Thursday, December 6, 2012

Rubenstein's Reading Philanthropy

Carlyle Group co-founder David Rubenstein gave The Library of Congress $1.5 million.  The Library will use the funds to establish three reading awards:

The library will create the David M. Rubenstein Prize to honor a groundbreaking contribution in advancing literacy. It’s also creating an American Prize and an International Prize to honor projects that combat disinterest in reading.

Might an early Rubenstein Prize winner be the author of a PEU lingo translation dictionary?   Will the American or International Prize go to someone fighting the latest version of bribing children?  Earlier efforts included Pizza Hut's "Book It" program or Newt Gingrich's national effort of paying kids to read.

Extrinsic motivators, "do this to get that," kill intrinsic motivators.  Education Secretary Arne Duncan uses PEU management theory, privatize, compete, bribe, punish, then double down on same.

Bribes fail to teach respect and responsibility. In place of respect and responsibility, many of today's kids are cultivating a sense of entitlement, which is a "prescription for a lifetime of unhappiness."

It's a shame when education experts can't identify and test their theories, much less learn.

Both rewards and punishments are controlling ways of raising children." Although rewards may sound preferable, she argues, they're just the flip side of punishment and don't produce lasting change. Bribing children and doling out rewards can prompt temporary compliance, she adds, but they don't foster decision making skills, competency, or autonomy.
Rubenstein's PEU house of cards is built on greed, paying interest instead of taxes, and preferred tax status, which makes private equity firms virtual nonprofits.  Rubenstein and his billionaire PEU peers have their version of Race to the Top, the Forbes Richest List.

Update 9-29-13:  Alfie Kohn's latest article is "Encouraging Courage."  That means standing up to the many corporate, top down, extrinsic motivation, compliance oriented methods used to kill kids' intrinsic motivation for learning.  PEU David Rubenstein serves the Bill Gates of the world, who by virtue of their incredible wealth, drive damaging education policy