Star (reward) charts in kindergarten. Your thoughts pls.

[Livinthedream]

I think I will say something to the teacher.

I have no issue with good behavior being rewarded per se (tho, I tend to agree with you Mad B, you should be good/try hard because thats who you are, not because you get a star)

I guess I am just feeling like they are labelling my baby as "not as good" as so and so because he would rather play blocks than do crafts like the other kids (and therefore not be doing what he is told).

Sensitive mummy moment LOL

[Olive]

[QUOTE/]

I guess I am just feeling like they are labelling my baby as "not as good" as so and so because he would rather play blocks than do crafts like the other kids (and therefore not be doing what he is told).

Sensitive mummy moment LOL[/QUOTE]

But that's up to the teacher to encourage him to do some craft and then go back to his blocks etc that's her job....not reward with a reward chart.

[Floweryfields]

Are Kinder's in your state under the state school system or private? If they are supposed to be conforming with the NQF and EYLF (early years learning framework), they would really frown on the being rewarded for doing something you don't want to do thing as children are expected to make their own choices, not be 'forced' to do something they don't want to do.

[Livinthedream]

ausgirl, I am in Qld, I am not sure what that means, but it is a subsidised daycare centre that runs a kindy program.
There are about 14 kids in his room.
My understanding is that is teacher is a qualified kindy teacher and that they are adhering to the current kindergarten sylibus (sp).

DS has started soiling his pants at kindy too.
He doesnt do it at home

[Artechim]

My kindy doesn't do anything like that. Sometimes if a child is not displaying the appropriate behaviour like hiding at tidy up time instead of tidying, they will give out stickers to reward the children that did do a good job of tidying. I like it, not often a kid will miss out twice! But a star chart for everyone to see… don't really like it.

They do a red dot system in my 5yo school classroom, but as Chody mentioned it cycles around so kids are at all different levels all the time. They are kept out of sight.

In everything I have ever read about reward charts, you are not supposed to take away the star for misbehaviour. It is a reward only system where stars can be earned for doing the right thing, not a punishment system.

[onthefly]

I think having a talk with them is a good idea.
I should add that my DS hasn't actually had reward charts as such, but I just kinda lump them in together with all rewards and punishments

[Trillian]

they don't have any place in a kinder/preschool room IMO. The kids are just too young to really get what the point of it is - all they will see is that they get stars for being good and then have stars taken away if they are bad. However that said, I can see merit in having them in the classroom for older kids. Our school has them in the form of a points chart with 4 levels - blue award is first, them smiley badge, silver bar and then gold medal. With the aim being that they attain a gold medal by the end of the year. It does really help a lot, especially with the younger kids because developmentally, they haven't really developed intrinsic motivation - so it has to be extrinsic and then as they get older they learn to do it for themselves. With the older kids at school they don't get points as often and they do really have to work for them, but for the little kids, they get them for sitting up straight and being a good listener etc. It's a program that works well. Other schools I have been in have used a similar thing but they get end of term rewards like movie afternoons, and a pool party in summer etc. at the boarding school DS1 goes to they also do similar with kids on the highest level getting additional privileges.

[wysiwyg]

It does really help a lot, especially with the younger kids because developmentally, they haven't really developed intrinsic motivation - so it has to be extrinsic and then as they get older they learn to do it for themselves.

This is something I often wonder when I read things about need for intrinsic motivation for younger than school age in particular - that can they really grasp concepts enough to 'get' intrinsic motivation. I don't know sometimes I really struggle with actually myself understanding why really I need DD to do something (e.g. getting out of car and into the house without a fuss/drama and within a reasonable time frame) - so she should want to do that for what reason - to make me happy? but really taking ages and wandering and dawdling makes her happy? so to me something on a chart seems like a good way to encourage her. Things with a consequence like treading on toys and them getting broken etc I am ok with and work fine with her - but there are some things when she says "why?" I do really struggle for what reason can I give her that should make her 'want' to do it intrinsically rather than for a sticker on a chart.

DD goes to kinder 3-4 program at her daycare - they don't appear to do sticker charts etc, but she often comes home with a stamp on her hand which is a reward for something or other (normally tidying up related) - I do think a star chart on the wall seems a bit over the top for kinder (I don't disagree with rewards totally though because I think it is very prevalent in the adult world also and therefore is just a part of life).