Alfie Kohn

Few writers ask us to question our fundamental assumptions about education as provocatively as Alfie Kohn.  In a collection of essays, Kohn takes on some of the most important topics in education. He explores topics ranging from the destructiveness of praise and rewards, the inadequacy of American high schools, and shows how traditional educational practices can spoil the value of newer and better approaches.

http://www.alfiekohn.org

I’ve read many of his books, and studied some in depth:

  • Punished By Rewards: The Trouble With Gold Stars, Incentive Plans, A’s, Praise, and Other Bribes (1993)
  • Beyond Discipline: From Compliance to Community (1996)
  • What to Look For in a Classroom…and Other Essays (1998)
  • The Schools Our Children Deserve (1999)
  • What Does It Mean to Be Well-Educated (2004)
  • The Homework Myth: Why Our Kids Get Too Much of a Bad Thing (2006)
  • Feel-Bad Education and Other Contrarian Essays on Children and Schooling (2011)

You can find many clips of his talks on YouTube.