alfie kohn, classroom expectations, rewards

My Barren Wasteland – A Room Without Rewards

Pernille Ripp

A barren wasteland with no smiling allowed.  A silent classroom with a teacher standing sternly at the front slapping a ruler against their palm waiting for the next kid that dares to actually have a good time.  These are all images people tend to get when I say I do not believe in rewards.

Recently I wrote a post detailing how I reward my students through time rather than extrinsic motivators.  One comment I received asked me whether I believed in whole classroom rewards or not, which is a question I often get.  The answer is no.  I don’t believe in the idea of rewards and agree with Alfie Kohn when he states that “Rewards and punishment  are ways of manipulating behavior that destroy the potential for real learning.”

I believe that rewards twist the focus of the classroom and provides students with a false reason to want to engage.  I believe that rewards always end up benefiting the same students and some are always left out.  I know some will say that classroom rewards are the answer to that inequity, but ask yourself; how often have you taken away classroom points or not given marbles based on the actions of one kid or just a couple?  I know I used to even though it did not reflect the behavior of the whole classroom.  So you still produce an inequity because the other kids certainly know who it is that makes them lose points and believe me that plays into social situations sooner or later.

The bottom line for me is when we perpetually stick a carrot in front of students faces whether it be through points, letters, or marbles, we are teaching them that they should not do anything without a reward.  So while in the short term it may work to have kids get points to earn something as a classroom, in the long run it is not shaping their behavior to want to behave simply for the greater good.  I need kids that want to be in my classroom and I expect kids to take responsibility for their behaviors.  So I do not make kids “earn” anything in the reward sense, and I do not single out kids.  Instead we celebrate class-wide whenever an occasion arises.   Celebrations are given not earned and they can be based on whether we have achieved something or it is a certain time of year.  Often students and I discuss how we should celebrate something and it is never ever taken away from them.    I never use it is a way to manipulate their behavior or to point out anything.  We simply celebrate, and there is always a lot to celebrate!

So while classroom rewards may seem harmless, think of what it projects.  Think of what message it really is sending the students.  Are we trying to tell them that we do not expect them to behave without some sort of reward?  Are we trying to tell them that society will always reward them extrinsically whenever they do what is expected of them, because if we are, those kids will be mightily disappointed in adult life.

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alfie kohn, education reform, rewards

GIve Me Back that Gold Star or How Do You Reward Your Students When You Don’t Believe in Rewards

Pernille Ripp
Image taken from here

It used to be when a student did something exceptional, I would place a cute sticker on their worksheet, homework, or test.  I had a drawer just meant for stickers and I lovingly picked new ones for each year in the office catalogs.  I also had Bravo certificates and even great stamps that quickly but distinctly told them exactly how I felt.   Who doesn’t feel great after getting a stamp with a big thumb on it telling you “Thumbs Up!?”  Sometimes, when I had a little more time,  I would even write “Fantastic” next to that sticker just so that they knew I really meant it.

If the class was having a great day I couldn’t wait to dole out those kid points (if I remembered) so that they could earn another party. Never mind the fact that they knew they would earn it eventually because odds were they would have many more great days than bad days. I thought my kids knew that I thought they were great. I thought my kids understood why they were great.   In fact, I even had an “Awesome Wall” where all the A+ work would go up. Of course, I hoped that all kids would eventually have their work prominently displayed, but truthfully some just never did.

So this year I threw it all away. Well, I kept the stickers but they are for my daughter and husband – he loves motivational stickers on his honey-do lists.   The awesome wall got replaced with a world map, the kid/teacher points disappeared. And I felt so empty; after all, how would my kids know when they did a great job? Wouldn’t they miss the stickers and the fantastics? Ummm no. In fact, no kid ever asked me for a sticker this year. No kid ever asked me to explain their fantastic remark because I didn’t write them often.  Truthfully I found out that kids really didn’t need those extrinsic rewards, that learning still happened, that the kids still stayed motivated, of course some days more than others because guess what, they are kids.

So in throwing out all of my rewards, I found out about the biggest reward of all; time.  This simple concept that I know we have precious little of in a classroom is a hot commodity to everyone.  Now when my kids deserve recognition (which they do every day) I give them time.  Whether it is to take the time to speak to them about their work, or to write feedback.  Whether it is to give them time to work or just time to speak to one another.  How about time for a sledding party?  Or time for 5 minutes of meditation after that awesome assembly?  How about the time to just be a classroom, to just hang out and celebrate all the amazing things happening in our room, in our school, in our world?

So don’t feel like giving up rewards will steer your classroom management off course, I believe it will actually heighten it.  I believe that when you push the superficial things out of the way, deeper connections arise and the students become more willing to share, more connected, more motivated.  Finally, by getting rid of rewards I also gave myself the biggest one of all; the chance to connect deeper with my students.  The chance to speak to them more.  The chance to have them all be equals and not labeled and ranked according to grades or homework.  The chance to finally all be “Fantastic.”

being me, lessons learned

Lessons Learned from Home

Pernille Ripp
Coming home to my native Denmark never ceases to ground me, remind me of who I am, as well as provide a few lessons that I bring back to my classroom.  This year, I chose to share them with you.

On one of my first night’s home, my mother shared this story with me:  In 1938 when my 98-year-old grandmother was young she wanted to go to France with a friend.  The daughter of a woodcarver and an aspiring math teacher, she knew that she could realize this dream but that she would have to bike there; all 648 miles.   Their minds made up though, they rode their single gear bicycles the whole way in 2 weeks, stayed a couple of days and then rode their bikes back.  The whole trip took them around a month.  Lesson learned: perseverance and fortitude.  Instead of waiting for the opportunity to arise, my grandmother or mormor as she is known just did it. 

It has been more than 2 years since my best friends, Laila and Julia, and I have sat face to face.  More children, more wrinkles, and more life experiences have shaped us differently and yet we are still the same.  Those old friendships spanning more than 16 years nurture me and sustain who I am and who I want to be.  Those two know me better than anyone and every time we get together we are able to just be ourselves. 
Lesson learned: those who knew you when, matter the most.

This past weekend as I was home alone with Thea, we were chicken sitting for my aunt.  Imagine my horror as a fox attacked them and I was left to call my aunt with the news that the fox had managed to snag half the hens and all the chicks.  While on the phone, the fox came back for me and charged a chicken close by me.  My reaction:  A blood curdling scream and charging toward it.  The poor chicken ran inside the house, the fox ran the other way.  Mission accomplished. 
Lesson learned:  You never know how you will react when something is at stake.

As I visted my grandparents, I told them of how excited I was to move to 5th grade and in particular what we had planned to do for our math instruction.  My mormor, a former math teacher, instantly perked up and told me that she would really like to hear about what we planned on doing and to keep her informed.  She would even offer up suggestions if she had any.
Lesson learned:  Once you find your passion you never grow out of it.

Coming home I instantly felt I belonged and Danish is spoken to me automatically wherever I go; I fit in.  In fact, I wrote a post about how important it is for kids to get the same feeling when they enter our classroom.  I could only feel this way because I know the social norms and expectations in this nation, something most tourists are not privy to. 
Lesson learned:  Share expectations, norms and normal behavior for everyone to feel they belong.

education reform, No grades, no homework, punishment

We Say it is All About the Kids

Pernille Ripp
Time and time again I hear the statement, “I do it for the kids…” or “It’s all about the kids.”  This before I hear any educational philosophy or methodology, but I have yet to meet a teacher that does not think it is all about the kids.  So then what happens from that statement to our classrooms?  Where does the disconnect start because how can you say it is all about the kids and then assign punishment or rewards?  How can you say it is all about the kids and assign hours of homework even at an elementary level?  How can it be all about the kids when there are no re-takes, no extra chances, no resources allowed on tests?

So if it is true that it is all about the kids, then perhaps we need to rethink what that means.  The way a lot of educational systems are set up is apparently all about taking time away from the kids and making sure the teacher is in focus and in control.  Do we not think that all about the kids could mean the kids had a say, were more in control and were even listened to?  Because if inane classroom management, pointless homework, letter grades with no explanation, and test upon test is what is meant by being all about kids, then no, I am not all about the kids.

Classroom, communication, technology

Technology Usage Parent Letter and Consent Form

Pernille Ripp
Classroom
Classroom (Photo credit: James F Clay)

Internet safety and education is always at the forefront of my mind when I work with technology in the classroom.  It is therefore important for me to have my parents have an understanding and some control over their child’s work and image as it relates to usage and access.

Here is the link to purchase the whole letter and below is what part of the document looks like.

A Letter on Technology in Mrs. Ripp’s Room


Technology serves a major function in this classroom to collaborate and connect with students across the globe.  Safety and proper usage of the chosen technology is therefore vital for this classroom to be successful in its implementation.  This letter is intended to inform and expand on the most common types of technology that will be integrated throughout the year, as well as serve as a consent form.  Please note that the District Acceptable Use Policy for Technology is upheld and discussed throughout the year as well.

°  Flip Video Cameras:  Students use video cameras throughout the year to capture their learning and for presentations.  I also use the cameras to capture specific student work to be published on our classroom website (www.mrsripp.blogspot.com).
°  Digital Cameras:  Students and I take pictures of our projects and students at work.  These images are often used for publication on our website and once in a while are included in presentations I conduct to teach other educators.  

Preview:


Dear Parent or Guardian,
Throughout the school year, I may include photographs, videos, or work of individual students or student group activities on our classroom website (www.mrsripp.blogspot.com), on my professional website (www.mrspripp.blogspot.com), and occasionally in presentations for other educators.  Any student and/or their school work will be identified by first name only.  No last names will be mentioned.



Please mark any of the choices below and return to school:

_____    Yes, I give permission to photograph, videotape, or audio record my child.  I also give permission to display my child’s school work including class pictures.

____    Please do not publish my child’s photograph on the classroom website or any other Internet page.



community, new year, Student-centered

Community Building 101 With Mrs. Ripp

Pernille Ripp
Ahhh community building exercises.  Those small sheets of paper that we all so vigorously collect whilst in college knowing that some day they will be our go-to’s.  Some day they will lead us to a breakthrough in our classrooom.  Some day they will be corner stones of our community.  And yet, then they don’t.  In fact, as I cleaned out my files at the end of the year, I found a lot of them shoved into a forgotten corner of my cabinet, crumpled, dusty, and very unused.  I guess I haven’t needed them after all.

So welcome to community building 101 with your teacher, Mrs. Ripp.  A newish teacher that doesn’t quite know what she is doing at all times but will happily share all of the ups and downs.  So first, how not to build community, from someone who has made all of these mistakes:

  • Pre-post your rules.  Nothing says “This is my classroom” like a beautifully laminated poster of all of your rules that have been hanging there for years.  Students certainly know who is the boss then and also that they are indeed just visitors in your room.  Way to set the tone from the first day.
  • Spend days on a constitution.  I like the Constitution, in fact, as a social studies lesson I think this would be marvelous.  But as a community builder, not so much.  Think of it through a kid’s eyes:  days spent discussing the rules for the rest of they year and then pledging to uphold all 20 of them, umm not so much.  Oh and who is going to remember all of them, yikes!
  • Set clear boundaries.  The first year I labeled my classroom with teacher versus student stickers.  Oh yes, I was a label master, making sure the students knew exactly which cabinets, which supplies, and which areas they were allowed in.  I spent the rest of the year reminding them where not to go and I kept hammering in how something was “mine” – sounds like a 2 year old’s behavior, not a teacher’s.
  • Ice breakers.  I know people will disagree here, but I hate ice breakers, they are super awkward and make me feel very uncomfortable for a while until I can retreat back to my own comfort zone.  I have never made a connection through an icebreaker, sorry.  Instead, invest in something meaningful as a classroom like a connection map, or a kid made video tour of the classroom, or something that the kids can work together on.  If they can focus on the task rather than the connecting, community building will start to happen.
  • Tell the kids you will now be building a community.  I am all for setting goals and telling the kids about it, but this one better be left unsaid.  It’s like telling someone you are trying to become their friend; that hyperfocus tends to make things weird.  Instead tell the kids what they will be doing, simple as that.
  • Have a million things planned.  Sometimes the best beginnings of a community comes from spending time together, but when you plan too much or have too much to do, that goes out the window.  So leave a little room for spontaneity, a little room for just hanging out (perhaps on the playground) and a little room for whatever the kids would like to do. 

    So what should you do?

    • Be yourself.  The kids will see right through any phoniness, so if you are a massive dork like I am, let it all shine through.  
    • Share your life.  I often have a video from Thea, my 2 year old daughter, or a funny story about her to start the day out with.  The kids really get to know me and my family and in turn open up about their lives as well.
    • Laugh a lot.  I love to laugh and I think kids are hilarious, if we just give them the time to speak.  
    • Start decorating the classroom.  I stress over and over that this is “Our classroom,” so the kids get to make decorating choices as well as furniture setup decisions.  Every class learns differently and they can often set up a better environment than I can.
    • Start learning.  I love all of the learning that happens at school so we start right away with some curriculum, often the kids cannot wait to see what this new grade level will be about so why wait.  Of course, we balance it out with all the other great non-curricular activities.
    • Decide on expectations together.  I don’t have classroom rules, I have expectations that are set with the students.  We take some time, and we always adjust them throughout the year, but in the end they need to be straight and to the point so the kids (and I) can remember them.  And no, they are not posted anywhere.
    • Give it time.   Great community does not happen on the first day of school but you do plant the seed that day.  So tend to it and nurture it, give it them time it deserves throughout the school year and highlight it from time to time.  I discuss with the students how great of a classroom we have which keeps it a priority and reminds of what we strive to be: a place where everyone feels like they belong and are safe.