This topic – whether students should receive payment for obtaining good grades – came up in my Psychology class a few months ago, and it got me thinking.
I’m not the brightest guy on the block, but when it comes to academics, I admit that I do decently. So if someone were to propose to me a plan in which I would receive money for my straight A’s and cash for my SAT score, why not? In this economy, any amount could go a long way. As a high school junior, college is coming up for me in a couple of years, and it’s not like the cost of tuition is becoming cheaper. But while one may be saving for future expenses by receiving money for their academic achievements, they could be losing something far more important in the process – their intrinsic motivation.
It’s okay to be motivated by external factors and possess extrinsic motivation. Like most teens, I work hard to please my parents and to avoid reprimand for receiving bad grades. But what’s really important, and what should drive people to do the things they do in life, is intrinsic motivation – a desire to accomplish something simply for the sake of accomplishing it. By paying students for their work in school, those in charge would be promoting a system of immediate gratification – and emphasizing the largeness of external incentives, as opposed to that of internal willpower.
In life, there are things that are more valuable than money. When beginning a career, you could sacrifice your soul and pursue a profession for the sake of its salary. Or, you could try your luck with what you love. The latter option may be more difficult, but with work ethic and determination, you could end up making it big and enjoying your work. This is the lesson that students should be taught – to actually care about what they’re learning, and to learn for learning’s sake.
All of that aside, aren’t there better things we could be spending our tax dollars on? Such as increasing the amount of jobs available or improving the state of the economy in general? It seems a little shortsighted to spend money to motivate kids and teens to study when studying itself is what will allow them to earn more money in the future.
Furthermore, in addressing the issue with education, there are other routes that could be taken. Parents could show more concern for their children’s education. Teachers’ salaries could be supplemented. Kids and teens could stay after school and earn money by cleaning or assisting in other janitorial duties, thus helping those in actual financial distress.
While I understand the reasoning behind the idea of paying students to get good grades, I disagree with it because it is a temporary solution to a permanent problem. If students don’t care about their schoolwork or feel any motivation to learn independently, then this progresses from an issue of motivation to a question of the psychological mindset of contemporary society as a whole.
Agree or disagree? Do any of you get paid for earning good grades? Would you like to be? Why or why not? On a random side note, I’m currently on spring break, which is why I’m able to write more than usual. I should go study now, see you guys soon!