get already when they graduate. The one who do study get the better high paying jobs so they already get paid to study.

By: YeaYuh

YeaYuh — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 16:30:04 +0000

My dad would pay me based on grades A – $10, B – $5, C – $0, D and F – no money for any grades. I made A’s and B’s already so it didn’t really encourage me to study harder. It was just an extra bonus and spending money.

By: Jon

Jon — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 14:16:08 +0000

KMC,

That’s a very egalitarian and idealistic (if somewhat glib) statement and in principle I agree with you 100%. In certain controlled circumstances I think you would be correct. However, I’m also a realist so let me point a few things out in a similarly sarcastic and dismissive manner to your own.

Q: “How do teachers instill intrinsic motivation in children they only see for 1 class period per day when the parents don’t help at all?”

A: They don’t.

Q: “Is the motivation of parents, the biggest influencing factor in a child’s life, really irrelevant?”

A: No, that’s absurd.

Q: “Is it hard to understand that on average, a child who studies for 1 hour a day will do better academically than if the child doesn’t study at all?”

A: No, that’s a simple concept that shouldn’t have to be explained.

I agree with you that intrinsic motivation is critical to build for long-term success. The problem is you can’t just wave your magic wand and fix it. There’s also no agreed upon, scientific theory of how to build intrinsic motivation, so don’t pretend that all we need to do is “make teachers do their jobs.”

Finally, you are incorrectly assuming that money is the ultimate reward here, and that going to this study session is the ultimate behavioral goal. If during that extra hour of exposure the kids can be taught to study on their own, and that studying has intrinsic rewards, then something has been achieved. When the money stops, they will obviously stop going to the study session (the extrinsically motivated behavior), but that does not mean they will no longer see the value in studying on their own (new intrinsic motivation).

By: Mrs. Gamble (parent)

Mrs. Gamble (parent) — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 07:21:25 +0000

Last comment and I am done I live in Maryland in Howard county Ellicott city to be exact and the schools are so laid back they have so many programs and help for the kids the teachers and staff seem so understanding its like they are still young enough and have kids so they are more understanding about these kids behavior because they have these problems at home. I mean help on every level. My son in the 10th grade gets to begin his career of choice and gets to see first hand a peek into his future as an engineer because it will be part of his curriculum pre engineering classes. How great is that now he want have to wait until he graduates to start on his future because they have provided a way for him to start on his future now while he is in school and I have decided to pay him to study 8$ per 2hrs of study time, great idea. babyfat102002@yahoo.

By: Mrs. Gamble (parent)

Mrs. Gamble (parent) — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 07:10:10 +0000

Again I say either you are part of the problem or part of the solution. Americans are about the sillest so if they kids are not doing it willings then should we just sit back for another 5 years and wait on the parents and teachers and who ever else get real. Stop hating and be glade that someone is doing something to help the problem its a positive thing.

By: Mrs. Gamble (parent)

Mrs. Gamble (parent) — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 07:01:24 +0000

Why not, I think it is a master minded idea. Because you would not be able to take what they learned from them. I know the pride that these students will have knowing that they can do it well be money well spent and I think even after they stop paying these kids once they’re grades are up they will not fall they will continue to make the grade due to them discovering they can be as smart as anyone else they just need the guide and proof. I have a teen I know. great Idea guy no one should ever say something bad about anyone helping the youth your either part of the problem are part of the solution and atleast this guy is trying and not just talking koodoos Mr. koodoos again great idea get the kids attention and what better way than to do it but with money ITS THE AMERICAN WAY. hint this war

By: JimmyDaGeek

JimmyDaGeek — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 04:27:55 +0000

In Baltimore, they are floating the idea to pay kids to pass their graduation exams when they retake them. Why? Because Baltimore will still graduate them even if they fail. When was the last time someone was denied a diploma for failing high school?

The stupidity of this proposal is so obvious, yet all the pols are pushing it. It will be a great money-maker for the smart kids. They’ll just fail the test as many times as they can to maximize their take, then pass the test. I suppose the pols will try to limit who gets the money based on GPA, but paying people to excel when being successful is its own reward is a terrible idea.