Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: 4th graders who flunk reading have faces marked [View all]GiaGiovanni
(1,247 posts)35. The "punishment" was apparently the idea of the students themselves (a stupid one admittedly)
The school involved is Declo Elementary in Declo, Idaho:
https://sites.google.com/a/cassiaschools.org/declo_elementary/faculty-staff
According to AP:
The students were allowed to choose their own incentive to meet the reading goal, but instead of a reward, the class chose a punishment: Students who failed to meet the goal could either stay inside at recess until it was met, or have their faces written on by classmates who met the goals.
Nine students didn't meet the goals, the paper reported Friday. Three chose to forgo recess, and the other six chose to have their faces marked on.
"Although all the students in the class agreed to the incentive, once it occurred it was not so well received. Nor should it have been," Smyer said.
Nine students didn't meet the goals, the paper reported Friday. Three chose to forgo recess, and the other six chose to have their faces marked on.
"Although all the students in the class agreed to the incentive, once it occurred it was not so well received. Nor should it have been," Smyer said.
http://www.bigstory.ap.org/article/fourth-graders-who-flunk-reading-have-faces-marked
If you are a teacher, you often try to get students to provide their own incentives: they work harder if it's something meaningful to them and if it's something they have decided on as a class. However, you have to guide the process (insuring the fairness of the outcomes) and you never allow students with developing moral characters to decide upon disincentives. It makes me think that Larsen (the teacher) is either young & inexperienced or very idealistic.
Edit history
Please sign in to view edit histories.
98 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
RecommendedHighlight replies with 5 or more recommendations
But to a child--missing recess is very concrete and almost measurable to them...
CoffeeCat
Nov 2012
#14
I was a nerd too. Played in the chess club. Winners and losers. Classrooms are not sports arenas (nt
The Straight Story
Nov 2012
#25
So you were successful in getting rid of your self-esteem sometime during high school?
DisgustipatedinCA
Nov 2012
#43
If you fire her, you need to fire every teacher using peer approaches in the classroom because
GiaGiovanni
Nov 2012
#94
Actually, this teacher's blog has some student reading videos that are anything but shaming
GiaGiovanni
Nov 2012
#48
Did you read the blog? She's not a horrible person, and the peer approach requires follow through
GiaGiovanni
Nov 2012
#58
The "punishment" was apparently the idea of the students themselves (a stupid one admittedly)
GiaGiovanni
Nov 2012
#35
My children went to a student-centered alternative school, and nothing like this was done.
yardwork
Nov 2012
#83
Teacher needs to write the meaning of STIGMA on her blackboard 1000 times
HereSince1628
Nov 2012
#54
The kids themselves chose the punishment, and some student-centered approaches
GiaGiovanni
Nov 2012
#73
Thanks for a civilized response. A wrongheaded philosophy, supported by research and
GiaGiovanni
Nov 2012
#91
I am a HUGE advocate of home schooling, especially considering current education "theory" at
GiaGiovanni
Nov 2012
#71
The teacher is NOT a horrible person or even an abusive one. It's a peer teaching methodology that
GiaGiovanni
Nov 2012
#70
The teacher is an adult. She has an obligation to keep kids safe. She failed.
proud2BlibKansan
Nov 2012
#74
Safe, yes. But this has EVERYTHING to do with teaching philosophy coming out of universities
GiaGiovanni
Nov 2012
#78
Teaches other kids that violating someone else's physical boundaries is acceptable
Hekate
Nov 2012
#79
My first grade teacher used to pin failed tests to our shirts & force us to keep them there all day
Bad_Ronald
Nov 2012
#84
Fire her. None of that sit in a room for a year and get paid bullshit. nt
Comrade_McKenzie
Nov 2012
#95