Hi! You have so much good information. This comment is in general...Do you have any good ways of finding national conferences available for teachers? I'm having a hard time finding a list...

Thanks!

ideas are very much important with the help of them we can win the world.

Well written.

Paying students is just so ....weird. But it is tangible expression of society's interest in the kids education. In my mind, it's definitely worth trying. The case for holding onto the cash until exams verify accomplishment is an interesting refinement although perhaps a nit. How about, "A" students get the cash as they go, "B" or lower have it in jeopardy until they pass the exam...

I think paying the students that perform well in school is an excellent idea. Would you go to work everyday and do well if you weren't going to get a paycheck bi-monthly? For a child, school is their job. As a child, depending on how well I did on my report card, I was paid by my parents. If I had all A's I received $10. Any B's knocked it down to $5. If I ever received a C, then nothing. The C's were rare. I wanted the money. Being rewarded by our performance is how our society works, and money talks.

Oh funny is this. I just started something on my own with my son and I will let you know if it works. It's call "School Bucks" He is in Elementry and he is very bright but he is not focusing on as much detail as I know he can be. He also goes between his dads house and mine with 2 majorly different parenting skills. I'm the parent that is involved and cares about his education and I am the disiplined one. I do not have a problem with him doing his homework and he understands the work. He just feels its not as important as I do. So when he brings home completed class work, when he studies nightly n can answer the questions I asked him regarding the study, he earns shool bucks for each subject ( $1.00. When he passes a test ( depending on grade, depends on amount of school buck. D's n E's are not considered ( obviously. So far it has worked out very well.

im so impressed with Washington D.C. school chancellor Michelle Rheeim in showing concern with the kids who are going to the school.i sincerly salute in her intention.i come up with this comments and suggestion not to contradict with anybody but to help.since teachers are responsible in motivating the kids to go to school,,why not give the money rewards to the techers/whole class to use in beautification of the room,for classroom materials,classroom program,kids stuffs as rewards and more.instead of paying the kids alone.if this happen not only the kids will be motivted and be interested in going to school, teachers as well will be more eager to work hard to get her kids interest to school,because they will both get the benifits.this issue can be discuss by teachers to the class for them to work as a team.in this case not only the kids will strive for the best the teachers as well..if they work hand in hand success follows.god speed...

I think payment at this level is appropriate. Our children need to learn about performance rewards, just like the real world when the get a job or own their own company.

We paid our daughters for their grades. They were very good students. I feel in the Urban low income areas this might be an incentive. We get paid for doing our jobs. If students got paid for learning in school which is basically their job there may be improvement. I agree that the money should be held until the exit exam. There doesn't seem to be any consequences if students do not do well. Retention doesn't work. We keep passing students that do not know the material on to higher levels of learning. The foundations are not there to build upon. My husband and I have talked about paying students. I think you would see improvement. Learning for the sake of learning doesn't seem to be enough. Children need something to motivate them.

Paying works. I teach special needs students. I offered my students a choice--$100 cash or Wal-mart gift card. All of my students except one passed the Westest. The one who didn't pass was sick.

A suggestion.......Let's say you give a project to do. Give each child the 50points, and deduct points for every mis-demeanour.

Well, it's worth a try, but, I don't think it will make an impact unless it's given to the students immediatly. It won't work for the students we need it to motivate... those kids need instant gratification.

When I first heard of the idea my first reaction was, No, this is wrong. Grades, awards, scholarships,and praise should be good enough.

Then I looked to the private sector and realized that employers are already doing something similar when they offer their employees tuition reimbursement. Maybe instead of cash, students can be rewarded with gifts donated by the local business community,thus establishing relationships with future potential employees down the road.

I just hope that school districts aren't diverting much needed money away from curriculum to do this.

The foundation of the concept is good,it just needs refinement so everyone gets something out of it.

Times are changing and something new may be needed and is worth a try. I don't agree with the "pay" concept but I'm open to something that may motivate students and help them earn money legally.

I am very conflicted about this. I don't like the idea of paying a child to go to school. I don't really believe that a child is like an adult, so the comment,"we get paid for work, why shouldn't they?" just doesn't sit right with me. What happens to the kids who can't pass the exams, or who have unmet or undiagnosed special needs? What about the children who come from such difficult homes that nothing short of a new set of parents could help them? I realize that something must be done to motivate children, but will $100 a month do it? Why not invest in a GED, or post-secondary college or training school fund? I teach lots of children who were formerly in refugee camps, and I don't believe that immediate access to money would be helpful in the long run. I think support for their future employment is needed. I'm also curious about how this might impact more middle and working class kids who won't have this type of program in their districts? Won't they feel slighted that their friends get paid to go to school and they don't? I'll be curious about the results of this.

While I wouldn't dream of paying my son for all of his good grades, his post secondary education could last for 10 years. That will cost me a lot more than $100 a month.
If the bottom line is all that counts, it will only have to keep a few kids out of jail to be cost effecient.

I don't think it works well because students of this type will focus their attention on the money and become less oriented to real life application of what they learned.