Learning as punishment. The very phrase sounds ridiculous. Yet, when you break it down, that is exactly how the American educational system is designed. Instead of encouraging students to learn, we penalize them for not learning the first time or in the time-frame we deem to be appropriate. If a student does poorly on a test or an assignment, they "earn" a grade of F, or failure. Then the class moves on to the next topic. Rather than giving the student an opportunity to learn, he or she is dubbed a failure at that skill. Why would any student want to attempt to learn under those circumstances? The safer approach for a student is to skip the assignment altogether and appear as though they don't care than to attempt the assignment and be shot down by the dreaded F. There is no negative stigma or sense of inadequacy attached to apathetic behavior. The "I just didn't want to do it" mentality justifies the F in the student's mind. In some ways it is hard to blame a student for being apathetic. After all, why would a student wish to spend their time trying to complete something that that they don't understand when they can obtain the same result by doing nothing at all?
Recently, I encountered another example of learning as punishment. In this recent instance, students were assigned a weekly list of spelling words (more on this in a future post). Accompanying the spelling list was a packet of worksheets to be completed over the course of the week, primarily for homework. On Mondays, students take a spelling pre-test covering the words on the list. Presumably the test is for the purpose of establishing a baseline of student knowledge of words they received that very day. So what happens with students who correctly spell all words on the pretest? Appropriately, they are rewarded...with a list of more challenging words and a separate packet of worksheets, one that is undoubtedly more challenging that the initial packet.
On the surface, the spelling example may appear appropriate. Sadly, though, it really just encourages students to perform at less than their best. Consider the following factors:
I must shamefully confess that I've been guilty of these same sins during my days as a classroom teacher. But given the recent research findings, I would do things very differently today. Learning should not be punitive. When the purpose is for students to master concepts, why are they not given the opportunity to do so? I've met and even worked for administrators who believed that a teacher's class was too easy if all students achieved passing grades. The focus was less on helping students obtain mastery than on punitive actions for not learning in our time-frame, the dreaded F. I can't see how such an approach encourages lifelong learning. What are we REALLY telling our students?
Recently, I encountered another example of learning as punishment. In this recent instance, students were assigned a weekly list of spelling words (more on this in a future post). Accompanying the spelling list was a packet of worksheets to be completed over the course of the week, primarily for homework. On Mondays, students take a spelling pre-test covering the words on the list. Presumably the test is for the purpose of establishing a baseline of student knowledge of words they received that very day. So what happens with students who correctly spell all words on the pretest? Appropriately, they are rewarded...with a list of more challenging words and a separate packet of worksheets, one that is undoubtedly more challenging that the initial packet.
On the surface, the spelling example may appear appropriate. Sadly, though, it really just encourages students to perform at less than their best. Consider the following factors:
- The pretest appropriately does not count toward the final grade since it only measures first exposure to a set of words.
- A perfect score on the pretest results in more difficult assignments.
I must shamefully confess that I've been guilty of these same sins during my days as a classroom teacher. But given the recent research findings, I would do things very differently today. Learning should not be punitive. When the purpose is for students to master concepts, why are they not given the opportunity to do so? I've met and even worked for administrators who believed that a teacher's class was too easy if all students achieved passing grades. The focus was less on helping students obtain mastery than on punitive actions for not learning in our time-frame, the dreaded F. I can't see how such an approach encourages lifelong learning. What are we REALLY telling our students?