I love my kids. I really do. And I love working with them everyday. But, if we can be honest for a minute, if something happened and I didn't get my paycheck one Friday, I would be finding a different job. I'm not in teaching for the money; however, my paycheck that is used to buy me a Cookies-n-Cream milkshake from Chick-fil-a during a stressful week is my incentive to work really hard. Without it, I would definitely move on to something else that could bankroll my milkshakes.
While seeing my kids grow throughout the year is definitely a reward for me, so is my paycheck. This is why I fully believe in rewarding students for their hard work. I am asking them to think critically, dig deeper, and work hard every single day in my room. I am pushing them outside their comfort zone, and because of that, they are growing so much, but that doesn't make the work any less challenging. Going to school is a job for our students, and while a good education is the outcome, they really need something immediate and tangible for their efforts, much like teachers get a paycheck for their work.
What the students earn, how they earn it, and what they can spend it on are the important concepts of an token economy system. Hopefully this post will give you some ideas for all three parts.
1. School Money
When I first started teaching middle school, our 6th grade teams had team money that was used as an incentive. The next year, that concept was incorporated throughout the whole school. Our students can earn Raider Bucks (our mascot is a Raider) from any staff or faculty member in the building. Raider Bucks come in $1 and $5 bills. It is up to each teacher to determine what warrants Raider Bucks in their classroom. I give Raider Bucks for sharing writing pieces, 100% on tests or quizzes, improvement on progress monitoring tests for reading, answering questions, as Reading Counts prizes, and doing anything "extra" (helping others when finished, proofreading papers for others, etc.).
2. Prize Wheel
The Prize Wheel is a big hit in our room! |
3. Prize Closet
Prize Closet visits happen once a month. |
We do Prize Closet about once a month, and it usually takes between 15-20 minutes. I sell mechanical pencils, eraser, posters, books, bracelets, nail wraps, games, craft supplies (tie-dye kits are really popular with my kids!), stickers, and anything else I think the kids will buy with their Raider Bucks. The best part is that most of the items are free to me, or really inexpensive. The books are usually free books from Scholastic orders, craft supplies and games are usually donated (one kid's
Inside of the Prize Closet. The lights mean it is open for business! |
4. Reward Coupons
The most popular items in the Prize Closet cost no more than the paper used for printing. My students love purchasing different coupons I have created. I have coupons for lunch in my room with three friends, music during writing time, 15 minutes of computer game time, no homework pass, extra time to work on an assignment, and a class game. I make the cards about the size of a business card, and then I use library pockets to store them on the doors of the cabinet. (See the picture of the Prize Closet).
5. Popcorn Fridays
A student enjoying popcorn while reading. |
These are just some of the ways I reward my kiddos. What kind of rewards and incentives do you use in your classroom? Be sure to share your ideas in the comments!
Love and Sparkle,