Personal Comment on Rewards for Perfect Attendance.
Greetings,
I have just recently read Rob’s post on an article describing rewards for perfect attendance.
Before I read the article, I was against the idea that schools were giving away money to encourage students from doing things that they were already supposed to be doing. Now, however, I understand their argument that when students are there, they will do better on the state tests which affect the school’s funding. Also, giving incentives for perfect attendance mirrors the real world, as employers generally give better benefits to workers who regularly show up and work.
This idea, in my opinion, can only really effective if the punishment for missing class is the same as before and the prizes are worthwhile. For example, Chelsea High School had its attendance rates drop. Some students do not care for the small amount of money received for perfect attendance. Fewer, but larger, prizes seem to be in order. Here, again, caution seems to be in order. I think that giving away prizes that promote, or can be used to promote, education would be preferable to other prizes. To that end, I would support prizes such as computers, educational games, or educational software.
A better answer to this, however, is not money, but the parents. Teachers attempt to show students the value of an education, and how it will help them create a better life for themselves. I believe that we also need to target parents, showing them how an education will help the student. From the three pressures, the ability for upward mobility, the teachers punishing students for absentness and parental motivation, I believe that students will go to school out of pressure, and thus attendance will again rise.
Websites:
Beckman, Rob. “’And for Perfect Attendance, Johnny Gets… a Car’ from NYT 2/5/06” 7 February, 2006. http://beckma20msuedu.edublogs.org/2006/02/06/and-for-perfect-attendance-johnny-gets-a-car-from-nyt-2506/>
Belluck, Pam. “And for Perfect Attendance, Johnny Gets… a Car.” 5 February, 2006. New York Times. 7 February, 2006. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/05/education/05reward.html?ex=1296795600&en=2f0361b43f0fe378&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss>
