On the other side of the fence, there aren't any handouts at the Sessions' house come report-card time. They should get the grade for the sake of getting the grade. Sessions says her children know every member of the family has responsibilities to fulfill. If the children fall behind in school, they know they'll miss out on fun family activities like horseback riding or snowmobiling, Sessions says. W hen intrinsic fails Whether or not children receive money for grades centers on the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic rewards, according to local educators.
Extrinsic rewards focus on external factors, such as money, toys or candy.
Ideally, all students should want to learn for intrinsic reasons, the experts agree. But that ideal doesn't always materialize. When children struggle in school, Osborn says, she often talks to parents about creating a reward or incentive system linked to the students' grades or behavior. The counselor says some parents hand out money for certain grades or for overall improvement in grades. On the flip side, some kids who get poor marks may end up paying their parents.