exam pressure and rewards

[willow54]

My daughter is a primary school teacher and she was very upset yesterday to hear one of her year 2 pupils say that if she went up a level in her Sats test her parents would give her a big present. As a secondary school teacher and mother of 3 children I was always amazed at the number of parents who offered their children big rewards for doing well in exams. If they then fail they do it 3 times over; once in the exam, then by not getting the reward and finally by letting their parents down. At GCSE and A level time I rewarded my children for the revision they did by giving them a star chart. 20 minutes revision equalled one star. These were later swapped for rewards, 10 would be a cinema ticket or whatever they wanted. These were so popular with them that one daughter was still using her revision star chart in her medical finals! Doing well in the exam was enough reward in itself.

I agree! When my DC were doing the 11+ parents were promising televisions, games systems, etc. for passing. We simply rewarded them for the preparation they did with a present (I prepared them). Throughout their GCSEs, degree exams etc. (because they thought it was fun) we continued to reward revision effort with a revision present of their choice. It's unfair to put the extra pressure on children.

I agree. Revision and working hard is rewarded. The results and levels will then be the best they can manage.

It's hard to see how the promise of a reward is going to up that kid's level - it's not like GCSEs where they have to put in months of revision! - and think how awful you'd feel denying them the prize if they don't make it. I haven't done this with my kids thus far and was amazed to discover one of DD1's class mates got £100 for passing the entrance exam to their chosen secondary school! (Luckily DD1 I don't think DD1 knows about it)