REWARDS SYSTEMS
Former teacher
this, Mr edwards explained, gives the captain
the opportunity to congratulate the student in person
Lindsey Cox
and also creates the opportunity for pupils to take
responsibility for the administration of the scheme.
although the reward slips are handed out to
looks at rewards
individual students, the associated points are accrued
on a house basis.
The carrot
in the classroom
the scheme is still in its infancy at st Mary’s, but so
far winning houses have been awarded stationery and
and some examples of
book tokens, although Mr edwards anticipates that there
will also be some form of ceremony and perhaps a cup
at the end of the school year for the winning house.
good practice
Mr edwards believes that the scheme does have a
positive effect on the students, with the younger ones in
and not
particular enjoying the competitive nature of collecting
eWards have been used for the points which is reinforced by the formal recognition
r
many years within the business of good behaviour.
world as a way of encouraging and the scheme was implemented as a means of
rewarding staff who have achieved promoting house recognition and identity alongside
their goals. the need to have a consistent reward system which
this model of reward schemes covered the whole school in addition to those run by the
the
has been adopted and adapted and is individual departments.
now commonly found throughout secondary schools. Before students rarely knew which house they were
such schemes are used to motivate student’s behaviour in until it came to sports day or house singing, now they
in areas from healthy eating choices, attendance through have a much greater awareness from the moment they
to improved grades. are allocated one right through their school career.
the schemes generally run along similar lines by although the scheme is still in its early stages, house
encouraging students to gain points as a result of their recognition does appear to have increased as a direct
stick
own choices and thereby creating a cause and effect result with all students now knowing which house they
relationship. Often these points can then be traded in are in. the reward scheme aims to underpin the ethos
for a reward. of the school and to celebrate the work that the students
despite the recent headline articles about pupils were already doing.
being handed X-Boxes in return for turning up to school, One school which has a greater variety and choice
i found a more balanced picture of schools employing a of tangible rewards is chesterton community college,
variety of different reward schemes for different ends. also in cambridge.
toby edwards, mathematics teacher at st Mary’s,
an independent school in cambridge, talks me through
a new reward scheme which was launched at his school
in 2009.
here students are handed a reward slip by a teacher
if they have achieved an academic, pastoral or social
merit. the criteria for such a slip includes the submission
‘
What’s wrong with
celebrating doing the
of work of a consistently high quality, being a positive
right thing and rewarding
asset when out on a school trip, and being consistently
courteous and considerate to others. the reward slips
are logged onto the school’s reward software by the
good behaviour?
student’s house captain.
Union address: Voice
’
It’s time to stop pretending
Welsh
with those children and parents who simply will not
accept the standards and expectations of schools,
educationalist
teachers and the majority of parents.
in the past this issue was hidden. For a generation here i spoke to Lloyd Brown, assistant head and material reward or saved up in the student’s account for
or two, selection ensured that a minority would a teacher of humanities, and richard Kirkby, the ict something bigger. For example, a school prom ticket.
John Till
not encounter such children. after 1945, grammar manager. i put it to them that any such reward scheme credit statements can be viewed online by students
schools integrated into their culture a much wider might be seen as an elaborate form of bribery. throughout the year and form part of the discussion
despairs at our obsession
and more socially varied intake. Mr Lloyd defended the system and questioned between tutors and students during pupil progress
For the rest the alternative was not always so the criticism of acknowledging the silent majority of reviews. saving up for larger rewards is encouraged
with ‘choice’, and the
attractive, despite the efforts of some enlightened students and saying well done to them. and students gain interest on their credit account to
heads and teachers. But expectations were lower. “What’s wrong with celebrating doing the right assist in this. interest rates are linked to the Bank of
Parents whose own education was limited often had thing and rewarding good behaviour?” he asked. the england Base rate, although this can be adjusted to
subsequent impact it has
limited ambitions for their own children and accepted school’s database, “i-Behave”, allows the number of encourage greater saving, and can form the basis for
their place in a system in which most children left good news slips given out by each teacher to be discussion with students.
on education
school at 15 with no formal qualifications. monitored to allow for consistency across the board and capital One sponsors this reward scheme which
this acquiescence could not survive the reports to be accessed in an instant. again underlines the student’s financial awareness. this
expectations of parents who had benefited from post- indeed the software has proved so successful that reward scheme replaced an earlier version where the
Parents cheating to secure places in schools war educational opportunities or the consequences the school has sold it on to 40 other schools with the merit system was not seen as being particularly relevant
is another unintended consequence of the obsession of the raising of the school leaving age. the former proceeds being put back into financing the rewards to the students. now the students are more involved
with “choice”. wanted the same opportunities for their own children. given to students. with influencing the rewards on offer in the rewards
scarcely a day goes by without choice being the latter posed a threat by retaining in schools, the reward scheme is part of a wider school catalogue.
invoked to justify some policy or other, with the reluctantly and resentfully, the most hostile and least initiative aimed at positive behaviour management. Mr Mr Booth counters any accusation that such schemes
assumption that it is a “good thing”. biddable, whose presence was and is seen as menacing Lloyd explained: “We want to create a positive culture are merely rewarding students for what they should be
that is why politicians love it. it is comfortably by many parents and pupils. the former encouraged in this school and the more you can do to that end the doing anyway.
vague, capable of meaning different things to the introduction of comprehensive schools. the latter better.” he said: “the school has made a conscious effort
different people, and cannot be challenged without helps to explain the “escape culture” which is such all staff, students and parents are issued with a set to ensure that the system does not reward the norm by
inviting ridicule or incredulity. a marked feature of attitudes to public services, in of guidelines at the beginning of the year so that they putting the emphasis on excellence.
Living on the english side of the border, when we this case by the retention of selection or by seeking know exactly what is being rewarded or punished “For example, pupils are not rewarded for good or
had to “choose” a secondary school, it was interesting places in those comprehensive schools which have which again leads to consistency. it also means that normal behaviour in class, this is expected. We aim
to observe the process and discuss the options with the fewest “undesirable” pupils. students are able to understand any sanctions applied to raise pupil expectations and this is one part of our
other parents. huge, time-consuming efforts were this is a fundamental problem for a public and acknowledge them as fair, while also taking whole-school approach to this issue.”
made by different schools, and many diligent parents service which has to provide for all. it is dishonest responsibility for their own actions. since this new scheme was introduced in 2007, there
and children spent hours visiting them. or incredibly naïve to suggest that all schools can Praising pupils in a consistent manner has proved has been a marked increase in students’ understanding
Yet for all the statistics of success of various become as “good” as the “best”, as defined by to be more effective in modifying disruptive behaviour of finance and banking, with a growing number of
kinds and reassuring words about pastoral care and parental opinion. an approach based on market than only looking at the negative aspects. Before students choosing to save up for the larger rewards on
special needs, it was what was not said which was forces is simply inappropriate. the undesirable pupils students would only get a letter home for bad behaviour offer. attendance and punctuality have also increased
actually the most important. are “customers” the providers prefer to do without. but now good behaviour is acknowledged both through and the reward scheme is seen as an integral part of a
all of those schools were, or were about to But they have to go somewhere, and wherever that is a letter and also through the reward scheme. wider programme to improve this.
become, specialist colleges. But not one parent i becomes the place to be avoided. Big Wood school in nottingham is a specialist the long-term effects of school rewards go beyond
spoke to mentioned the specialism as a reason for so why are so many politicians obsessed with business and enterprise school. it is situated in a deprived student prizes and point towards a greater involvement
preferring a particular school. What was clearly choice when the last thing many parents want are ward where many residents have low numeracy levels in school and community life all round. as these
uppermost in their minds, even if it was not always better opportunities for the most difficult to go to the and access to higher education is below average. three schools demonstrate, reward schemes can offer
admitted, was their concern about the kind of “best” schools? andy Booth, assistant head, explained that one of a variety of benefits to the students for a variety of
children who would be attending the schools. could it be that it is less about raising standards the aims of Big Wood’s rewards scheme was to increase different ends.
this comes as no surprise. it isn’t new. it helps and more about giving concerned parents a chance financial understanding by raising student’s awareness some reward schemes have specific aims, while
to sustain independent schools. it also means that to escape from a local school with too many of the of how bank accounts, statements, interest rates and others are used as part of a wider programme of
all the initiatives to “modernise” (another word to “wrong” kind of pupils? saving schemes work. improvement. if students are turning up to their lessons
rival choice for emptiness) systems and structures Meanwhile the real problem goes unaddressed. excellent work, consistent punctuality, and positive on time, paying more attention in class, and handing
are irrelevant. Why? isn’t it time to stop pretending? contributions to the community are among the things in better work, this must surely pave the way towards
giving schools still greater independence will rewarded through the student being handed a “credit greater academic achievement and having a better
simply reinforce the local pecking order of social • John Till is a professional officer in Wales for Voice. slip”. this will get registered on the student’s individual chance in life. SecEd
acceptability. For the real challenge is what to do Visit www.voicetheunion.org.uk account where it becomes translated into “currency”.
this currency can be used in exchange for a small • Lindsey Cox is a freelance writer and former teacher.
12 SecEd • February 4 2010
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