Some call it bribery; others say that it is another means of survival in a class. Imagine yourself struggling to maintain a perfect grade in your class and desperately looking for extra credit so you can catch up. We have all been in this position at some point in our various classes. It sometimes gets to that point where you will take whatever you get from your teachers just to move from a “C” to a “B” or from a “B” to an “A.”
As students, we all know the importance of extra credit and rewards when they are offered to us by our teachers for showing up to an event. We sometimes over schedule ourselves with a lot of classes, causing a lot of stress midway through the semester. To survive in that class, it all comes down to extra credit and how bad we want it. Teachers offer students the chance to earn that extra credit by attending some of these events they set up. Extra credits are important in every class and to students.
Some students admit that they show up for the rewards, others say it is usually because “they want to be here and not because of a reward or an extra credit,” senior communications major, Jaime Viggiano said. “Sometimes it is just a bonus if extra credit is given to you to go to an event, especially if you have already planned to attend.” It is not always about getting extra credits or getting rewards, but sometimes these students just want to go to these events just to learn something or network with people.
Teachers usually offer extra credit or legitimate rewards for showing up. This is because at times they feel that this is the only way that they can get students to attend these events. It all comes down to commitment and the students desire to pass the class. Most teachers admit that even though this looks like a good way to always handle the situation, it does not always work.
“I wish students will go to these events on their own to learn something on their own,” communications professor, Jerry Zurek said. “I am all for the idea that rewarding students will give them the push they need in a class anytime they go to these events.” A lot of these students will usually not go to these events but they forget in the end “it benefits them as it erases lateness or missed assignments and helps improve their grades.”
When teachers offer rewards to students for showing up to events, they encourage a more positive attitude for students. “We are usually overwhelmed with a lot of classes and assignments, and this is a good way to motivate us especially when it comes to catching up on grades,” James Asamoah said. The idea of rewards is to help motivate students and help build up their confidence. It benefits both students and teachers as teachers end up with the satisfaction of helping a student succeed in the class and also helps students improve their grades.
Most teachers are often reluctant to give out rewards to students because they believe if they do the student will not learn. “I do not mind rewarding students for showing up, but I would rather have them go to these events to learn and meet new people,” Carl Buadu, former Professor from St. Peters Secondary School said. “If the student is willing to learn, I am willing to help.”
Teachers believe the more rewards they give, the less the student is willing to learn because they will always be expecting a reward after every assignment they do or event they attend.
