Upon entering the classroom in which I have been performing my field experience in, I was thrown into an environment, which created a sense of surprise and disequilibrium. My cooperating instructor informed me that once a week a health nutritionist comes in to the classroom to discuss healthy options with the students. The health nutritionist discussed with the students healthy nutritious options. One example that the instructor used was what was a way in which to make broccoli and cheese healthy? Many of the students said such things as: steaming the broccoli, putting butter on it instead of cheese, and one even said to just eat the broccoli plain. All of which are appropriate responses to his question. During which this was going on there was several students throughout the classroom that were being very disrespectful to the instructor. They were talking while he was talking, bombarding him with questions during which he is trying to present his lesson, and rummaging through their desks. Throughout the duration of this instructor’s presentation, it can be noted that he had a difficult time trying to get the class under control and cooperative with what he was trying to relay to the students. At the end of the instructor’s presentation he informs the students that they will be making a healthy smoothie before they head to gym. Upon hearing this the students immediately became ecstatic, this was the one part of the nutritionist’s lesson that all of the students enjoyed. The nutritionist left the supplies and blend for the smoothie with my cooperating teacher in the classroom. Shortly later the nutritionist slowly left the classroom, and upon him leaving my cooperating teacher immediately had the class become silent. She informed them that throughout the duration of his lesson there were multiple students who were not cooperating and listening. From this she began handing out slips of paper with the simple words “thank you” written on it. There were approximately twelve students in the class who received these slips of paper. She went on to lecture the class informing them that when they have a guest speaker in the classroom they deserve their full and undivided attention. Those few students who received the pieces of paper with the “thank you” on it get to collect them until they gain a certain amount. In which case they are able to redeem them for certain prizes that my instructor has to offer. From this I thought that I could highly relate it to the system of rewards that we have been talking about recently in our class lectures. I thought that it was astounding to notice how she was using the system of rewards in her classroom. From all of my experiences in her classroom this was my first encounter in which I have noticed her giving out rewards to students for good behavior. I have experienced my cooperating instructor offer words of encouragement or praise for good behaviors but the factor that there has not been any tangible reward that has been offered to students was surprising. I think that this reward was something that all of the students who had been participating, listening, and cooperating with the nutritionist deserved. From our text entitled EdPsych Modules it provides research as to when it is appropriate to use rewards. The research that our text provides indicates the best guidelines for using tangible rewards as such; occasionally and unexpected, use expected tangible rewards sparingly and withdraw rewards as soon as possible, use the most modest reward possible, make rewards contingent on quality of work, and minimize the use of an authoritarian style. Our text also states that teachers have to consider not only what the rewards have to offer and why, but also how and when. Tangible rewards such as the one the students who behaved positively received can have different effects on intrinsic motivation depending on several factors such as: the purpose of the reward, how students perceive the reward, and the context in which the reward is given. Through scrutinizing our text and out class lecture notes that correspond so closely I was able to see that rewards pose both positives and negatives for our future classrooms. We want our learners to have a consistent internal motivator to work on homework and not an external one such as a reward. We want our students to have control of one’s behavior, such as ability or effort. We do not want our future students to become dependent on external rewards for performing tasks. Thus if we as future educators are to offer rewards in our classroom, we have to remember to use them sparingly. Using them occasionally and unexpectedly is key to student’s optimal performance. Thoroughly I think that from observing my instructor and from scrutinizing the text and my notes I have gained a greater understanding of when and how to use rewards most efficiently. I think that in my future classroom all of these tactics are going to be beneficial to me as an educator. This is essential information that any instructor should know to best motivate his or her students.