This episode features an interview with Alfie Kohn, author of the books Punished by Rewards, The Schools Our Children Deserve, The Homework Myth, and his latest, Schooling Beyond Measure.
Topics include:
- The difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation
- How teachers can leverage extrinsic motivation
- Rethinking reluctant learners
- “Doing with” rather than “doing to”
Teachers Going Gradeless 
Pingback: Going Gradeless is not for the weak | danthescienceman
I’ve loved Alfie Kohn’s ideas since I read PUNISHED BY REWARDS 10 years ago.
I have narrative reports. The students and I conduct personal conferences. I’d love to share these reports and conferences with parents in lieu of grades. I’m sad Alfie Kohn thinks SBG is “lipstick on a pig,” as I believe it is a step closer to better communicating with parents over one letter grade per quarter. Letter grades –> SBG –> narratives and conferences. I loved hearing his ideas. I’ll need to listen again. And again.
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Joy,
I actually agree with Alfie Kohn on this point. Though SBG is better than traditional grades, it is another way to rank and sort students, which diminishes the value of learning and it is another way to tell students they are not measuring up. As Guskey suggests, when we define an Exceeds Standards we are essentially creating a new standard. I also feel that when we define levels that are not meeting proficiency we are saying that these lower levels are acceptable just as an F grade is acceptable. If F’s are not acceptable, they why do we offer them?
In my opinion, why not define what it means to demonstrate proficiency and expect students to meet that. Then, when we want to challenge students beyond proficiency we design feedback that challenges individual students where they are, or better yet, let the student define what it would mean to go beyond proficiency.
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