When a Reward Doesn’t Work the Way We Expected

When a Reward Doesn’t Work the Way We Expected

Why can rewards sometimes distract from learning itself? Explore what helps children stay interested and persevere.

A gift can be exciting, but it doesn’t always explain why it’s worth finishing a task or trying something new. When a child focuses only on what they’ll get, their own questions and curiosity can take a back seat. This blog offers ideas for talking about effort, purpose and progress, so motivation doesn’t depend solely on the promise of another treat or perk.

Interested in this topic? Read more: How to Turn Failure into a Learning Experience Without Relying on Rewards Want to find out where you stand personally? Take a short test at the end of the page and gain a better understanding.

How does this apply to you? Choose the answers that describe you best:

Imagine you received a weekend stay as a reward without any signal. What will you do first?

Choose the answer that best describes you.

You get the chance to choose a gift for your 10-year-old self. What do you choose?

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If someone compliments you for your effort but not for the result, how do you react?

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In class, someone else receives an award that you wanted to earn. How do you feel?

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What stands out the most in your memory from your school years?

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Your close one wants to buy an expensive gift for a child for straight A's. What will you tell him?

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What type of reward would help you progress the most?

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During the training, you will be asked the question: "What would motivate you even if you didn't get anything for it?" What comes to your mind?

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If you were to write a letter to your future self, what would definitely be included in it?

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How do you envision the ideal celebration of your own success?

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On the report card, an experience, not an iPhone: How to build motivation differently.

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