While walking through barnes and noble, I noticed that this week's time magazine had a cover reading "should kids be bribed to do well in school?" then I noticed the same article reprinted on yahoo news so I figured it was at least something worth reading a little bit at the very least. It was at least interesting/provocative in the topic, but it made me a little sad at the same time because it almost gave me the impression that all kids nowadays only wanted money to do better in school and would otherwise become the dullards depicted in such humorous movies like Idiocracy. After reading it a little more carefully though, the author does mention that the scheme's originator found that the results were varied with some places not responding at all to monetary incentives for scholastic achievements and others having great results in previously delinquent students. So I guess like all things, there's no absolute effect on school grades with monetary rewards, but there are some who perform much better when given the right incentive regimen. For you curmudgeons who think money for grades is a bad thing, I think the end quote in the article was very telling and in tradition with keepin it real:

"For the most part, I'm still Chyna," she says. "But once in a while I just snatch it back, 'cause I know that paycheck is coming." Then I ask her about the psychologists' argument that she should work hard for the love of learning, not for short-term rewards. "Honestly?" she asks. "Yes, honestly," I say. She looks me dead in the eye. "We're kids. Let's be realistic."

Back in my day, my parents would have busted out the bamboo stick for some caning if I talked like that so it was the angst associated with hurtin secondary to laziness that drove me to try and do better. Arguably, it was better than nothing, but I can't help but wonder if maybe some monetary rewards were all I needed rather than corporal punishment because that's kinda how things are done in the adult world. In the real world, higher achievement is typically rewarded, and lack of performance can lead to negative consequences. However, it would be hard to simulate the real-life despair of getting canned from your job when the kid is only in school so I guess there are some parts that just don't translate properly. Still interesting nonetheless...