Sugar can also boost hyperactivity. Rewarding children with candy can even lead to bad habits in adulthood. I m not enthusiastic about candy rewards either, for the reasons you mention. When teachers use tangible rewards like food, stickers or trinkets, they run the risk that students will want bigger and better rewards in exchange for compliance. When using such rewards to shape the behavior of young children, it s advisable to switch to intrinsic rewards as early as possible.
Mastery is usually reward enough, along with peer and teacher recognition for it.
I m curious about what readers think about giving rewards or tangible incentives to students. Readers expressed strong opinions about candy reinforcers. Sweet treats just bathe the teeth with sugar, thus promoting tooth decay. Anyway, praise for a job well done lasts a lot longer than a quickly forgotten piece of candy. I m 14 years old now and remember a time in kindergarten when the teacher told everyone to put the toys away and then return to the play area, NOT back to our tables.