Punished by Rewards: Intrinsic Motivation in Education

Overview of Kohn's Core Argument

There are a number of highly unusual, yet seemingly valuable points raised in Alfie Kohn's work Punished by Rewards. At various points, the author appears to advocate abandoning a system of grades (though not necessarily assessment altogether), exploring new ways to teach, and rejecting conventional systems of rewards. What is most striking about this text is that Kohn also advocates discontinuing the use of punishments within educational and classroom settings. Instead, he calls on the talents and insight of instructors to create and utilize curriculum that can genuinely engage students intrinsically. Many of the author's points appear valid — particularly since a number of them are substantiated by empirical evidence — and have the potential to transform classroom learning and to change the way students perceive the educational process.

The most fundamental concept at the core of all of Kohn's ideas is that external motivations — whether in the form of punishments or rewards — detract from the learning process. According to the author, students should want to learn because they are genuinely interested in a subject or its practical applications. Moreover, he argues that when students are motivated positively or negatively through rewards or punishments, educators are effectively manipulating them. The relationship between manipulation and a long-term devotion to and respect for learning is tenuous at best.

The Problem with External Motivation

By adopting this stance, Kohn is effectively undermining some of the most widely practiced concepts in organized education. Pedagogues routinely reward positive behavior while issuing punitive measures for negative behavior. This form of manipulation, Kohn argues, not only harms students but dulls their genuine appreciation for learning — which in turn causes even greater damage over time.

It is also important to understand the implications of Kohn's viewpoint regarding the harms of extrinsic motivation. Rather than attempting to manipulate students into learning, educators need to focus on delivering education in a way that draws upon humanity's innate curiosity. Granted, there will always be subjects that simply do not resonate with a given individual due to their personality or particular interests. However, there are common points of interest — especially for younger students — that educators can use to create lessons and curriculum that genuinely appeal to learners.

Rethinking Pedagogy: An Intrinsic Approach

One of the implicit dimensions of Kohn's argument is that current classroom education largely adheres to a process built on external motivations. That process is rigid and uncompromising, requiring students to learn the system and adapt to it. The problem, as Kohn reveals, is that even when students successfully adapt, the system fosters no genuine respect for or desire to continue the learning process. If instructors work outside that paradigm — by tailoring concepts to students' naturally intrinsic points of interest — they can engage students far more effectively. This idea aligns with broader scholarship on self-determination theory, which similarly distinguishes between intrinsic and extrinsic forms of motivation.

From a practical standpoint, it is necessary to recognize that what Kohn advocates is considerably more demanding for educators. Teachers would have to revamp their curriculum and fundamental methods of instruction in order to truly reach students and create lessons that are genuinely appreciated. Doing so would require substantial effort. However, from an equally pragmatic — and more personal — standpoint, it seems clear that what Kohn is advancing is a student-centered educational perspective that could address many of the problems within the current educational system.