Why We Shouldn’t Focus on Students’ “Behaviors”

Why We Shouldn’t Focus on Students’ “Behaviors” The developer of an allegedly humanistic classroom management program described its goal as getting students to “choose appropriate behaviors.” That sounds at first like nothing more than plain common sense. But on reflection, there is reason to be concerned about each of those three words — and the model that informs them. The … Read More

To Change What We Do, Consider What We Believe

Foreword to The Teacher You Want to Be 2015 To Change What We Do, Consider What We Believe By Alfie Kohn [This essay is adapted from the Foreword to The Teacher You Want to Be, edited by Matt Glover and Ellin Oliver Keene (Heinemann, 2015)] Creativity — in education and in general — might be defined as the capacity to … Read More

The Back-to-School-Night Speech We’d Like to Hear

October 4, 2015 The Back-to-School-Night Speech We’d Like to Hear* By Alfie Kohn Is this working? [taps microphone]  I do believe it is! OK, if everyone can please find a seat, we’d like to get started. Thanks so much for coming out tonight! We’ve reserved plenty of time for discussion — obviously I’m not going to talk at you all … Read More

Do This and You’ll Get That: A Bad Way to Defend Good Programs

EDUCATION WEEK September 30, 2015 Do This and You’ll Get That A Bad Way to Defend Good Programs By Alfie Kohn When we’re not sure people will support our cause, it’s tempting to link it to something more popular. Because x may be controversial (or may simply lack broad support), we hitch a ride on y, an outcome that reflects … Read More

Who’s Asking?

EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP September 2015   Who’s Asking? By Alfie Kohn It seems only fitting to explore the role of questions in education by asking questions about the process of doing so. I propose that we start with the customary way of framing this topic and then proceed to questions that are deeper and potentially more subversive of traditional schooling. 1. … Read More

The “Mindset” Mindset

SALON August 16, 2015 The “Mindset” Mindset What We Miss By Focusing on Kids’ Attitudes The emphasis on effort in Dweck’s “growth mindset” is most notable for the larger questions it discourages us from asking. By Alfie Kohn One of the most popular ideas in education these days can be summarized in a single sentence — a fact that may … Read More

Cheerful to a Fault: “Positive” Practices with Negative Implications

July 11, 2015 Cheerful to a Fault “Positive” Practices with Negative Implications By Alfie Kohn We live in a smiley-face, keep-your-chin-up, look-on-the-bright-side culture. At the risk of being labeled a professional party pooper, I’d like to suggest that accentuating the positive isn’t always a wise course of action where children are concerned. I say that not because I’ve joined the … Read More

What’s the Real Purpose of Classroom Management?

June 25, 2015 What’s the Real Purpose of Classroom Management? By Alfie Kohn   Everyone knows why classroom management skills are considered a critical part of teacher training. The reason we need to minimize “misbehavior” and get students to show up, sit down, and pay attention is so we can teach them stuff. That proposition is so obvious that it’s … Read More

The Wrong Way to Get People to Do the Right Thing

May 12, 2015 The Wrong Way to Get People to Do the Right Thing By Alfie Kohn   [This essay is adapted from The Brighter Side of Human Nature, which contains the complete references to research cited here.] Our culture may sing the praises of the heroically selfless, yet it also seems to disdain the very idea of helping. We … Read More

Book translations

Translations of Alfie Kohn’s Books NO CONTEST: THE CASE AGAINST COMPETITION Italy (Baldini) Japan (Hosei University Press) Korea (Sannun) Germany (Beltz) Sweden (Hagaberg) Israel (Sifriat HaPoalim) Thailand (A.R. Business Press) Bulgaria (Iztok Zapad) Poland (Wydawnictwo MIND) THE BRIGHTER SIDE OF HUMAN NAUTRE Turkey (Görünmez Adam Yayincilik) PUNISHED BY REWARDS Brazil (Editora Atlas) China (The Reader’s Cornerstone) Japan (Hosei University Press) … Read More