Kudos for Technology Issue
Never have I been more informed by an educational journal than by your October issue, How Technology Is Transforming Teaching. From the insightful “On Technology and Schools: A Conversation with Chris Dede” to the ideas on funding technology projects, the issue is replete with understandable and useful articles.
—Michael A. Novello, Headmaster, St. Katharine's–St. Mark's, Bettendorf, Iowa
Parents Can Implement Technology
Your October issue contained a wealth of information. But how I wished to see an article on the importance of parents in the implementation of technology. As president of the Arlington County Council of PTAs for two years, I saw parents who voluntarily trained teachers in using software, wired and hooked up networks, lobbied for budget support, created home pages for their schools, and helped create systems to prevent online misuse. Educators should plan ways to hook that expertise and interest into the school's instructional needs.
—Elaine S. Furlow, Arlington, Virginia
The Ethics of Bingo Money
Many thanks for the Contemporary Issues section on “Commercials in the Classroom” (September 1995). Teachers have so much to deal with and so little time to reflect on these kinds of issues. Please help us by continuing to frame pertinent issues. A few years ago we debated the ethics of using proceeds from bingo games to supplement education funding. This year our bingo fund is larger than the school budget! Never would I have dreamed that bingo money would finance education.
—Juaneva Smith, Quadra Island, British Columbia
Which Zones Are Ad-Free?
I too believe that the influence of commercials on children in classrooms can be profoundly harmful (“Making Schools Ad-Free Zones”). I agree with authors Rhoda Karpatkin and Anita Holmes that “we must reject the idea that allowing advertising in the school is an ethical way to acquire materials for financing education, and instead pursue noncommercial partnerships with businesses.”
What then is the full-page ad offering school supplies from McDonald's doing on the back cover of Educational Leadership?
—Rena Upitis, Dean of Education, Queens College, Kingston, Ontario
Include Parents in ASCD Strategic Plan
As a parent, I am both concerned and reassured by what I read in ASCD publications. Concerned by unsubstantiated innovations and reassured by those articles that reflect a sensible ray of hope. Much innovation strikes me as fun-and-games experimentation, anathema to me because if one scheme doesn't work, educators cheerfully go on to something else while my son gets only one shot at his education.
A closing comment on ASCD's Strategic Plan (September 1995). I wish you had explained what you meant by “quality education” and approached diversity by seeking those things that unite us rather than differentiate and label us. Finally, I was disappointed that there was no place for parents in your mission and goals.
—Allan H. Bloom, Billings, Montana
Does Kohn Have Classroom Experience?
I wouldn't have found “Punished by Rewards” (September 1995) quite as repugnant if it had been accompanied by a description of Kohn's extensive classroom career. As someone who taught in the public schools for 20 years, I find Kohn out of touch with students and with human nature.
As a classroom teacher I admit I was an extensive user of gimmicks, anything to get students engaged. I also had strict classroom rules (sometimes developed by students) to ensure a safe learning enviroment for all.
Your publishing “Punished by Rewards” does serve the purpose of getting teachers to examine how they use punishments and rewards. Still, I am sickened that researchers are given so much credence when any competent teacher with some length of service would find these ideas laughable.
—Allen Awaya, University of Hawaii
Knowledge for Its Own Sake
My class was in shock when we were told we would not get grades for the first trimester. How would we know if we failed? “You'll know,” said my teachers. I attended Watkinson High School in Hartford, Connecticut. It was an Essential School (part of the Coalition originated by Theodore Sizer). The emphasis was on active questing for information.
While Watkinson did not eliminate all grades, in one class that did so, I improved more than in any other class. I strove to make my papers better and better. I was motivated by my teacher's comments and guidance more than I would have been by a letter on a report card. Knowledge exists for its own sake (that was our school motto). Traditional passive learning does not teach students to care about their work.
—Katherine C. Bedard, George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
A Student/Teacher's View of Rewards
Based on my experience this year as a student teacher, I find both rewards and punishments necessary. Some students need extrinsic rewards just to try an activity. After a few weeks of rewards, most find that participation can be fun.
In addition to rewards, students need to learn about consequences. From the first day of school, some students wanted to yell and scream and one even spat in another person's cup (these are high school students). I could not control them by talking because I wasn't given the opportunity. With repeated detention, some of these students are now beginning to realize they would rather be in class.
Society's rules keep most people from displaying negative behavior. We manipulate one another's behavior in almost every interaction. To deny this is to create a false world for students.
—Suzanne Vares-Lum, University of Hawaii
On Praise Junkies
I firmly concur with Alfie Kohn's tenet that we are promoting praise junkies. Both positive and negative reinforcement interfere with the intrinsic value of human curiosity and concomitant learning. I have recently given students this choice: a large gold trophy or a time for celebrating. Kids make the second choice very quickly.
On Kohn's inspiration, I recently changed the game of musical chairs for my 5-year-old's birthday party. In its original form, you'd start with 12 deliriously excited children and soon have 1 excited kid and 11 disgruntled onlookers. When we played recently, I took away a chair each time the music stopped, but all the children had to fit on the remaining chairs. We ended up with four chairs and 12 deliriously excited children.
—Thomas F. Heinegg, Principal, Great Neck South High School, Great Neck, New York
