Avoid the "If-Then" Trap

Although we all want students to grow in their capacity to do the right things for the right reasons, these if-then statements feed them a steady diet of low-level moral reasoning for everything they do.

This approach takes behavior that could be personal or relational—about how we take care of ourselves or others—and makes it transactional. Instead of potentially thinking about how students' actions might affect others or their own long-term goals, they end up thinking about what they might get or lose in the moment. Instead of thinking about respecting others while walking in the halls, they're thinking about stickers on a chart. Instead of thinking about learning for growth, they're thinking about not losing their phone or getting a grade.

In their 2005 book Freakonomics, authors Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner discuss a fascinating study in Israel that showed that parents who were fined for picking their preschoolers up late from school actually arrived late more often. A classic result of incentive- and punishment-based programs in schools is that once students have experienced the rewards and punishments, they often habituate to them, and rewards and consequences must be amped up to affect short-term behavior.

Importantly, these kinds of systems also decrease intrinsic motivation. Study after study has shown that when you reward someone for doing something, you devalue what you meant to incentivize. So, if your goal is to boost children's enjoyment of reading, offering them pizza gift certificates for reading over the summer may actually decrease their desire to read.

So, if we're not going to use the "if-then" language of rewards and punishments, incentives and consequences, then what should we use? We can try moving up the moral hierarchy and consider language that focuses on following rules and taking care of others. We might also use language that emphasizes the values we want students to share: learning for the joy of learning.

This change, of course, doesn't mean that we no longer use consequences as a part of daily discipline. Consequences can be an effective way to stop behavior mistakes before they escalate or help students regain self-control. So, if the student doesn't put her phone away, we might say, "Quinn, hand me your phone. You can have it back at the end of class." Similarly, we might occasionally celebrate hard work and positive behavior with a fun treat. "Wow! We have put in such incredible work this afternoon! Let's head outside for a quick game!" The key shift here is about how we talk about the connection between behavior and consequences or celebrations. When we use "if-then" statements, we're implying that the reward or consequence is the reason for the behavior. We're trying to motivate students by using carrots and sticks, and this is where the damage is done.

Another common question about if-then statements is, can they ever be used, especially ahead of time? I think discussing possible consequences of behaviors with students is important. Especially at the beginning of the year, when creating rules with a class, a discussion about the role consequences will play in the daily discipline of the room can be supportive and reassuring for kids. It's one of the ways we let them know that we're going to keep the room safe. "We're all going to work at using devices in ways that support our learning this year. If someone is having a hard time with that—let's say someone is on social media when they should be writing—then they might lose their device for a while so that they can refocus on work." Notice the if-then statement in that last bit of language? When used ahead of time to give students a heads-up, and when used with a supportive tone, these kinds of statements can help students understand and anticipate how the room will work.