Should Kids Be Paid (Bribed) For Good Grades? - THE DAILY RIFF - Be Smarter. About Education.

Should Kids Be Paid (Bribed) For Good Grades? - THE DAILY RIFF - Be Smarter. About Education.

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Morning Joe Debate (With Surprising Conclusions From Scarborough)

Stephen Colbert Interviews Harvard Professor
In Amusing Video (See Below)

When I first came across Time's cover story about paying students for grades, I first thought, "Oh, great. Our kids have no desire to learn, so we have to pay them? Maybe it's what's happening in the classroom and at home that kids don't want to learn . . ."

Well, then I remembered my parents paid ME and I was humbled by my initial knee-jerk reaction. That's right - they paid me 50 cents for an A and 25 cents for a B. Was that what motivated me? I really don't think so. . . or in fact, I know so. That was more of a bonus. I actually think being allowed to stay up to watch "Bewitched" or an ice-cream sundae (Jamie Oliver would not like this) were stronger motivations.

But they still counted as bribery.

Then I recalled one of the techniques used by Rafe Esquith, a past Teacher of the Year and Oprah honor recipient, in the fabulous documentary, The Hobart Shakespeareans, and it was