"a way to marginalize a ton of kids" .@mcpssuper

This quote is also from The Washington Post article and worthy of it's own blog posting.

...But Barbara Marinak, an associate professor of education at Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, Md., who studies student motivation, questioned the celebration.
“You’re creating a caste system that could easily result in bullying and victimization, which is what we’re trying to prevent, especially in middle school,” Marinak said. She added, “We’ve got 30 years of research that says extrinsic rewards do little to nothing to nurture any kind of intrinsic motivation.”
The best motivators for students are relationships with teachers, leaders, peers and mentors, Marinak said. An event such as the Eastern dance is “a way to marginalize a ton of kids,” she said...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/top-grades-open-the-door-to-school-dance-in-montgomery/2014/02/03/3bb75640-89df-11e3-916e-e01534b1e132_story.html