Hi all, I'm sure you've known my contributions to the community (namely, zero) and i was wondering just one very simple question to you peoples.

Suppose you have a group of kids. There is a standardized test tomorrow and you want them all to do well. Using legal incentives (i.e. no child beating) how do you get them to do better? Money is the most common one but I would prefer if you used a different incentive.

I should probably mention that these kids are the ones you would find in the worst public school districts and they couldn't care about this test at all (especially because it has no implications on their grade or future)

KurtistheTurtle

United States1966 Posts

April 15 2010 20:29 GMT

trip to favorite restaurant, party, strippers

emperorchampion

Canada9496 Posts

April 15 2010 20:31 GMT

Tell them they will have no future otherwise.

KurtistheTurtle

United States1966 Posts

April 15 2010 20:32 GMT

You offer them something fun. Something where when they're taking the test and they get to that point where you're just like "5 more pages? eff this" they stop, dwell on it, its fun, they keep taking the test

what kind of setting? are you a teacher/parent/tutor or what?

tonight

United States11130 Posts

April 15 2010 20:35 GMT

Says in profile your birth date is 1990, so I'm not quite sure who this question is directed towards.

Disregard

China10252 Posts

April 15 2010 20:41 GMT

Sounds like your a student tutor or helper. Free food? Candy? Pizza?

edit: Our teachers back then will always try to bribe us with "Pizza parties". Everyone likes pizza.

n.DieJokes

United States3443 Posts

April 15 2010 20:46 GMT

Why do you want them to care about something that has no implication on their future...

Falcynn

United States3597 Posts

April 15 2010 20:48 GMT

On April 16 2010 05:41 Disregard wrote:
edit: Our teachers back then will always try to bribe us with "Pizza parties". Everyone likes pizza.

Probably the most effective/overused bribe teachers would use for their students

Edit: Ice cream parties have the same effect just about.

Grobyc

Canada18410 Posts

April 15 2010 20:49 GMT

Just tell them you know me on any resume and you'll instantly get the job.

back on topic, oh hai caller

tonight

United States11130 Posts

April 15 2010 20:51 GMT

#10

candy and food is always the best bet

emperorchampion

Canada9496 Posts

April 15 2010 21:00 GMT

#11

I would suggest some sort of results based party related thing, like if you get 60%+ then you get ice cream, 70%+ ice cream and pizza, 80%+ ice cream, pizza and a movie, ect. It all depends on how soon you get the results back. But ya, candy, food parties, ect are probably best motivation (depending on the age).

JeeJee

Canada5652 Posts

April 15 2010 21:04 GMT

#12

On April 16 2010 05:46 n.DieJokes wrote:
Why do you want them to care about something that has no implication on their future...

this.

it's not like even if you offer them pizza they'll give a damn about whatever the hell they're learning. hell no, they're just doing it for the pizza.

come to think of it, if it were me i just wouldn't even bother writing the test. if it has no implication on grade or future or basically anything, then who gives a crap? now i'm confused, what kind of test is this?

the best way to get someone to care about something is to show them its worth caring about.

Neobick

Sweden208 Posts

April 15 2010 21:04 GMT

#13

If a christian family, let them skip church forever if they pass it.

Comeh

United States18919 Posts

April 15 2010 21:11 GMT

#14

Does the promise of future benefits (IE increased income) count? Obviously, if better results lead to a better future income, this would be the closest thing my sick and under-slept mind can think of in 30 seconds.
Of course, it would be difficult to incorporate this (barring a restructure of society, ie having employers strongly consider test scores over other important qualities). If there was an easy way to find out what the students would spend the money on, giving them that is always a good alternative. However, i'm sure thats the reason you created this thread in the first place :|. Perhaps, since they are from low income families, and therefore are likely to not value education as much as other people (especially since their quality of education is below that of high income students), they value free time (as compared to time spent in school) greater, you could give days off of school based on how well they did on the test...but i'm not buying this last argument very much.
I'm going to go sleep more.

Pyrrhuloxia

United States6700 Posts

April 15 2010 21:12 GMT

#15

If the test is tomorrow, it's too late. They should be cramming.

FuDDx

United States5018 Posts

April 15 2010 21:26 GMT

#16

Get a balloon twister to do balloons for the kids if they do well!!!

Caller

Poland8075 Posts

April 15 2010 21:29 GMT

#17

I should clarify things hmm

a) This is a standardized test. There's no way to study.
b) This is a purely diagnostic test administered through the computer. This has no effect on their futures.
c) These kids are in one of the worst school districts in America. And they are 9th/10th grade. Many of them do not come to class and few care about school, let alone this test. I also suspect that they care less about pizza and ice cream than they do about looking cool.