Is merit system good in a pre-school/nursery class?
Dear Veselh, I couldn’t agree with you more and I want to compliment you on your eloquent expression and thoughts on this subject. This could be a thesis for an academic paper. It is such a pleasure to communicate with an educational professional who advocates a learning environment that demonstrates respect for children and supports the emotional development of the ‘whole child’. It is supportive to know that we are not alone in our conviction. Although some childhood experts do promote merit/rewards, claiming rewards for achievement and accomplishments can make a child feel good and motivate them to continue a specific type of behavior; the cons for rewards are worthy of debate. And we are not alone in our belief. According to Dr. Martin E. Ford of Stanford University, a reward is nothing short of a “bribe”. He claims, “bribes produce a high degree of effort from children, and they can have negative long-term consequences.” [“Parent & Child,” Lawrence Kutner, The New York Times, 1991
