A Wellington School has resorted to bribes in a bid to get students
reading.
Rongotai College is offering cans of soft drink,
Subway food vouchers and movie tickets as a reward for pupils prepared to try
books.
The principal says some boys were not reading at
all, so something had to be done - but some schools in the US go as far as
offering cash.
James Boag, in year 10 at Rongotai College,
says he has already read nearly 30 books this year because of the reading
rewards program.
"It's a really good way to get students
motivated about reading," he says.
Year nine student Isiah
Turletufuga says he is into books more as well.
"Since
this reading program's come I'm starting to read a little more since I'm getting
rewarded for my reading," he says.
The rewards program
began this year, but the problem has been around much longer. Boys tend not to
read as much as girls in New Zealand, and they suffer academically as a
result.
So how does it work? If students read two books,
they receive a can of Coke. When they reach five books, it is a Subway voucher.
A movie ticket comes once their tally reaches 10.
While
the Principals' Association questions how fizzy drinks fit into the schools'
healthy foods programme, it accepts rewards must appeal to
students.
"If it is in fact the fizzy drink that is
initially encouraging these young people to read books I don't see a major
problem with that," says Paul Daley.
Some have more lofty
aspirations
"The best thing I want is the blazer, 'cause
it's part of the uniform and it's like the school spirit," says
Isiah.
To ensure the students are actually reading the
books, they are required to keep a reading log endorsed by parents and reviewed
by teachers.
The $4000 scheme is funded by the local Lions
Club and the Parents' Association, and the school says the number of books taken
out of the school library has doubled.
In the US, one
institution has gone further to motivate students, and is paying them to
learn.
In New York, 8000 randomly selected fourth and
seventh graders are selected to earn for learning. Fourth graders can earn up to
US$25 for 10 maths and English tests to a maximum of
US$250.
Critics worry about creating such expectations in
students, and Rongotai College is definitely not planning to go that
far.
Instead it will review the programme's success at the
end of the year.
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