Well I'm going to disagree. I don't think extrinsic rewards are as important as intrinsic ones. Money does not buy happiness and all that. Nor do I think you can compare a paycheck with AR points. A paycheck is compensation for a service (or a good) which one can then use to barter for other services and goods.... the things we need to survive as living beings. AR points are just.... well... points. And as for the argument that AR points can be turned into tangible items like goodies and toys that students can "buy" doesn't wash for me. These are nothing more than unnecessary, condescending bribes, in my opinion (sorry if I offend). Reading is not a service nor is it a good. One should not be paid for reading. The reward for reading is enjoyment and/or knowledge. It makes you feel good (or bad) or it gives you information you need to get a better job, be able to fill out paperwork, keep abreast of current events, etc.
Personally, I think the main reason more and more students dislike reading is because schools have made reading a tedious chore and taken away the pleasure of it. Every time we give a writing assignment based on a book, every time we push kids to think deeper, make more connections, write in their journals, put sticky papers on their favorite parts, search for a 'just right' book when someone really wants to spend time with a book that is a bit too challenging, and all those other GOOD strategies.... and make no mistake, I do believe these are good strategies..... every time we do that we pull a reader one step further away from reading just to read. Every time we assign reading for homework with instructions to fill out a log and write about the books, and then grade the logs, we move kids away from reading for fun. Every time have students working down a checklist to finish their SRIs, their DIBELS, their ARs, and whatever other acronyms, we turn reading into just another school assignment to get through. People who work in donut shops or candy stores all day don't crave donuts or candy. When I was teaching full time, I preferred sitting in a quiet place at a restaurant rather than next to an active family, not because I didn't like listening to children but because I had already done that all day long. I maintain that more students would be enjoying reading if we shorted the literacy blocks from three hours to 90 minutes, the way they were ten years ago, and stopped trying to do everything. I wonder what would happen if reading time in school consisted of JUST reading and then talking about what was read, bringing in the strategies in discussion only, and perhaps jotting down a note or two, max, for recordkeeping's sake? Just my two cents. Renee On Oct 7, 2006, at 2:27 AM, William Roberts wrote: > I hope we all agree that extrinsic rewards are just as important as > intrinsic....it just depends on where the emphasis lies. If you are > teaching ONLY for your paycheck, get out of the business. We teach > because > of the joy TEACHING brings, not the money. IF money was the main > incentive, > we would eventually hate teaching....same with the kids and their > reading. > Bill > P.S. (he says sarcastically) We also teach for the 3 months we get off > for > summer vacation, right? > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Laura Cannon" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "'Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Listserv'" > <[email protected]> > Sent: Friday, October 06, 2006 10:08 PM > Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Question for the group > > >> Aren't pay scales extrinsic rewards? I love teaching--but I also >> really >> like my paycheck. I have always loved reading--always will. Don't >> know > if >> I would have liked AR tests--might have liked the recognition for high >> points since that was one area I could really shine in. I would have >> like >> writing letters in a response journal--but not for every book I >> read--sometimes I'd prefer a quick test and get to go on to another >> book. > A >> child who doesn't learn to love reading may have different passions. >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of underdown >> Sent: Friday, October 06, 2006 6:13 AM >> To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Listserv >> Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Question for the group >> >> I have used a few examples from Reading Reasons at the middle school >> and >> students are riveted to the overhead when I show them things like pay > scales >> >> and what a high school degree means in terms of earning power over a >> lifetime. >> I like to use it to open lessons about independent reading and why we >> continually "hound" them to read. >> >> Barb >> >> On Thu, 5 Oct 2006 23:44:22 -0400 >> "William Roberts" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >>> Much of the information is for high school students, but still >>> helpful. >>> There are some charts with pay scales based on education levels along > with >>> an example of a state law and a form on who is eligible for the >>> draft, > but >>> many of the "reasons" can be adapted and used for younger students. >>> Not >>> sure if there are that many for elementary, but I know some of it is >>> appropriate for middle school. >>> Bill >>> >>> ----- Original Message ----- >>> From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>> To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Listserv" >>> <[email protected]> >>> Sent: Thursday, October 05, 2006 10:34 PM >>> Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Question for the group >>> >>> >>>> A high school teacher, Kelly Gallagher, wrote a book called "Reading >>> Reasons" that is a set of 25 (I believe)lessons designed to teach > children >>> about the "why" of reading. I ahve it but havenot yet jumped in. >>> Will >> let >>> you know if it is transferable to the younger grades and worthwhile >>> to >>> develop that motivation (even if it is a motivation for thinking and >> reading >>> just happens to be the vehicle:) >>>> >>>> -- >>>> Sincerely, >>>> Bonita DeAmicis >>>> California, Grade 5 >>>> >>>> -------------- Original message -------------- >>>> From: "William Roberts" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>>> >>>>> I think part of my concern is also because many "reading" teachers >>> forget >>>>> the purpose of reading. People communicate to inform, persuade, or >>>>> entertain. But many have made reading into an act whose sole >>>>> purpose > is >>>>> pass tests. If a language arts teacher drilled writing >>>>> grammatically >>>>> correct sentences everyday, the kids might write better sentences, > but >>> they >>>>> will forget the point of writing which is to communicate. Have them >>> write >>>>> letters, diaries, songs, poems, stories, etc. and enjoy the >>>>> process, >>> then >>>>> they will WANT to fix the sentences to make sure their writing is >>>>> understood. We have put the cart before the horse thanks to state >>> tests.... >>>>> I know everyone here understands this, but we need to spread the > word. >> I >>>>> have seen teachers in my district (some with Master's degrees in >>> READING), >>>>> who have no idea how to teach reading and are drilling the kids to >>> death... >>>>> Bill >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>> Mosaic mailing list >>>>> [email protected] >>>>> To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to >>>>> >> http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/ >> mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. >>>>> >>>>> Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. >>>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> Mosaic mailing list >>>> [email protected] >>>> To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to >>> http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/ >>> mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. >>>> >>>> Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. >>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> No virus found in this incoming message. >>>> Checked by AVG Free Edition. >>>> Version: 7.1.405 / Virus Database: 268.12.12/461 - Release Date: > 10/2/06 >>>> >>>> >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Mosaic mailing list >>> [email protected] >>> To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to >>> http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/ >>> mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. >>> >>> Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. >>> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Mosaic mailing list >> [email protected] >> To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to >> http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/ >> mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. >> >> Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Mosaic mailing list >> [email protected] >> To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/ > mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. >> >> Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. >> >> >> -- >> No virus found in this incoming message. >> Checked by AVG Free Edition. >> Version: 7.1.405 / Virus Database: 268.12.12/461 - Release Date: >> 10/2/06 >> >> > > > _______________________________________________ > Mosaic mailing list > [email protected] > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/ > mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > > "Many persons have a wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self-gratification but through fidelity to a worthy purpose." ~Helen Keller _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
