Talking Points #4: Reflection on Kohn's “Five Reasons to Stop Saying ‘Good Job!'" & Kohl's “I Won't Learn From You!"

A) "Five Reasons to Stop Saying 'Good Job!'." Kohn, Alfie. Alfie Kohn, 2001. Web. 11 Oct. 2013.
Kohl, Herbert. "I Won't Learn From You!: Thoughts on the Role of Assent in Learning." Rethinking Schools, Autumn 1992 Vol 7, No 1: 165. Print.

 

B) REFLECTION
Upon reading the texts by both Kohn and Kohl, I was reminded of a child who I had baby-sat for. He exhibited the behavior discussed throughout both texts, therefore I could relate my own personal experience to the arguments made and the examples provided for the corresponding texts.

 

Kohn's "Five Reasons to Stop Saying 'Good Job!'"

    Kohn argues in "Five Reasons to Stop Saying 'Good Job!' that an overabundance of praise can cause children to become reluctant of their own emotions, for they come to rely solely on the approval of another (in place of their own individual mindset). Not only will a child not be able to formulate his or her own opinions and decisions, but excess praise can alter a child's behavior in a negative manner. This form of "praise" does not help the child, but rather, hurts the child, causing them to become dependent on others' opinions in order to be satisfied. This satisfaction, however, is based on the feelings of the one giving praise, and the child's behavior changes, in a way that is either withdrawn or where the child simply comes to expect constant praise.

    The author of the text also identifies how the actions of a child receiving much praise become less genuine, meaning that constant acknowledgement, even when praise is unnecessary, can result in less acts of generosity. In addition, Kohn later goes on to state that certain individuals reward children who have misbehaved with praise.

    While reading the article, I was reminded of my experience with this particular child. I had observed that his parent would regularly praise him, even when he had behaved in ways that were unacceptable or inappropriate. The child's parent would also use rewards (as discussed in Kohn's text) in some instances where the behavior of this child was concerned. I feel that the child had grown to expect this constant overflow of praise, and his perspectives on certain things were not developed on his own, but rather, were based on the outlook of his parent. His parent's constant use of excess praise led the child to develop the opinions/attitude of his guardian. It was a learning experience to provide child care, because in spite of love and support, and positive reinforcement, the child would just continue to dismiss these factors and expect to be commended for inappropriate behavior.

 



Kohl's "I Won't Learn From You!"

    Not-learning, although commonly mistaken by some teachers as disruptive behavior made by students or as their failure or inability to learn, is a form of retaliation on behalf of students to combat oppression that is either apparent or perceived within schools. As I was reading the text, I considered the difference between the students who chose to participate in "not-learning." Some children believed that others would not value their opinions, for they perceived things differently. Others simply desired to take on the role of being the "authority figure." In the educational setting, teachers are viewed as those in authority, and the children who practiced the method of not-learning oppressed this viewpoint.

    I believe that the child that I had provided care for fit into the description of the text. In the classroom, he would sometimes act out in the ways cited by Kohl by overriding certain activities because he seemingly perceived himself to be the "authority figure." He would also act in this manner when I provided child care for him. No matter the amount of support, love, and discipline that I gave him, he continued to act in control of the older figures around him.

 

C) QUESTIONS/COMMENTS/POINTS TO SHARE
Regarding a point to share for both texts:
Kohn's "Five Reasons to Stop Saying 'Good Job!'"
    Reading this article left me with a bit of a conflicted perspective. I find that I cannot completely agree with the argument of voiding the use of the phrase, "Good Job!", in its entirety. "Good Job!" does seem deserving at times, whereas at other times, it may simply be used as a form of manipulation or excess praise made by those giving it. When motives/intentions are untrue or bad, the praise will affect a child's perceptions negatively. I do, however, agree with positive reinforcement for certain situations. I believe that it is acceptable to say "Good Job!" when a child is deserving of it, but manipulation, bribery, and surplus praise is unnecessary when it is not well-intentioned, as it is also not essential in all cases.
Kohl's "I Won't Learn From You!"
    I found that Kohl's "I Won't Learn From You!" could be connected to two of the texts that were discussed in class (Rodriguez's "Aria"; Delpit's "The Silenced Dialogue). Rodriguez did not use the "not-learning" approach for when it came to him having to learn the English language. Rather, Rodriguez, unaware and unknowing of how to integrate both languages into his social life and daily learning (as discussed in Collier's text), was affected by the oppression of solely learning society's public language. In "I Won't Learn From You!", the children who enacted the "not-learning" method succeeded in keeping a part of their identities that they themselves believed that the schools were attempting to oppress, in addition to learning the schools' teachings. Kohl's article also offered examples of students from varying grade levels and "their relationships with teachers and other adults in authority" (Kohl). Delpit's text consistently referenced the roles of the authority figures (teachers and adults) and the effects they had on students/children. "I Won't Learn From You!" explored this issue in much detail.