On Monday I went for my usual volunteer session at Pookie’s class. I always come in at the tail end of Art Class, stay thru snack time and help with most of Centers. Its not quite the best time slot for the class, but its all I can do between the time when I take Geetle to the bus, Giggles to her Monday-morning babysitter and when I have to be back to get Geetle off the bus again. (remember, she goes to 1/2 day Kindergarten, Pookie goes to all-day Kindergarten).
When I got to Art class, they were drawing Hearts. Which, by the way, are easy for kids to make if you explain to them that they are “V” with a “m” on top. Smart Art Teacher, huh? They all had to go to the head table one at a time so they could dip their hands in pink paint and add a hand print to their Valentine’s Poster. It was going well. Those not at the head table were doodling and such. As with any group of K-2nd graders, there was some getting out of their seats and wandering a bit. Pookie’s class is always on the verge of mutiny, its just a fact of life. If three of them get the idea to revolt all at the same time (or plan an organized attack!) the teacher will have to hide in the supply cabinet. That’s just the way it is. Its a fine line between “normal” for their class room and total chaos. But, that’s just the way it is and we all learn to work with it. Its sort of like that on a daily basis for parents of autistic children.
My observation today in Art Class is that there is a big fear of the scale tipping and the class dissolving into chaos. So much, in fact that the teacher’s aide was passing out Skittles to those who remained in their seats.
Hmmm….Skittles for behaving. Not for completing a specific task, but for the general act of behaving.” I do not like that.
Later in class, during Center Time, I was assigned to the Reading and Writing Center, as I usually am. I don’t bust the kids’ chops too much. As long as they stay with me at the table and do something involving the general acts of reading or writing, I am happy. That means today T. and I practiced writing the word “shark.” He wrote it and then I drew one. Big Happy. C. (who will not hold a pencil) and I practiced tracing squiggly lines with our fingers. J. copied a paragraph I wrote (on the fly, based on his interest in the topic) about Halloween pumpkins. At one point, Pookie’s teacher came over to give me a bag of Skittles and told me (loudly, so the kids heard) that I could pass them out to the kids who did their work.
Yeah. I passed out no Skittles. I do not think we need to be passing out candy in a Special Ed classroom every few minutes. It seems like a very bad idea. I do not think Pookie and his classmates need to get the idea that every task in life comes with an immediate reward. I understand the whole reward system. I do. We use rewards at home. But there are somethings you just do for free. Sitting still is a free-bee. Staying at the work table during Centers is a free-bee. Doing some amount of work at the table is a free-bee. I cannot imagine tossing these kids Skittles every 5 minutes like they are pure breed dogs I am leading thru the show ring. I have a real hard time with that.
I told BAGD that they are starting to lean heavily on Skittles in class. He wants to take Pookie out of the reward system at school. I don’t know how I feel about that. If everyone else is getting them, he should too. He will not understand why he is not allowed to participate in what seems like a regular school thing. But the teacher must go thru 100s of Skittles a day. She passes out a fair number and when her back is turned, the kids sneak extras. Hopefully not Pookie, but I saw a girl do it today. Ideally, I would like to see the class move beyond the need for Skittles (and Sweetarts, and Candy Corn). I would like the kids to perform because they are expected to and they want to. I believe they can. They knew I had been given a bag of Skittles today. But when they asked me for one at my Center, and I said “no” they did not freak out. They handled it.
Maybe I am naive. Maybe I am basing my opinions on what I know I can get out of 1-2 of these kids at a time, including Pookie, but maybe its different 5 days a week, 6 hours a day, with 10 kids. Maybe she needs the Skittles. All I know is that it makes me feel sad, tossing Skittles to a child, like fish to a trained seal. I won’t do it.
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi, The reward system you describe is a deep seated, controversial , often researched, philosophical puzzlement in the world of education. I remember Nonny having opinions on it back in the seventies when she was teaching at Lakeland School. Anytime I ever tried it in my teaching days it backfired. The more “skittles” I rewarded the more they wanted and I am a soft touch so it was just a vicious circle….I agree with you but research probably says that for animals, kids and adults it does work. My question is why and for how long and why not? As President Bush would say “Maybe you should do “The Google” on it. See you soon.
Love MOM
I am with you. I think that mindless reward-giving is degrading to the children. I have used treats as rewards, but the rewards were for completing a task. For example: I worked with a boy with autism who reminded me very much of the way you describe Pookie. He had a hard time staying in his seat sometimes, but that was ok, as long as he stayed on task. If he completed the task I gave him ( completing a puzzle, making a necklace out of pop beads, lacing beads onto aquarium tubing, etc, etc) he got a few frosted cheerios. But ONLY if he completed the task. If he stopped halfway through, he did not get any cheerios, even if he stayed in his seat like he was supposed to. The reward was for the specific task, not for behaving like he should anyway. And gradually, I stopped handing out so many cheerios, and switched to onlypraise. He either did not notice the difference or did not care. The cheerios were sort of more to show him that you have to do things start to finish. I DO use behavior charts- If you behave the way you are supposed to all day, you get a sticker on your chart at the end of the day. If you get a week’s worth of stickers, you get a treat. I don’t know, it seems to me that they will learn to rely on the skittles, and will be bewildered next year when they are just expected to stay in their seats with no reward.
That’s exactly what I mean. If you start with Skittles, you need to wean off of them. Maybe the teacher is planning that. I should ask. She also uses behavior charts and the green/yellow/red thing that is so common in the primary grades. But it means absolutely NOTHING to Pookie to be on “red”. He is smart enough to know that it does not mean anything horrible happens to you.
Ha, my sister was like that. She knew that red was a totally empty threat, the world was not going to suddenly stop or anything. I think the all or nothing sticker charts are better…you either get a sticker or you don’t. If you get five stickers, you get a treat. If you don’t get five stickers, then try harder next time. I guess maybe sometimes it seems unfair, but I think kids think everything is such a “gimme” nowadays.
I would ask her though if she is planning to stop the skittle thing. Even if she isn’t, I would hint at her weaning them off of the skittles gradually as the year goes on. As I said before, I think they will be so bewildered when they get to first grade or summer school, and skittles aren’t handed out.