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Summary: This book is dangerous
Review: While no one will argue that talking to people and working with them to understand their motivation is important, these positive points in this book are far outweighed by the negative ones. The author misrepresents the whole field of behavior therapy when he states that it can be boiled down to "If you do this, then you get that". He also misrepresents the research on the effects of reinforcement on creativity, performance, and intrinsic motivation. It is much more complex than he suggests and does not lead to the conclusions he makes. The really scary thing is that for some situations (such as children with aggressive and disruptive behaviors) behavior therapy works and works better than anything else. Yet, after reading this book, parents and teachers might not even consider this approach, causing themselves and the children they care about continuing grief. I wish someone would write a good critique of this book to help set the record straight, but I haven't found one.
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Summary: Should be read by every teacher and every parent!
Review: Excellent and important critique of Skinner's Behavioral theories. This book should be required reading for teachers and parents.
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Summary: Summary of 1999 Edition
Review: This 1999 edition of PUNISHED BY REWARDS contains a new Afterword by author Alfie Kohn in which he updates the research, describes some of the reactions to the book, and muses on his experiences as a parent.
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Summary: To understand the complexity of it all, this is a must-read.
Review: There are no all-or-nothing solutions but, wow, this is such important stuff! Just read it and think about it even if you still conclude you have to reward and punish. Early life experiences are so powerfully shaping as he documents, and we are taught through mid career stage to figure out the reward system and work it. But life isn't going to be very kind in the future to people who don't understand collaboration, initiative, and simply knowing the difference between what you want and what someone else wants of you.
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Summary: An essential book for all who parent, manage or teach.
Review: This book caused me to rethink my attitudes and behaviors as a teacher and a parent. Alfie convinced me that many of my practices were self defeating. I found his concepts well explained. I enjoyed his style and wit. Read this book; I predict it will change your views and improve your life in many ways.
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Summary: Fantastic. For practical elaboration, see book Smart Love
Review: Excellent, ground-breaking work. His ideas are original and thought-provoking. I read this a couple of months ago, and felt he was on to something significant. He offers excellent evidence to back up his unusual claims. While he does offer some ideas to demonstrate how to practically apply his theories, I wanted more. This week, I discovered a book called Smart Love by Pieper and Pieper, which (in my mind) is a parents guide to actually living these ideas. Neither book mentions the other - I wonder if the authors are aware of each other. The Smart Love book immediately helped me in my day-to-day living with my 18-year-old, who lives at home. I highly recommend both books!
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Summary: An excellent book, but only a partial solution
Review: This was an excellent and very readable book. As a post-graduate teacher certification candidate in a professional development school program I've seen a number of approaches to classroom management. Most teachers, including my wife, use a combination of Mr Kohn's collaboration, content and choice, mixed with some extrinsic rewards. These rewards do not have to be expensive, and many, like pencils, are also very useful to the students. What a teacher will do in the classroom depends on the age and grade level of the students and the individual's teaching style. This book was the first really effective and well-documented presentation of the position that "bribes" are counter-productive.
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Summary: must reading for all parents, teachers and administrators
Review: Punished by rewards is an in depth serious study of the many ills, errors and misconceptioins of parenting and teaching methods that are grounded in behavorism. If you are sincerely interested in broadening your awareness and improving our teaching and parenting methods this book is an eye-opener. Treat yourself or a friend to " One of the books of my Life!"
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Summary: More applicable to educators than business leaders
Review: Kohn makes some fabulaous points on what drives a child to learn at a young age, stressing the fact that rewards can cloud a child's intrinsic motivation, and natural curiosity of learning. However, I disagree with many of his arguments regarding motivation in the workplace. Basing my thoughts on past experiences I feel what he argues against really is effective.
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Summary: A paradigm breaking book about rewards and motivation.
Review: A must read book for parents, teachers and managers. Alfie Kohn has put my observations about working with people, and raising and teaching children into words. If we want people to be self-motivated, why do we continue to bribe them with rewards? I used to believe schools should not be held accountable for educating children from dysfunctional families. Now I believe schools should be able to educate any child and the "good parent" is one who school-proofs children against teaching methods that diminish a child's interest in learning. I've been recommending this book to friends, who are raising children and people, who have an interest in improving our public education system. Alfie Kohn will make you rethink things you've taken for granted. "Punished by Rewards" will break many of your strongly held paradigms. A great book that fun to read.
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