Comments on myblackfriendsays.com: I wanna knock your head open and see what's inside...

Thanks for the interesting blog and interesting q...

2010-03-25T00:11:36.735-06:00

Thanks for the interesting blog and interesting question...there is so much to say from the Dust Bowl story, of how farmers are awarded to not plant, of how some biased white folk whine when others are given incentives, and oh you questions are just amazing. With so many stimulating topics to tickle my thoughts, I leap to a issue of which I feel firm convictions: The value of intrinsic vs.

When I read a post in a blog, I must read carefull...

2010-03-08T21:12:58.060-07:00

When I read a post in a blog, I must read carefully, because we live in different country, with different conditions. I will not explain about my country education system (I live in Indonesia, Asia Pacific), but I and my wife have one commitment to my son - 14 yr old - who will be a Senior High School student this year : GIVE HIM THE BEST WE COULD! We not a rich people, but every time we must

PS Very interesting article on Hurricane Katrina ...

2010-03-07T19:50:59.413-07:00

PS Very interesting article on Hurricane Katrina coverage! Makes a very good case, IMHO.
JD

We were never rewarded for grades, beyond praise. ...

2010-03-07T10:27:48.741-07:00

We were never rewarded for grades, beyond praise. I was very good in school. We did get an allowance that ran up to $1.50 a week by the time I was in 7th grade. When I asked for a raise, I was told to justify the need, and my brother and I made up a budget that included getting our shoes resoled periodically. So we got $5 a month. When I started college my dad was out of work and couldn't

When I was a guidance counselor intern, and later ...

2010-03-04T14:00:12.942-07:00

When I was a guidance counselor intern, and later as a substitute teacher, I'd ask my students if they liked the way they lived. It was a Catch-22 type question because if they were underprivileged and said no, I'd tell them that education was their way up and out of their current circumstances. If they were overprivileged and responded with a yes, then I'd tell them that education

Good post and questions. As a father I hope I do ...

2010-03-04T10:31:54.055-07:00

Good post and questions. As a father I hope I do not give into the temptation to financially reward my son for good grades and doing well in school. I think it sets up a bad precedent with many unintended consequences. The value that I want to pass on is doing the right thing regardless of financial gains. Getting good grades is to be expected, unless there is a learning impairment. I will

Our parents didn't reward us when we did well....

2010-03-03T21:50:52.098-07:00

Our parents didn't reward us when we did well. We were expected to do well. We were punished if we didn't.

Kids who are paid for good grades don't go to Harvard, whereas both my brother and I did. :P

I'm on the fence on this one. It's unfor...

2010-03-03T20:56:49.143-07:00

I'm on the fence on this one.

It's unfortunate these children are being motivated by monetary rewards and not simply because they want to better themselves and take advantage of a free education.

On another note. I was rewarded throughout school. My reward was thru extra-curricular activites like Flag, Soccer, Softball, Cheerleading - these things were expensive and

You wouldn't show up to work unless you got a ...

2010-03-03T17:17:20.931-07:00

You wouldn't show up to work unless you got a paycheck at the end of the week.

Kids show up to work (school) daily and are only rewarded with a pat on the back and a few papers with stars and stickers. If your boss gave you a big hug and a pat on the back at the end of the week, you'd be looking for another job.

Kids can't just leave their job (school) because

I well remember receiving one Chuck E. Cheese toke...

2010-03-03T15:43:20.465-07:00

I well remember receiving one Chuck E. Cheese token for every A on my report card (I believe this was paid for by CEC itself). I also got a free ticket, or maybe two, to the Cleveland Indians games if I got straight A's on a report card (the Indians were terrible and had a much larger stadium back then).

Fast forward to high school when I not only didn't get paid, but was