What do you think about these incentive programs?

[lynn]

Several high schools in my area have been chosen and challenged to add ap english and science classes and any students that get a qualifying grade on the final exam which equals college credit will receive $100 and the teacher receives $100 for each student who passes.

[Melinda in VT]

Who's supplying the money?

[PiCO]

Several high schools in my area have been chosen and challenged to add ap english and science classes and any students that get a qualifying grade on the final exam which equals college credit will receive $100 and the teacher receives $100 for each student who passes.

 

I don't like it at all if they're getting cash. I would find in acceptable if the student money was payable to the college or trade school of their choice, and the teacher money could be used to purchase classroom supplies.

[Melinda in VT]

At first, I was bothered by the idea of the teacher getting money, but I'm not sure it's that much different than teachers getting paid to be advisers for extra-curricular activities. I know, for example, that our newspaper faculty adviser got paid extra for that.

 

Effectively teaching an AP class demands more of a teacher than a regular class. For one thing, the students are going to need to do a lot of writing which needs to be reviewed by the teacher. And if you are just trying to get an AP program started, the teacher is going to need to spend more time becoming familiar with the kind of writing that gets passing grades, the depth of knowledge needed to pass the test, etc.

[Rosie_0801]

Sounds like a system that would strongly encourage cheating...

 

Rosie

[Denise in Florida]

When my girls were young I read Alfie Kohn's Punished by Rewards, this deeply affected my approach to parenting and teaching.

 

As I recall from his advice this type of 'incentive' reward could imply to the students;

a. this is not worth doing for itself, you need external motivation,

b. you are not capable of motivating yourself, we need to manipulate you to do what is good for you

c. this is so hard that only people who are paid would be willing to do it.

 

Those are generalizations, this obviously would not affect every student the same way. It might work for some and not for others.

[Mommyof4ks]

They tried that around here at a college for students that took some test and passed, but the parents and community shot it down fast.

[Murphy101]

I don't like it at all if they're getting cash. I would find in acceptable if the student money was payable to the college or trade school of their choice, and the teacher money could be used to purchase classroom supplies.

 

:confused:Why? I would be more against that than cash.

#1 taxes should pay for school supplies to begin with. teachers shouldn't be buying it at all.

#2 if they win the money, part of the reward is to spend it the way they want.

#3 kids not interested in trade/college schools wouldn't get any reward at all and the trade/college would get money from a student without giving anything to them for it

#4 I refuse to pay for grades and it would tick me off to be undermined by the school. if anyone is going to get paid for doing the basic requirements of life in this house (thinking, learning, and house chores) - it'll be ME by golly.:tongue_smilie:

 

Sounds like a system that would strongly encourage cheating...

 

yep. teaching to the test and dumbing down the curriculum so students can pass easier would sky-rocket too I think.

[Ria]

You know, there's a certain honor in getting into an AP class in the first place...at least around here. Kids who get in do not slack off...they have their eyes on the prize, lol.

 

Given that, I don't understand the monetary incentive. A teacher of an AP course would gauge success on how well his/her students did. Likewise, the kids who got into the class would want to do their best.

 

Ria

[Murphy101]

It is such a small amount of money, yet offers a little encouragement that I can't imagine any huge problems.

 

wow. I do not consider a $100 a small amount of money at all. :001_huh:

[Melinda in VT]

yep. teaching to the test and dumbing down the curriculum so students can pass easier would sky-rocket too I think.

 

AP tests are created by a national board. The teacher has absolutely no control over the test. Dumbing down the curriculum would not lead to more students passing.

[beansprouts]

I thought the incentive for AP courses was not having to take (and pay for) the class in college.

[elise1mds]

:rant:

 

This irritates me because not only is it going to encourage cheating, it's also going to put more pressure on students to take the tests even though they may not want to. I took several AP courses in HS - English and history are what I remember, though I believe there was one more. I only took the test for English. The teachers did ask multiple times who wanted to take the tests, but given my already hectic schedule and the fact that I know my forte, I just stuck with English. I think if you give the teachers a monetary incentive, they're going to push kids into taking the test who otherwise may not want to, and that's not what it's for.

 

Plus, these tests are not easy. What if a kid doesn't pass? Oh, oops, you took the test but failed - no cash for you? That'll boost a kid's self-esteem, doncha think?

 

I agree that the reward for passing this test should be not paying for it in college and that teachers should receive the 'extracurricular' stipend for teaching these classes because they are incredibly demanding. That is all.