05/15/98

Should teachers/parents reward kids with candy?

Q: I'm writing to ask your opinion about a senseless practice in my niece's school, namely using candy as a reward for doing homework, reading books or going to the library. My niece's mother (my sister) discovered this was happening when she saw volunteers handing out jellybeans in the library. When she objected to it at a school forum she was surprised that parents and teachers thought her objections were offensive and petty. It doesn't seem that way to me. I agree with my sister that candy rots teeth, lacks nutritional value and can lead to weight problems. Sugar can also boost hyperactivity. Rewarding children with candy can even lead to bad habits in adulthood. What do you think?

A: I'm not enthusiastic about candy rewards either, for the reasons you mention. Food rewards are generally a poor idea for any but the youngest of children (for example, I've seen Cheerios used effectively with preschoolers to improve listening skills).

When teachers use tangible rewards like food, stickers or trinkets, they run the risk that students will want bigger and better rewards in exchange for compliance. When using such rewards to shape the behavior of young children, it's advisable to switch to intrinsic rewards as early as possible. Mastery is usually reward enough, along with peer and teacher recognition for it. Older students will often improve work/study/prosocial behaviors to earn special privileges such as class messenger, reader to younger children, or assistant to the art/gym/or library instructor.

I'm curious about what readers think about giving rewards or tangible incentives to students. I read about a school in Chicago where attendance was such a major problem, that students were paid just for showing up every day!

Author's Note: See this week's Special Education Feature for information about the principles of Behavior Modification.

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