Awards & Rewards, Part Two

The other major concern I have with awards and rewards is that rather than build community and cooperation, they breed competition, comparison, and jealousy. Instead of working together and learning from each other, kids get the impression they are in a race to out-perform and out-impress the teacher. Survivor might make for good television, but I'm not sure it makes a good learning environment.

I love Jamie Lee Curtis's new children's book, Is There Really a Human Race?, for this very reason. It's a beautiful, amusing, and simple reminder that we're not competing against each other on this planet; that there's time to enjoy life, to help each other, to develop relationships. Check out Diane Rehm's interview with Jamie Lee Curtis if you'd like to hear her talk about and read the story. And while you're at it, you might as well listen to her interview with Alfie Kohn, author of Punished By Rewards and Unconditional Parenting. :)

P.S. Alfie Kohn's website is a great resource to explore this topic further.