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I want to start out by admitting that I received cash for every A that I earned on every report card from kindergarten through twelfth grade. My grandparents would give me a half dollar to put into a coin bank for every A, and at the end of the school year the coins would be deposited into my savings account. But I loved school, and getting a high grade was a reward unto itself. The money was an added benefit, but I would have worked hard for the high grades without it.

My younger brother was also offered money for high grades grades that he never achieved. Although very smart and a whiz at tests, my brother had difficulty finishing his homework assignments, which dropped his grades dramatically. Incentives like money or a new video game were useless in helping him overcome this problem, and often represented an unattainable goal, which lowered his self-confidence each time he fell short of the mark.

I believe that kids should be encouraged to get high grades because they have a passion for what they are learning, and an understanding of how it will impact them in the future. Rote memorization needs to become a thing of the past, and kids need to know how to use what they are being taught, not just recite it back to the teacher on a test to get an A.

I am not against incentives that help achieve this goal; I simply do not view paying for high grades to be the best option. Offer a trip to the local museum, art gallery, outdoor theatre event, or arboretum. Visit a nearby bookstore and purchase a fun book that talks about a subject that the student is currently learning about. Not all books on history or science are dry and boring! Incentives such as these will encourage continued learning and will stay with the student for years to come, unlike a ten dollar bill that will be spent on the latest and greatest action figure and an extra large bag of Snickers bars.

It is also important to recognize more than just the grades that appear on the report card. If those were the only successes that merited reward, my brother would never have received a dime. Instead, accomplishments such as a successful class project, a higher than normal test score, or beneficial participation in an extra-curricular activity can also provide opportunities for reward and encouragement.

All in all, I believe that good grades should be rewarded, whether the reward is a trip to the local mini-golf place or simply hanging a test on the refrigerator. But cash is not the only option, and it certainly is not always the best.

Learn more about this author, Jessica Collins.
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