How do you get that 6th grader to practice at home, or that 10th grader to show up for the winter concert? Candy? Music erasers? Gift certificates? Or, as some believe, is the reward of a good performance enough?

Recent conversation on the MENC band forum brings up the question that has been debated for years. Should you reward your students for doing what they're supposed to do, or is a job well done all the reward they need?

MENC band mentor Anthony Amitrano has some students who practice because they love playing. For others though, an extrinsic reward to encourage practicing at home works well. He maintains a "Practice Stars" chart. When students practice 5 or more times in one week, they receive a sticker to put on the chart. When they have accumulated 5 stickers, they get a pencil, and when they accumulate 10 more, they get to draw from his "Incredibly Lame Prize Box" - a box filled with inexpensive items. The students not only grow in ability from practicing more, but they're able to visually see their success on the chart.

Another poster recommends the publication Punished by Rewards: The Trouble with Gold Stars, Incentive Plans, A's, Praise, and Other Bribes by Alfie Kohn as his argument against extrinsic motivation. He believes that rewards totally negate the only true motivation - the intrinsic reward, bestowed by the student on the student.

Band directors must decide how they are going to motivate all of their students. If you're undecided or simply need reward ideas, check out the current forum.

- Becky Spray, February 18, 2009 © MENC: The National Association for Music Education