One of my students proposed a contest for the end of the year. The deal: If they read 3 books each the last 2 weeks of school, I would get them donuts and pizza. Well, one student, who never does anything, decided that he didn’t want to read. That’s when I told him that if he didn’t read, then he wouldn’t get any of the treats. He didn’t believe me.
Well, he had no choice but to believe me once I gave out the donuts. He must have forgotten my earlier admonishment three weeks ago because he got in line. I politely told him that he didn’t do any of the work, so he could not have a doughnut.
Later, when the pizza arrived, he again lined up.
“No,” I said. “You didn’t read any books, so you don’t get any of the treats!”
He was surprised and hurt, but it didn’t matter. There was no way I was going to reward him for doing nothing. Two of the students even volunteered to read the books he didn’t. So, it would be more than unfair to reward him for that. That’s why I said N.O.!!!
