And yes, this is just one part of a discussion – as it has in the past – about grades, and hard work, and dealing with teachers that one isn’t fond of, etc. Back to grades – without good ones – you have limited your choices for college. That’s just the way the current system works – as imperfect as it is. Just as SAT and ACT test scores are problematic – they are what they are. One of the things I told these recipients about this as we started – was that if they improved their grades – then they were proving to all of us that they could do it – get better grades – if they wanted to. And that if their grades fell off later – it was because they didn’t really care about their education. And that it was their life – and that was a choice that they were making about their life. They would also know that I would up the bar. It got to the point that one nephew “won” SCUBBA lessons in Florida (lived in Chicagoland) one grading period for making more A’s than B’s – and then won a trip to Wyoming to go Snow Mobiling in the Rockies. Those were prizes of his choosing before the grading period started – actually before the “Grade Game” started. He had more F’s than D’s and “nothing else” when we started this in Junior High. He spent 3 of 4 years on the Dean’s List in HS.

Each child is different. Each responds differently. These were tailored approaches. And they were worked out with the child – except for the first of the grandchildren – as he was too young – but he and I have talked about Pink’s book and what it says – but he does not wish me to stop the Grade Game. So it continues, for now.

I would be more willing than others for a grandparent to offer an incentive for completing a project. And the project you outline is very good. I don’t want to encourage kids (myself) to care about grades. I never did. It was fine. Learning is what I want them to value and strive for. There are consequences to not focusing on grades I think those consequences are much preferable to the consequences of focusing on grades (I have seen far more focus on grades and far less on learning in my time in the educational system). Huge waste, in my opinion.

I think having them research and discover the likely outcomes of various choices is a way to help them understand long term thinking. This project alone I don’t think would do much. But this project along with a consistent effort to help kids see the long term consequences of short term decisions can be profound. They will learn much more by finding the answers themselves and discussing them with you, than if you just told them or had them read from 1 source. Having them do the research and discuss the learning is a very good design.