Finding NEW WAYS to motivate students

By John de Beck

I am using private sources to experiment with how we can motiviate students to learn... using field trips as rewards.

I believe we need to show students why they need to study and what the benefits of doing well in school can be. And for some students, we need to use carrot-like rewards to get them to put aside TV and video games and start doing their homework. Many of our less successful students do not take the long view and are only concerned about the present.

That is why I started the "Catch a Rising Star" program that is designed to reward average kids who show above average effort. When the teacher "catches them learning" they are rewarded with special field trips to interesting and educational local venues. None of the cost of the program is from public funds, because local visionaries believe in getting students out in the community to see people that look like them at work in meaningful jobs and succeeding at thngs kids never thought of doing.

Now in its second year, this pilot program is being evaluated to see if participation in the program results in positive motivation for students. If it proves effective, I hope to expand it with a national grant. Right now we have 8 schools participating and about 3,200 children will get field trip rewards like whale watching, harbor excursions, zoo, sea world, aerospace museums, aquariums and more.

You can help by providing transportation costs, or visits to your facility. Of course keeping John on the board will help continue the search for ways to motivate children to succeed in school.