Should we give incentives?

[Rosebud2005]

Do any of you give rewards for passing units and exams?

every piece of evidence

Oh don’t be daft

research

@Rolopolo2000

*every piece of evidence*

Oh don’t be daft

there has been plenty of research just liek there is into all sorts of things.

Anecdotes doesn't = data does it?

So yes, when they look into this, just like when they do research into primary school homework, and all sorts of other thigns aroudn schooling, they find that it isn't actually effective.

each to their own, if it works for your child fine, but don't be surprised if you try it and it doens't actually help your child to knuckle down to their work.
Apart from anything is, it requires continued effort over a long time, up to 2 years, and the external motivation is not usually effective over that length of time either.

Yes “plenty”
Different from “every”

Children at different. Some will. Some won’t
Simple as that

@Rolopolo2000

Yes “plenty” Different from “every”

Children at different. Some will. Some won’t
Simple as that

did you get out of bed on the wrong side? You seem determined to be rude to me and pick a fight!

plenty of evidence is really no difference from every evidence.

In terms of a study, either it shows that this type of incentive is ineffective, or it shows that it doesn't matter or it shows that it is effective.

the studies show that it is ineffective. Every study showing that it is ineffective is correct. Within that there may be the odd child for whom, it works, but the overall conclusion of the study is no.

As I said, if it works for you, fine, there are always exceptions to the rule, but don't be surprised if it is less effective than you hoped.

But in the modern day, no-one lets actual facts get in the way of opinion. This happens all the time on education threads, as I said, primary school homework, with a few specific exceptions is a waste of time. That doesn't stop schools and parents clamouring for it.

Every study showing that it is ineffective is correct

sorry, that isn't clear, what I mean nby this sentence is that my use of the word every was correct

I don’t think it works in isolation but as an add on to other strategies. Just telling a sixteen year old it’s £100 per A grade isn’t going to see the smile when the envelope is opened. It helps but needs more. Incentive doesn’t have to be purely money either.

We did things like going out to a fabulous party at Hotel du V in Oxford after spending Twixmas on a revision course. If he worked hard with his tutor and stayed focused, he could join us on New Years Eve. He decided to work hard on his physics. Sometimes short term incentive works.

I never really found that rewarding for achievement helped my children, or if it did, that it worked on more than a short-term basis.

Rewarding for effort might be a better tactic.

I think intrinsic motivation is generally the best motivator. With some children that's easier to identify, though: what they really want in life and working out how they think they can get it.

Yes not exams for us this year but I'll be giving money incentives or bribes lol. This is what motivates my DS tbh

You seem determined to pick a fight

Have you seen length of your messages!

@Rolopolo2000

*You seem determined to pick a fight*

Have you seen length of your messages!

well, considering you were bloody rude to me from the first post, it isn't that odd that I try and respond.

* plenty of evidence is really no difference from every evidence.*

How odd

Every means without exception
Plenty means a lot but there would well be plenty of the opposite

As can be seen in this thread
Works for some
Doesn’t work for others

@Rolopolo2000

* plenty of evidence is really no difference from every evidence.*

How odd

Every means without exception
Plenty means a lot but there would well be plenty of the opposite

well, in most people's English, plenty of evidence would not mean plenty on the other side, no.

again, anecdote does not = data

I didn't want to go there.

I have fierce sibling rivalry with my lot already, rewarding the high achiever while snubbing the under achievers would make my life bad.
DC achieve because they want to not because I paid them.

I could have made a completely different decision if I only had DS1. We talked about a reward possibility once; he wanted minimum £500 for each A grade. £100 for a B. Wasn't even sure if that motivated him. I couldn't afford that!!

@solittletime

How do you teach intrinsic motivation? There are so many other factors: personality, peer pressure... I’ve been battling with one dc for years and now they’re yr9 I realised all I can do is make them do the work. But I don’t seem to be able to make them care. Other younger dc just wants to do it. They WANT to do well and I don’t have to ever convince them to do their homework. Both are doing very well at school. But one does need incentives - which I now offer, I don’t care if they’re working hard for me or because ‘intrinsic motivation’ at this stage. My job is to help them achieve the best they can with and not waste their abilities. After that it’s up to them but at least they’ll have good grades behind them. I know ultimately older dc is money motivated and industrious in other ways, and that will serve them well when they’re older,

Totally agree

You can’t teach “intrinsic motivation”

Intrinsic anything can’t be taught!

You can encourage however works for the individual

No, we don't give incentives or rewards. Without wishing to sound like an awful prig, I expect DD to study, keep her room tidy and help out around the house.

We will be getting a Domino's on Friday to celebrate the end of her mocks though

@Rolopolo2000

You can’t teach “intrinsic motivation”

Intrinsic anything can’t be taught!

You can encourage however works for the individual

You can't teach it and I didn't say that. BUT, you can help older children work out what they want or might want in life and what they need to do to have a better chance of achieving it. With my daughter, it was easy as she knew exactly what she wanted. With my son it took a lot longer to encourage him to think about what he might want to do in life. He probably only worked it out fully at university. But we talked about different career options, different university courses. We tried to take him to places he found interesting. We made sure he knew the implications of important exams like GCSEs in making later choices and not reducing his options.

You didn’t say it
But a pp did

* Far better to work on teaching them intrinsic motivation.*

@steppemum @Rolopolo2000 not sure about you but nobody has studied my child therefore nobody knows what works or motivates him better than me!! I tend to think studies done on a small random select group can't really tell me what works for us

@Rolopolo2000

You didn’t say it But a pp did

[quote clpsmum]**@steppemum* @Rolopolo2000* not sure about you but nobody has studied my child therefore nobody knows what works or motivates him better than me!! I tend to think studies done on a small random select group can't really tell me what works for us[/quote]
Absolutely!!

I don’t give rewards for good grades- I think DC should be expected to achieve the grades they are capable of achieving with hard work.

So if a DC is capable of getting an A* by working hard, this standard should be expected of them. Equally, if a C is what is achievable, fair enough.

I will issue punishments if these are not met through lack of effort or laziness. This should be the same for a DC who is capable of achieving an A* but gets an A through not enough revision as it would be if they are capable of getting a C but receive a D.

My DC also have to earn their screen time through doing a set amount of study which increases with their age. So DS2 (year 10) for example knows he has to do 2 hours of homework/revision per night and 4 hours over the weekend. He does not get any phone or Xbox time if these hours are not completed.