#085 - The old man who outsmarted his bullies

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💡 THOUGHT

When Rewards Backfire

A viral story from ‘Peaceful Parenting Coach’ Luke Adsit (@peaceful_tips) perfectly captures what many of us get wrong about motivation

{An old man was tired of kids mocking him on his daily walk.
So he offered them a dollar each to do it.
The next day, they eagerly showed up to earn their reward.
Then he offered 25 cents. They still came, though less enthusiastically.
Finally, he offered just a penny.
"That's not worth it!" the kids protested, and never bothered him again.}

The lesson? What starts as intrinsic (the kids' genuine, if misguided, enjoyment) becomes extrinsic when we add rewards.

Remove the reward, the behavior disappears. Likewise, bribing kids with screen-time as a reward for reading teaches them that learning itself isn't worthwhile – only the reward matters.

❌ "What will you give me for doing this?"

✅ "What can I learn from this?"

It’s the difference between conditioning and true education.

📊 TREND

The New Rules of Graduation

For generations, states have dictated what high school graduates should look like from the top down. Now, some states are trying something new: letting communities design their own vision of success.

We especially love Kentucky’s concept of "Local Laboratories of Learning" – through which 78% of the state’s districts are creating their own "Portrait of a Learner" frameworks. For example, instead of the usual list of graduation requirements, Greenup County schools now let students define their own set of skills and competencies – the “Great 8” – which can be used to apply not only for colleges and scholarships but also apprenticeships and jobs.

Note to other states: When you trust communities to define success, they often create more rigorous, relevant, and real standards than anything handed down from above.

Finally, education is coming home.

Learn more at Getting Smart →

🛠️ TOOL

The Montessori Method, Simplified

Montessori education can be summed up in a simple but radical idea: Kids are naturally wired to learn. The educator’s job is to set up the right environment and get out of the way.

Sounds great! But how do you do it?

Here's Keri Mae’s suggested 20-minute Montessori makeover:

First, clear one corner of your home.

Next, add three learning options:

1. Something they love (piano app, art supplies)

2. Something they might love (new books, building blocks)

3. Something that stretches them (chess set, coding game)

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Then do the hardest part: Walk away. Don't teach. Don't suggest. Don't hover.

Just watch what they choose.

After a week:

1. Remove what they ignore

2. Double down on what they love

3. Add one new option

Keri tried a makerspace, and her kids ignored it. Then, she swapped in Simply Piano, and her son played for hours.

Start small. Start with one corner. Start today.

(WORD) OF THE DAY

autodidact (n.)

A self-taught person.

Example: "Before the age of standardized education, many of history's greatest minds were autodidacts. Benjamin Franklin taught himself five languages using books from his local library."

That’s all for today!

– Charlie (the OpenEd newsletter guy)

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