DC middle-schoolers who behave can get $100 a month

Attribution theory (Weiner, 1980, 1992) is probably the most influential contemporary theory with implications for academic motivation. It incorporates behavior modification in the sense that it emphasizes the idea that learners are strongly motivated by the pleasant outcome of being able to feel good about themselves. It incorporates cognitive theory and self-efficacy theory in the sense that it emphasizes that learners' current self-perceptions will strongly influence the ways in which they will interpret the success or failure of their current efforts and hence their future tendency to perform these same behaviors.

http://education.calumet.purdue.edu/vockell/EdpsyBook/Edpsy5/edpsy5_attribution.htm

An important assumption of attribution theory is that people will interpret their environment in such a way as to maintain a positive self-image. That is, they will attribute their successes or failures to factors that will enable them to feel as good as possible about themselves. In general, this means that when learners succeed at an academic task, they are likely to want to attribute this success to their own efforts or abilities; but when they fail, they will want to attribute their failure to factors over which they have no control, such as bad teaching or bad luck.

The success of this program still rests with excellent teaching that motivates and engages the student.

Scott- good point. Will all students receive money? Will the funding be sufficient? Students hate unfair practices. Students respond to good teachers and authentic adult relationships, more than money. Students many times enjoy candy, points, and like to work for success. I have seen children behave, stay on task, and probably learn while working for points, tokens, and candy. It usually works when implemented and managed by a strong effective teacher. Money alone will not fix much anything. This might work for some personality types.

What if a child is sickly, but has great grades. What if a child attends 80% of the days, has perfect grades and so on. This creates more problems than it solves in my opinion. Consistency of management could be a nightmare for the teacher, and I can hear the parent phone calls now. Yes, greed comes quite naturally to the human heart. So greed and competition might inspire, but practically speaking, the students know that there is probably not enough money to go around. The rewards of learning, like the rewards of love--are Learned young, enjoyed and shared throughout life, and sustain the soul and motivation. Money is an abstract concept for someone who does not pay the bills.

The results of the meta-analysis revealed that from preschool all the way to college tangible rewards are harmful to intrinsic motivation when they are given for engaging in, completing or doing well on some task whereas rewards that were unexpected or task-noncontingent had no effect on intrinsic motivation. Verbal rewards on the other hand, which are most frequently unexpected, were found to have an overall enhancing effect on intrinsic motivation as they provide an affirmation of competence

http://edsserver.ucsd.edu/~cgammill/Inquiry.html

Middle school children do not need bribes, they need excellent parenting and excellent teachers.

Where can I enroll in this school? I think I could almost behave well enough to earn some BIG bucks! Or maybe not.

Larry - you have some ideas that make broad generalizations. These are honest observations. Children who slip behind academically are very difficult to turn around, especially, as they go past the 5th grade and age 10 approximately.

When you promote kids way past (2+ years) their level of competency excellent teaching doesn't compensate for the deficiencies in the student. Their coping strategies like disrupting class ... copying the work of their peers, cheating on tests...

Teachers do make a difference every day. I have seen the behaviors you describe, but I have seen tough students turn around. We must not give up. Children need us to advocate to their needs.

Cheating, disrupting class, and terrorizing a class need tough discipline. Many bright students disrupt class, call out, cheat, and steal precious instructional time and this is a tragedy. Sadly, political correctness and the supremacy of individual rights and the limited power of schools to deal with highly disruptive students is a huge problem.

Gimmie a break. See what not spanking your kids leads to now?

When I was 6 I was seen by a psychologist who diagnosed me as dyslexic. Then I was diagnosed as having "Non-Specific Learning Disabilities." That was the best term they had for it then. Today, I know the root of the issue. I had a very difficult time through school. Reading has been a weakness. I often have a hard time discerning the point of what's written or said. My writing isn't that great. Too often, I use the wrong words or phrases trying to get my point across. Math is my worst subject. My teachers didn't help me set goals. They had no expectations of me, and they let me know it frequently. If I had a failing grade, they'd read it off in the list of all the other grades, but they'd often add comments such as: "I didn't expect any better." I was then told that I wasn't smart enough for college. I should learn a trade, as if there is something wrong with learning a trade, and work for someone else for the rest of my life. 2 years after I graduated from high school I started at a community college. At this point I've attended 7 colleges in 20 years, and if all goes well, I should have my degree within 6 months.
I've never had a mentor, a supporting teacher, or a coach to stand behind me to help. I can't help but wonder what ever happened to others like me, and what would have become of us had we had mentors to help us along.