A, B, C, Wii!

By Vikki Blake | October 19, 2009

Whilst mixing kids and a console system named after a bodily function sounds like a recipe for prepubescent giggling, for one lucky stateside school playing with your Wii in class has suddenly taken on a whole new meaning.

In an effort to improve student attainment and attitude, Hook Junior High in Victorville, California, has introduced a ‘Wii Room’ where students who have made significant improvements in their work or have been spotted bestowing ‘random act[s] of kindness’ to others are rewarded for their efforts. Teachers, support staff and security personnel can award students with tickets that can then be exchanged for time in the Wii Room.

Principal James Nason explained how the school wished to move away traditional methods that reinforce negative behaviour with detention and instead concentrate on rewarding kids by ‘catching them doing something good’. “We focus on the negative too much,” he said. “Sometimes it’s just the smallest rewards that the kids strive for.”

So – what do you think? An interesting twist on the age-old concept of childhood bribery, or a cheap, crappy gimmick? Would it have worked for you when you were in school? (If I have to be honest, it probably would’ve for me.) Does it even matter if it seems to be working and standards are improving?

And yes, I came up with that post title all by myself. Good, eh?

Source: thatvideogameblog.com