Thursday, October 2, 2008

Paid For Good Grades

     While it is not uncommon for parents to reward their children when they bring home good grades, lately, across the U.S., select school districts are paying their high-achievers for them. Good grades are literally paying off in Arkansas, Alabama, Connecticut, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Virginia and Washington in an effort to get students interested in their classes. But, by basically bribing students, is it teaching them that everything comes along with a price tag? Not everything in life gets you a check. Students should be motivated to get good grades, so they can get a good paying career in the future. If they're not willing to work hard now, they won't be able to get what they want later. Instead of using money as bait to get students in challenging classes to do well, the government should invest it into programs that will actually help them out in the long run, or teachers who know how to make a subject interesting.
 
     As a high school student, I would love to get paid when I achieve good grades, but there's a part of me that can't help but think this seems wrong. While I see the idea and the benefits that come out of it, I know the lengths some would go to to get the good grade and the reward that accompanies it. There is no certain way to know who all is being honest and dishonest, or who actually deserves the money and who doesn't.
 
     --Evergreen


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5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Giving money to successful students does motivates them to work harder in school. However, there will be problems that will inevitabGiving money to successful students does motivate them to work harder in school. However, there will be problems that will inevitably occur like competitions. If students are getting paid by achieving good grades in school, then it is basically equivalent to having a job IN school. Get good grades and you’ll get paid, maintaining or increasing those grades will increase the money given. It would also not be fair for other students who works hard but does not attain the grades they wanted. I think it is a better idea that the government should increase the programs that will help the students achieve good future rather than paying them when they receive good grades. Therefore, what they’ll get from those programs will be a long term success.ly occur like

Anonymous said...

paying kids for good grades I think is a waste of money. Kids should be motivated to get good grades if they want to have a bright future. By paying them now, they won't learn the important lessons you would learn if they had got the grades without being paid. Also, they should use the money to fund programs that will help the kids do well in school

Anonymous said...

Students should be motivated to work hard in school so they can position themselves for a better future. The more you learn the better chance you have of getting a better job which will be worth all your hard work.

Anonymous said...

I think paying them for good grades is a good idea.
I would be twice as motivated to do well in my class!

Anonymous said...

Getting paid for grades is ridiculous. I honestly see that there is a problem with the teaching staff at schools that allow them to pay students for their good grades. They obviously aren't good teachers and don't know what else to do for their students to get better grades. We understand you teachers aren't getting a ton of money, but then why are you teaching. Part of teaching is motivating students to do better and want more in life. Being a teacher is a tough job. You really do have to be gifted in order to be a teacher, and if you're not, stay away from the education career choices.