Referencing a SocialPsych activity wherein students can choose to earn 5 or 15 extra credit points, a psychology teacher here in Northern California sent me the following email:
I have been running your pre-social psychology test idea today. The 5 or 15 extra credit point………. It has gone well but I am finding some kids get pretty upset at their peers when they go over the 10% mark (2 of my 3 classes have done son). What do you do to bring it all together? I discuss peer pressure and individual needs vs. the group. But what do you do that really brings the concept home? Any ideas would be welcome.
Really, I don’t do anything; I let the chips fall where they may. This year, for example, one class got the 5 extra credit (and one student in that class got 15), and my other section did not get any extra credit because too many asked for the 15.
In the class where extra credit was awarded, students were upset at the one kid who got more, but (a) they were happy that they got at least something for themselves (especially relative to the other class period that got nothing), and (b) I explained that individuals who exhibit “greed” often profit more than others … hence the economic disparity we see in the US.
In the class where nobody got any extra credit because too many were selfish, I explained part (b) from above and added to it the explanation of the “tragedy of the commons.” Yes, students were upset, but they got it; they understood why they couldn’t get any extra credit and psychologically what was at play.
I think one thing that helps is that our Government, Economics, and Religious Studies (remember: we’re a Catholic school) classes touch on the issue of economic inequality, social justice, and issues of systemic poverty with regularity. Because they’re so familiar with the social causes of poverty, adding the psychological layer becomes easier, I think.
Even though kids are peeved, I’ve never had kids REALLY upset; I’ve never had parents get involved or even school administrators. So, I don’t actually mind kids getting a little upset… if anything, I like it because the emotion makes the lesson more memorable.