"Teachers should not give sweets and chocolates as a reward"

Parents do it to their children all the time - If we're making that statement, it's not fair that we penalise just teachers.

We've been advised not to give out sweets so that the kids aren't overdosing on sugar and being hyperactive. I still do regardless, but I have more of a tendency to give out more permanent things, mainly from Tesco's party bag fillers aisle. I keep a stash of non food items anyway, for the kids who can't eat the gelatine in Haribo and Percy Pigs. The older the kid, the more juvenile the item. The upper sixth go mad for bubbles, because they know that their time for that kind of thing will be officially over when they leave school and they want to recapture their childhood one last time.

aww

As an earlier comment stated, it's not the pack of haribos. It's the connection with food as a reward.

rooted in a primitive part of our psyche... so is pooping in the corner.

It is not a 'teaching technique' it is indulgence of misbehavior, over use of the carrot in an age where the stick is all but banned.

It is nothing more than laziness from educators who either cannot or cannot be bothered to construct a lesson that is both engaging and informative or are too non confrontational to tell an unruly child to shut up or get out.

All these quick rewards do is affirm in a child's mind that good behaviour deserves reward and then what happens at another point when instant reward is not produced?

The older the kid, the more juvenile the item. The upper sixth go mad for bubbles, because they know that their time for that kind of thing will be officially over when they leave school and they want to recapture their childhood one last time.

Completely agree. If year 7's get given stickers, thay're not too fussed about it. Us Y13s get far too excited over them.

Year 7s want to be more grown up, so they aren't keen on things they associate with primary school. U6s have grown up, realise it's not quite what they thought and would quite like to go back. They've also developed a sense of irony by then.

probably. Or its something to do with the fact that the stickers are shiny.

Ooooh. Shiny!

there are, or was a few years back, some shiny smily face stickers in staples.

That is the most piss poor argument I have ever seen presented on this website.

Excretion is an integral part of not only our biology but our fundamental makeup. It is not in our 'instincts' to poo anywhere but a toilet, it is in our 'instincts' to poo where it is most convenient, which to us is the toilet.


You cannot extrapolate this argument and apply it to positive reward, which is a fully backed up scientific theory (the highest level of scientific proof, others theories include sch things as gravity, electricity etc). Many experiments, most notably the skinner box experiment, have demonstrated that irregular reward in response to the correct actions by the subject compel the subject to continue doing those positive actions. This doesn't mean reward kids with sweets on a regular basis (ie when they do anything right), it means reward them sometimes when they get something right.

This serves the dual purpose of refuting your argument that kids will become reliant on it and, with all it's proof from science, debunks your argument completely.

I never said kids became dependent on reward, only that they expected it, if they are rewarded in trivial matters but not for greater things what message does it send. My argument is not that it doesn't work, but it shouldn't be required.

- Students should not require instant gratification in the form of food/gifts
- Teachers should not be purchasing items themselves for students
- Teachers should not be required to reward or discipline students

Is this a recent thing? I have been to eight different schools and never seen this done.

Surely it would be best to start somewhere?

I never said kids became dependent on reward, only that they expected it, if they are rewarded in trivial matters but not for greater things what message does it send. My argument is not that it doesn't work, but it shouldn't be required.

- Students should not require instant gratification in the form of food/gifts
- Teachers should not be purchasing items themselves for students
- Teachers should not be required to reward or discipline students

Is this a recent thing? I have been to eight different schools and never seen this done.




Also pooping in the corner was convenient thousands of years ago before the invention of the toilet, when man dwelled in caves, the toilet being a relatively recent invention in the grand scheme of human existence...