Rewards and Incentives

[MsCoffeeLover]

Okay, y'all, I was asking my team about rewards for the students, and none of them had any rewards or incentives. Granted, we now have the school wide "Star" program, but I had individual rewards for my kids. It is understandable not to reward kids for expected behaviors, but I had ways that students could earn extra credit points.

1. Getting agenda signed everyday by a parent would earn a student a five point star reward that they could use on a test. Between all of my classes, only about five students did this.

2. If a student got a 90 or above on a test, they would receive a ten point star that they could use on a test.

3. There is an assignment activity the students could complete as they watched Mythbusters. It is a pretty thorough activity, and students really had to speak the language of the scientific method to be able to complete it. Again, only a handful of kids completed this assignment, and would receive a 10 point extra credit star, and there were limits on how many of these activities can be completed in a nine week grading period.

Well, after the evaluation team examined my long range plans, I was instructed to get rid of the points. The five point star was rewarding a behavior, and I completely understand that. After discussing it with my coach, she said it was probably better to get rid of the points altogether based on what she knew about the district, but she understood where I was coming from.

So, I spoke to my kids and gave them a heads up that the point system may be gone. It is amazing how kids do understand when you are straight forward with them. They were cool about it, but I didn't divulge too many of the details--just the possibility that those particular rewards may be gone. They are expected to perform regardless of the rewards and incentives, and they know that. One kid delightfully said something about understanding how "the man" works.

I meet with my coach this Tuesday, and she and I are going to brainstorm some possible rewards/incentives. I have since told all the evaluators that if there were too many points being awarded, that option would no longer exist, but as it stands, there are literally a handful of kids out of all of my classes that have taken advantage of these rewards, and they are the kids that work really hard.

Does anyone have any suggestions on rewards or incentives for 7th graders? Actually, I could probably make it on praise and positive notes home, but there are some kids that really need the rewards.

Any suggestions would be really appreciated.

[Bananas]

I am trying the Homeworkopoly Game Bulletin Board this year and the kids love it (4th-8th Graders). This game is in regard to turning in homework and it really motivates them to get to work and turn in the work to be able to roll and see where they land. I printed and laminated their gameboard to use on a bulletin board. For their gamepieces, they picked an appropriate picture off the internet which I scaled to size and added their name underneath and laminated. Of course, I need to monitor how they do their homework, such as a competent job not done in a hurry.

http://www.teachnet.com/homeworkopoly/

Students get a Banana Buck when they land on or pass GO. I use the blank game cards for Community Lunch Box and Chance. I include these options for those cards for them to draw when they land on those spots (incentives like this could be used for whatever goals you are hoping to achieve:
5 Skittles
Choice of Jolly Rancher
Pencil
2 sheets of notebook paper
2 Free Problem Coupon
Take down and put up Boggle Board
Take down and put up Monthly Calendar
Use Teacher's chair at their desk for period
Work at Teacher's desk for period
Use the hand squeezers--worms and balls
15 minute game time (approved by teacher and with another student who has work completed)
Use of my gel pen
Friend in my room to eat their lunch (with lit candle on counter and music playing
Pick Beanie Baby to sit at their desk during class
As well as others

Students have suggested things to put on cards that they would like to have!

[busbus]

I am trying the Homeworkopoly Game Bulletin Board this year and the kids love it (4th-8th Graders).

http://www.teachnet.com/homeworkopoly/

Students get a Banana Buck when they land on or pass GO. I use the blank game cards for Community Lunch Box and Chance. I include these options for those cards for them to draw when they land on those spots (incentives like this could be used for whatever goals you are hoping to achieve:
5 Skittles
Choice of Jolly Rancher
Pencil
2 sheets of notebook paper
2 Free Problem Coupon
Take down and put up Boggle Board
Take down and put up Monthly Calendar
Use Teacher's chair at their desk for period
Work at Teacher's desk for period
Use the hand squeezers--worms and balls
15 minute game time (approved by teacher and with another student who has work completed)
Use of my gel pen
Friend in my room to eat their lunch (with lit candle on counter and music playing
Pick Beanie Baby to sit at their desk during class
As well as others

Students have suggested things to put on cards that they would like to have!

This is a great suggestion. I have introduced this "board game" to my new teachers from elementary through to grade 8. I also recommend that they use the blank "chance" and "community chest" cards to create their own. I like your suggestions, and with the students input that you allow, this would make it even better as an interactive behavior management system. In addition, I suggest to my teachers that they use the board where they can personalize it with familiar street/avenue names. If I'm not mistaken, I think you can also download a board with blank street names.

[Chef Dave]

When I was an elementary teacher, I had a grab jar that I kept on my desk. Students who did well on graded assignments (including those who demonstrated marked improvement) were invited to come to my grab jar.

The grab jar was filled with small toys from the dollar store, colorful pens and markers, erasers, sugar free candies, and little slips of paper with a question mark on the outside.

The pieces of paper with question marks were mystery gifts. Sometimes the gifts turned out to be nothing i.e. "April Fool! There's nothing here. Draw again." Other gifts included the following:

* 15 minutes free computer time
* lunch in the classroom with one friend
* choice of seating in the classroom for the day
* line leader for the day
* first choice of toys for recess
* one magic "get out of an assignment" free card - not applicable to tests or quizzes
* See the teacher for a granola bar (or cookie or Danish pastry etc.)

When students went to my grab jar, they had until the count of five to draw a prize for each grab jar treat they had. Students who did not have their hands out of the jar with their prize by the count of five were given a treat selected by yours truly.

[upnorthteacher]

I have used the Homeworkopoly game with fourth graders, and they loved it. Currently, one of my incentives is to have movie day for our early release at the end of each quarter. Only students who have gone the entire quarter with fewer than two late assignments may go. The other students need to do their unfinished work, read, or do skills reviews. We combine two classes to do this, so we trade off which teacher shows the movies and which teacher supervises the other students. We also have a school-wide reward program for our middle school. All students who have gone the entire semester with no discipline referrals and no failing grades are allowed to go. This is a fun day away from school-sometimes a ski/tubing trip, a picnic at a state park with a softball tournament, etc.

[MsCoffeeLover]

Okay, I was thinking about it a little bit, and I had a moment of kindness, and the kids were alright today, so it stuck around for longer than usual.

1. Model behaviors for my class right before lunch. Y'all know I am that big stickler for a line and not too many disruptions (especially in the hallway). We all know who is friends with whom, and now they have assigned seats in the cafeteria because they don't know how to act. I was thinking that if they can continue the model behavior and make that extra kick, on Fridays they can sit with their friends at the same table. They wouldn't know what to do with themselves if they actually had permission to chat away with their friends.

2. We have a snack machine with so called healthier snacks. The other teachers let the kids go everyday if the want as long as they eat lunch first. One teacher only let her kids go on Fridays, so I adopted that policy as well. Of course, she stopped the Friday policy, but I am still going strong and am thinking about integrating another day into the week or so.

3. That SMART board makes for a good movie or so. Another incentive may be snacks while watching a movie. That is still debatable because food brings in bugs, but it is something I am willing to think about as an incentive.

4. Maybe, just maybe, there can be a day of gum chewing, but they must toss it on the way out the door.

I don't know. What do y'all think? They don't have to be done all at the same time, but I have been tough enough all year, and I may actually be able to lighten up some.