ON BRIBING STUDENTS TO LEARN: Second Thoughts About A’s, Praise, Stickers, and Contests Teachers are often encouraged to rely on rewards rather than punishments, but research suggests that carrots can be just as counterproductive as sticks. Both are forms of manipulation, and neither can produce anything beyond temporary compliance. In fact, as Alfie Kohn, author of PUNISHED BY REWARDS, will … Read More
Business
Business: Rethinking Management We have been in prison from wrong teaching. By perceiving that cooperation is the answer, not competition, Alfie Kohn opens a new world of living. I am deeply indebted to him. -- W. Edwards Deming Alfie Kohn has been described as the country’s leading critic of competition, although he is quick to point out that there is ... Read More
What Do Kids Really Learn from Failure? (##)
October 3, 2012 What Do Kids Really Learn from Failure? By Alfie Kohn Education experts have long known that there is more to success — in school or in life — than cognitive ability. That recognition got a big boost with science writer Dan Goleman’s book Emotional Intelligence in 1996, which emphasized the importance of self-awareness, altruism, personal motivation, empathy, and … Read More
The Case Against Grades (##)
EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP November 2011 The Case Against Grades By Alfie Kohn [This is a slightly expanded version of the published article.] “I remember the first time that a grading rubric was attached to a piece of my writing….Suddenly all the joy was taken away. I was writing for a grade — I was no longer exploring for me. I want … Read More
How to Create Nonreaders (#)
ENGLISH JOURNAL Fall 2010 — vol. 100, no. 1 How to Create Nonreaders Reflections on Motivation, Learning, and Sharing Power By Alfie Kohn Autonomy-supportive teachers seek a student’s initiative…whereas controlling teachers seek a student’s compliance. — J. Reeve, E. Bolt, & Y. Cai Not that you asked, but my favorite Spanish proverb, attributed to the poet Juan Ramón … Read More
Bad Signs (#)
KAPPA DELTA PI RECORD Fall 2010 Bad Signs By Alfie Kohn You can tell quite a lot about what goes on in a classroom or a school even if you visit after everyone has gone home. Just by looking at the walls – or, more precisely, what’s on the walls — it’s possible to get a feel for the educational … Read More
Spoiled Rotten — A Timeless Complaint (commentary)
WASHINGTON POST July 18, 2010 Spoiled Rotten — A Timeless Complaint By Alfie Kohn [This is an expanded version of the published article, which appeared in the Post’s Sunday “Outlook” section.] Pour lire cet article en français, cliquer ici. If the subject is kids and how they’re raised, it seems our culture has exactly one story to tell. Anyone who reads newspapers, … Read More
So What SHOULD Parents Do?
April 2010 So What SHOULD Parents Do? By Alfie Kohn “If rewards and punishments just make things worse, what should parents do?” The question is perfectly reasonable yet very difficult to answer in a simple and satisfying way. That’s true, first, because everything depends on how the question ends: What should parents do . . . to make kids do whatever we tell … Read More
Parental Love with Strings Attached (#)
NEW YORK TIMES September 15, 2009 Parental Love with Strings Attached By Alfie Kohn [This is a slightly expanded version of the published article, which was titled “When a Parent’s ‘I Love You’ Means ‘Do as I Say.’” For a more detailed treatment of the topic discussed here, please see the book or DVD entitled Unconditional Parenting.] Para leer este artículo en Español, haga clic aquí. … Read More
Cash Incentives Won’t Make Us Healthier (#)
USA TODAY May 21, 2009 Cash Incentives Won’t Make Us Healthier By Alfie Kohn [This is an expanded version of the published article. Click here for a 1-hour audio presentation by Kohn on this topic.] In its first salvo at reforming health care, Congress is reportedly considering legislation that would do two things: help employers to set up wellness programs and encourage … Read More