Reflection: Psychological Incentives

Please forgive my temporary obsession with newspaper. I am supposed to report somewhere, and I would rather write on a blog that already exists than create a new one.
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We are gearing up for dinner. After dinner, we form editorial groups and then work for another hour and a half.

I already have new tools in my kit. The most important one from today for me and my students is the idea of psychological incentives. Somewhere, in some adolescent development class (okay, at Westminster College in 2002) I learned about the human brain. But I was still a teenager myself, so I promptly forgot it all. Karl Grubaugh talked about students wanting five things, all things that I can provide in my classroom that are FREE. They are as follows: a sense of belonging, power, freedom, fun, and positivity.

I think I am great about the positivity part, not so good on the power part. But, if I become more conscious of how these incentives play into my newspaper staff, all of us will benefit. And, I won't have to bribe anyone with chocolate.