I believe Kohn makes several interesting and unique points about punishment and rewards used in the classroom. The main point he makes is that rewards are just like punishments in that they control a child's behavior. He believes it is better to give children "an engaging curriculum and a caring atmosphere" (14). This way, children will find what is taught to them more interesting and will be more motivated to learn. While I do agree that punishment and rewards can be controlling, there are a few points Kohn makes which I disagree with. First, I believe rewards only control children when they are used too often. If this is the case, children will only do work knowing there is a reward to come. If rewards are used sporadically, children will never expect a reward and will complete work and become more engaged with what they learn. Furthermore, I do not believe younger children would want to go to school knowing that there is just "an engaging curriculum and caring environment" (14). Rewards add a fun element to school for younger children and motivate them to go to school. Secondly, Kohn suggests that there is no way teachers can motivate children. I believe that teachers can and do motivate children every day. In my opinion, teachers motivate children the best when they are enthusiastic. For example, I have always loved history classes of any kind. However, if the teacher is unenthusiastic about his or her teacher, I do not feel as motivated to go to class or do work for that class, despite it being a history class. Therefore, if a teacher can be enthusiastic and show his or her love for a subject, the student will be motivated to learn why the subject is so interesting. Lastly, Kohn states that praise is a verbal reward and therefore controls children (15). However, I feel that children, especially at the younger grade levels, need praise. This is because children often want to complete work because they want their teacher (or parents) to be proud of them. If they do not receive any praise, they might have a feeling of emptiness where they feel like they have nothing to work for. Even though I disagree with these three points, Kohn has made me think about how I will balance my use of rewards and punishments in the classroom as a future educator. I often find it helpful to find disagreement within articles such as this one in helping my knowledge within education grow.

Reading Kohn’s article made me think back on my own experiences with rewards when I was growing up. Personally, I was never given tangible rewards by my parents for doing something well or something I was expected to do but I did receive them from my teachers at school. At home, my parents taught my brother and I to simply do what we were told. However they would always explain why what we were asked to do was important so we were not “treated like pets”. I believe that this method was effective but I can also understand why educators uses rewards so frequently in the classroom. Many parents do use a reward system to shape the behavior of their children so students come into the classroom with the mentality that if they complete a task then a reward is expected. I believe that a balance between the two methods would be effective for teachers in the classroom. By using a mixture of verbal and tangible rewards and interesting lesson plans that keep students engaged and are clearly relevant the course material, the teacher can help to develop the “capacity to make responsible decisions” in students.

I think that even though Kohn makes some legitimate arguments against the use of rewards. However, I do think there is a way to use rewards with children without "controlling them, acting in a way that is manipulative and disrespectful" I think rewards are sometimes necessary for positive reinforcement and they do work, as long as the teacher works with the student along the way. I do agree with Kohn when he says that rewards work in a way that they are a temporary compliance. I feel if you explain to children the reasons why they should continue with their positive behavior (besides getting a reward for it), they will want to continue that behavior in the future. I think rewards act as a guiding step in changing children's behavior. I don't think teachers should strictly rely on rewards, but they are a good starting point to get children to see that wehat they are doing is good.

As I continue to study to become a teacher, there are many controversial topics that I should be aware of. The topic that Kohn introduces is about rewards/punishments. I believe that rewards should be required within your classroom. It is a form of positive reinforcement, which children need to help them succeed. It gives them the confidence to strive to do more. As a future teacher, I believe it is important that you always reward students for good behavior. This encourages them to do the same in the future. I understand where Kohn is coming from when he says this might lead them to be less generous or responsible. But, I believe he is making a hasty judgment. All students are different but most of them thrive on positive feedback. In addition, I believe teachers have to stay consistent with rewards and not overuse or misuse them. They should be careful of how and when they are using it. There are many forms of rewards that children need to grow. Not only does it bring a smile to their face but it shows them if they make the right decision, good will come. Overall, I believe rewards are another sign of care and love from teachers to their students and teachers should incorporate rewards in their classroom.

I am currently studying to become a teacher and I think and believe that rewards are definitely needed. I agree that sometimes rewards are used incorrectly but I do not see them as being equal to punishment. I thought that you had a great point when you said that "the real choice is between doing to and working with." I believe people do things to children and not working with children. I think that rewards are not "temporary compliances" but rather children will do things because they know that they will receive something for doing the correct thing. I think that this is okay and not something that is for a temporary use. I thought you had several strong points but I disagreed on some things.