Alfie Kohn

1. Alfie Kohn Iconoclast, Provacteur, Radical?

2. Where Does Kohn Stand? • Anti-behavioralist • Constructivist • Social Progressive

3. "We have been in prison from wrong teaching. By perceiving that cooperation is the answer, not competition, Alfie Kohn opens a new world of living. I am deeply indebted to him." W. Edwards Deming

4. Quotations • The real alternative to being Number One is not being Number Two; it is dispensing with rankings altogether” -- [No Contest, chap. 9] • “It doesn’t matter how motivated students are; what matters is how students are motivated” – [“The Dangerous Myth of Grade Inflation,” Chronicle of Higher Education]

6. Quotations • “Rewards and punishments are not opposites at all; they are two sides of the same coin. And it is a coin that does not buy very much” -- [Punished by Rewards, chap. 4] • “Children learn how to make good decisions by making decisions, not by following directions” – [The Homework Myth, chap. 10]

8. Quotations • The value of a book about dealing with children is inversely proportional to the number of times it contains the word behavior. When our primary focus is on discrete behaviors, we end up ignoring the whole child.” – [“Unconditional Teaching,” Educational Leadership]

9. Kohn at Work • http://www.workingtv.com/alfiekohn-cta.html

10. Spotlight Articles “Debunking the Case for National Standards” “Parental Love with Strings Attached” “The Folly of Merit Pay” “Standardized Testing: Separating Wheat Children from Chaff Children” “Rethinking Homework” “Atrocious Advice from ‘Supernanny’” “Five Reasons to stop saying ‘Good Job!’” “From Degrading to De-grading”

11. What to Look for in a Classroom From The Schools Our Teachers Deserve Furniture__________ On the walls_______ Sounds_________ Location of teacher Tasks________ Students’ Reaction to visitor______ Around the School__________

12. Modest Attempt to Overthrow…Classroom Management "Motivation from the Inside Out: Rethinking Rewards, Assessment, and Learning" "Beyond Bribes and Threats: Realistic Alternatives to Controlling Students' Behavior." BEYOND DISCIPLINE: From Compliance to Community (ASCD, 1996

13. Radical: Etymology Latin “of the root” • Will kids really act better if we teach them social skills?  • Do some kids really “have” something called attention-deficit disorder? •   Is the very act of watching television really bad for you? 

14. Voltaire Meets Rigorous Standards “That which is merely difficult gives no pleasure in the end.”  I once imagined a drinking game in which a few of those education reform papers from corporate groups and politicians were read aloud:  You take a shot every time you hear “rigorous,” “measurable,” “accountable,” “competitive,” “world-class,” “high(er) expectations,” or “raising the bar.”  Within a few minutes, everyone would be so inebriated that they’d no longer be able to recall a time when discussions about schooling weren’t studded with these macho managerial buzzwords. “Debunking the Case for National Standards One-Size-Fits-All Mandates and Their Dangers”

15. References • http://www.alfiekohn.org/bio.htm • http://www.britannica.com/blogs/2009/02/alfie-kohn-is-bad-for-you-and-dangerous-for-your-children/ • http://www.questia.com/googleScholar.qst;jsessionid=Mf2KHzxDPYMss2hc74BN2vMDKdvcDBQPQjTTMJ91hB8TWPQsSCGK!-289140146!2006442032?docId=5001380993