I think about KIPP a lot, so I write about KIPP a lot. My thoughts and writings are now part of a book by Washington Post reporter Jay Mathews. The book is called Work Hard. Be Nice.: How Two Inspired Teachers Created the Most Promising Schools in America.
Paul from Texas commented on my post called "Why KIPP Doesn't Serve as a Model for Urban Education." I responded to the post there, but I thought I'd post it as a new entry, too. So here is what I said.
Paul wrote, "As a middle class white, it is easy for Mr. Campbell to throw stones at the notion of punishments and rewards . . . No doubt, his children respond to the very system of incentives and consequences that any capable parent would provide."
So what does that mean?
Perhaps he's suggesting that I hang signs around my children's necks that say "Bench" or "Miscreant" if they misbehave? I don't. As a parent and educator, I find the notion of rewards and punishments to be extremely challenging. It's much, much easier to bribe kids with carrots and threaten them with sticks. But it also violates my own ethics and values, and it deprives kids and students of experiencing any sort of internal motivation.
In those instances when I've resorted to using bribes with my own daughter, I've always regretted it. Why? Because she's more interested in getting the goody for the behavior I'm trying to coerce her to perform. This also robs her of experiencing real consequences because she is not part of choosing the reward or the punishment. As much as I'd love, love, love to use time-outs as a way to punish her and manipulate her and coerce her to "be good"(or "work hard" or "be nice"), my wife and I don't use them because time-outs are . . . well, . . . manipulative and coercive. They also suggest that my love is conditional on whether or not I approve of her. Yuck.
As I say, I'd love to use them, though, because it would be SO much easier! But I choose -- perhaps masochistically -- to use other means. I talk to her. I explain what her choices are. I help her understand the consequences of her choices. And then I let her choose. I very often -- very often -- do not like the choices she makes. But she is a human being that is learning how to make good choices, so I allow there to be bumps in the road. Life is kind of like that -- bumpy.
But for the KIPP'sters and their ilk, there is only candy for good behavior and a sign around their necks for bad. Some choice . . .
6 comments:
Peter, in the interest of fairness, why not include my comments in their totality in this new posting of yours? Wouldn't that demonstrate open dialogue and represent my comments in context?
Hi, Paul. I linked to the post where your comments appeared, so folks who want to see them in their entirety can click on this link and read them there. I wanted to focus on a particular portion of your comments, so that's why I excerpted this piece.
I am curious to know how many KIPPs you have visited, how many teachers from KIPP you have interviewed, and how many KIPPsters either in college or who have graduated college that you have actually talked to?
Just Curious.
I have not yet had a chance to visit a KIPP school. Since writing about and researching KIPP, I have not lived anywhere close to one of their schools. I live in Portland, OR, now and lived in St. Louis before KIPP arrived on the scene there. I'd love to talk to KIPP teachers and alums. Can you help me connect with some of them?
But I rather doubt that visiting a KIPP school or talking to KIPP teachers and alums is going to make me a fan of public shaming as a discipline tactic, nor is it going to suddenly make me KIPP's number one fan. But I'll let you know.
KIPP, as well as Promise Academy (featured recently in a disingenuous editorial by David Brooks) are featured in a new Boston Review article. It's a heartfelt peace by someone who recognizes these schools' accomplishments but questions their applicability and methods. Check it out:http://bostonreview.net/BR34.3/forman.php.
"But for the KIPP'sters and their ilk, there is only candy for good behavior and a sign around their necks for bad. Some choice . . "
If by "their ilk" you mean most mainstream public schools, then I agree.
I have not yet taught at a public school (and I've been at four as a full-time teacher and many, many more as a sub) that doesn't use coercion and bribery.
Not a fan of KIPP, but a fan of choice. Also opposed to coercion. Unfortunately, public schools are based on coercion from the ground up.
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