A basic Jewish adage says, In the process of doing something for a reward, one will come to love doing it for its own sake, mitoch she-lo lishma, ba lishma.
This applies to Torah study, which is why Jewish school children are tempted with every manner of BribeLite from small cash prizes to candies to awards to increase their dedication to Torah study.
So, why not math? History? English? Social studies? No doubt, wholly ignorant of the basic Jewish adage, various schools nationwide are asking precisely that question: Why not money for math, after all?
As reported in Newsweek, the National Bureau of Economic Research studies pay-to-study programs in Texas. Guess what? They work. Higher GPAs, better scores on Advanced Placement exams, bumps in college attendance and performance, a higher graduation rate, all stem from small cash rewards for studying.
Guess who benefitted the most? Minorities. African-American students saw a 10% rise in entrance to college, and a 50% rise in sticking it through to graduation.
In the age of trillions and billions and . . . whats a million anymore? . . . the cost of pay-to-study in Texas came to a paltry two hundred dollars per student (including administrative expenses).
For some, the cash is its own reward. For others, the excuse is psychological: Im cool and I hate math, but Im saving for an iPod.
Hmmm. No Child Left Behind spent $14 billion on early intervention. In Colorado alone, check out the Amendment 23 spending. Were not saying that pay-to-study is a panacea trumping all other educational strategies, but pay-to-study works. Its logical. Its capitalist. Its inexpensive. And unlike so many other educational theories, it hits older kids, who are at the age to drop out of school or to continue.
To serve G-d in expectation of a reward is not the Jewish ideal. But its a lot better than not serving G-d at all. Educators, listen up.
