Punished by Rewards Hardcover – October 1, 1993

Interesting information. Worth reading! If you're going to read this, though, make sure you read the follow-up books for advice about what to do instead of offering rewards and punishments.

This is a profound book and has genuinely changed the way I teach. The sad part is how long ago this book was first published, and how little has changed to reflect the research in the school system.

Not only is Alfie Kohn's "Punished by Rewards" insightful, witty, and a change we should all consider making in our lives, it is precisely what society needs. The unsettling reality of our world, our society, our businesses, and schools is one which we can't just cover up with platitudes, batons, and shiny cars. It's precisely this discomfort we need to embrace. Every educator, every parent, every person who cares about happiness ought to read this book. I won't punish you and I definitely won't reward you if you do, the reward is in the reading.

This is a research based book so it is a long and hard read, with a lot of analysis and repetition.However, it is worth the read for those who want to learn and are open to being challenged on motivations and rewards.To make this an easier read, you can just focus on one of the three topics that interests you and just read those chapters, they are work related, school related and children related chapters.

I found this very interesting, as it does contradict the popular theories of rewards for good work, for good grades, etc. I realized that I had completely "bought in" to this point of view, and yet it didn't match how I am motivated!I think the bottom line is that "do this and you will get that" is an easy way to administer both rewards and punishments. It allows us to be "consistent" without requiring us to go deeper in understanding motivation and behavior of our children or employees. It allows us to believe that we have used effective "discipline" - again without having to engage in uncomfortable or difficult conversations.Bottom line: Kohn makes a great case against "do this and you will get that." But the alternative is not as simple, and that is probably why we fall back to "do this..." so readily.

This was a great book. Even though it gave evidence of the many mistakes that I've made in raising children and being a teacher I realize now how valuable it is to learn new methods. From what we are challenged with by this author, we can move forward to help our children rather than control them.

Bold work by Alfie Kohn in exposing the futility of the carrot and stick approach prevalent in corporate as well as school life. Helped me understand my dislike for the performance appraisal system at work and the difficult feelings I went through in school. I feel tremendous respect for the author.The second afterword was very long, I could not last till the end of it.

I first read this book shortly after it was published, and it was the trigger for me to change the direction of my career! I had been a consultant in the arena of compensation programs for 10 years and was frustrated with the results - people paid my firm big bucks to put together pay programs that did NOT get them what they wanted, and I was a part of that. Kohn's book immediately made sense to me and I left that firm shortly thereafter.I am no scientist, but I certainly trust "good" science and find it triggers my thinking about what we can do differently. We are closer today than we were when Kohn first published his book to finding alternative methods of paying people that allow real high performing organizations to exist. It will be difficult for many organizations to change, but those who do will excel in the marketplace, I believe. I am in for the ride, thanks to Alfie Kohn. Thanks, Alfie!Diane MarentetteCo-Founder, The New Brain for Business InstituteCo-Author, A New Brain for Business: Leadership Practices that Unleash the Very Best from Your People and Your Business

This book is great, one every teacher and parent should read, but pretty in-depth and dense.If you're not going to buy it please take away this message - you *should* actively comment on how you NOTICE your child's hard-work, efforts, abilities, strengths, eg "you've drawn a very colourful picture, tell me about it" "you climbed right up to the top all by yourself!" and it's okay to let your voice and tone speak for your approval, and direct your child to how they might feel "Wow! You must feel so proud of yourself"... However, do try and try as hard as you can not to JUDGE their work with a "well done" "good job" "it's beautiful" or other similar judgy compliment (even though it's a "positive" judgement) - because ultimately you want your child to learn not to rely on other people's praise, even yours, but to assess their own work and to be able to be proud of themselves even when the external praise doesn't come. If not they will never really be satisfied until every last person approves of their work, you want them to be happy with their own approval. You also don't want their brains to get a kick from praise because it will quickly rely on it (praise is essentially verbal/social reward) because it quickly forms a neuro-transmitter addiction - so they slowly lose the ability to feel our human natural internal reward for the things they learn and the things they do since it is overtaken for the need for more addictive external reward. Taken to the extreme you have a kid who only works/learns for money/toys/sweets or whatever, and when these things diminish the effort diminishes.Also, please take away the idea that is absolutely absolutely beneficial and even essential to tell your child you love them and you are proud of them - just try to keep these unrelated to and separated in time from the things they have just done, as it sends a similar message that you love them because of what they achieve, which gives a message of insecurity "they won't love me if I stop achieving xyz". Your actions, your attention and your look of pride will tell them all they need to know on these occasions - so use these occasions to direct your child's attention to how they might feel IN THEMSELVES, how they should feel self-pride and enjoy their moment.You can see, I've read and annotated my book to the extent that it fell apart, this is partly because it's a secondhand book (arrived in fine condition) but mostly that I have read the living heck out of it!

Behavioural approaches are rife in schools. The problem is, children aren't puppies and relationships matter far more than tangible rewards. If children are from 'nice' homes, it often works - but then these children are rarely more than silly. For insecure, deprived children, with the potential for highly disruptive behaviour, stickers and detentions just don't work in the long term. In many schools I've worked in, poor behaviour is blamed on teachers not implementing the rewards/sanctions policy properly, This book suggests that the rewards/sanctions policy is to blame. Certainly my own experience suggests that building relationships with children works far better - children don't misbehave nearly so much if they feel valued and know you enjoy spending time with them. When stickers do work, it's not because they got a sticker, it's because someone they respect and whose regard they want gave it to them.

A book that makes sense in so many ways. It's amazing how many teachers and bosses, think that rewards makes people work better and do not realise that they only set low level goals that give absolutely no sense of achievement.

I feel punished for buying it

A compelling read for a new head. Seems counter intuitive but provides compelling evidence to back up his ideas. But pop behaviourism is so common place it is imbedded in our lives at home and at work unsettling to think we have to change it. Loved it.

Good

Sad, but true. Every parent and boss should read this...everyone, really.

Very thought provoking book. A must read for every teacher and parent who wants their child to succeed.

very helpful book for my foundation degree course would highly recommend this book for anyone interested in this subject. good book

Excellent

good

Great book, very useful for my research product. Cleverly written and an easy read. Quick delivery, no problems.

This is a must read for any teacher, student, parent--anyone who cares about what truly motivates people.

A must read...for all school age parents!

really lovely book!