Teachers and administrators are becoming more creative when developing student incentives for learning. What are the pros and cons of the programs in which students can earn cash or even MP3 players and prepaid cell phones in return for good grades and better scores on tests?
The Earning by Learning (EBL) program in Dallas, Tex., uses cash incentives to encourage children to read, paying participants for each book they read and report on. Since 1996, when the program began, 66,000 student participants have read a total of more than 650,000 books (an average of 10 books per student), according to EBL's Web site. EBL's founding director, Thelma Morris-Lindsey, believes that cash-based incentive programs are key to motivating students and helping them rediscover their passion for reading. "Most children come into schools wanting to read," Morris-Lindsey says. "They are natural scientists and ask thousands of questions. Somewhere along the line, we [the education system] dull that spark and enthusiasm for reading. Education, like all other formal systematic disciplines, must continue to create innovative solutions to address 21st century demands both nationally and abroad."
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