Incentives and Punishment
When it comes to incentives and punishment in schools, we might be perpetuating the achievement gap without realizing it. Think about it, kids who come into school with little stress, a healthy breakfast, and plenty of sleep are going to be more ready to learn, listen, follow the rules, and earn rewards. And those who don’t come to school with those basic needs met will struggle and likely present as disruptive and inattentive. And what about the neurodivergent kids who have little to no awareness of their behaviors being disruptive, inattentive, and challenging? This week, we explore the limitations of incentives and talk about alternative ways to nurture all kids.
Incentives and Punishment
We have a job to keep the peace, maintain order, and create safe school environments. Schools (and parents) have relied heavily on incentives and behavior charts for a long time. Don’t get me wrong, I am a strong believer in incentives when they are equitable, meaning we offer a wide variety of ways kids can earn rewards and the rewards are built within the safety of the classroom environment, rather than schoolwide. This feels important because the teacher knows their students best, and there are days when the most challenging students are working really hard, but that might not be recognized by someone who knows that child less intimately.
Incentivizing kids for being quiet, sitting still, listening, and following the rules is not equitable. These are expectations that need to be nurtured over time with practice and relationships of mutual respect. These are not skills that every child has embodied or is even aware of. And when kids are called out or punished for NOT behaving in these ways, they internalize the message that they are not good enough and this only perpetuates the behavior we are working to change.
Some kids earn lots of tickets and are consistently recognized. This impacts the kids who are not. They compare themselves to one another and this could translate to low self-esteem and a feeling that they don’t belong no matter how hard they try. On top of that, our (adults) internal biases unintentionally continue to reward certain types of kids who “fit the mold”.
Incentives and punishment seem like a reactive and quick fix to a much bigger problem. Instead of working so hard to get kids to conform, I propose we work on skill building at a tier one level, so all kids can embody the skills they need to FEEL successful and an equal and important part of their community, because they are. This starts with our internal beliefs and finding true acceptance of our students and kids.
We could pick apart these problems for hours, but let’s talk about some practical solutions that don’t eat up a lot of time, and that nurture real change and skill-building in students.
- Incentives that are equitable - As a class, come up with a list of ways to earn rewards, individually and collectively. Everyone has input and remember to touch on different skills that are inclusive.
- Recognize how hard school feels - Some kids perceive their behavior differently from how it appears to others. When kids are “acting out”, that is the time to recognize how hard they are working just to be at school. Next, offer a chance to nurture an SEL skill. This could be a 10-minute walk outside with another teacher to talk, a movement break, or time to journal or draw about what they are feeling. Skill building is more critical for these kids than trying to cram in academic work that won’t be absorbed.
- Practice self-regulation, together - All kids can benefit from self-regulation practice. Take time to do this together and daily to give everyone a chance to embody these skills and prime their brains for learning.
We want to build safe learning environments. As we navigate the best approach, let’s stop and think about what we would need if we were struggling; hungry, sad, lonely, exhausted, or not feeling safe. How well would we perform in an environment where expectations were extremely high, full of stimulation, and a bombardment of structure, rules, and reminders coming at us all day long? Add comparison to peers, rewards, and punishment, how would you internalize those experiences? These would not feel nurturing, rather anxiety provoking, and likely lead to negative self-talk and angry outbursts.
When we nurture connection and understanding of our kids, this will impact behaviors and outcomes. Even better, you are modeling compassion and empathy, which are skills that help us thrive as we navigate growing up.
This week, use the guidelines above to nurture opportunities for equitable rewards and SEL skill building with your students. Notice how behaviors shift!
