As a teacher of over 30 years, I have seen all kinds of “fads” used to modify students’ behaviors – none that were overly successful.  If we were to give children checks, what do we cut so there is money to do that?  Should it by Gym, Art, and Music?  Those programs have already been hacked just as Languages have.  Most after-school sports programs have to be self-supporting as well.  That leaves just the basics: Reading and Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies.  The big push by the federal  government  to improve STEM education (science, technology, engineering, and math), means paring down children’s education elsewhere.  When there is a bloated bureaucracy within school administration, less and less is available for teaching.

Such a proposal to pay students assumes that the students have the capability to do the activity in question for the rewards to be influential.  Monetary rewards to students do not address the fact that most students do not choose to do poorly in school.  I believe that once schools learn to teach to the student, students will learn. For students that attend classes at Mistacres, each child receives an individualized learning plan that takes into account the different ways children learn. A blended learning environment gives students the best of in-class learning along with virtual learning. Parents who want the best education for their kids have turned to our homeschooling programs, and use our virtual classrooms and curriculum to successfully home school their children.