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Classroom Management - What to do until you find your own rhythm

For new or struggling teachers:  Begin with a reward system.


How this works:


  1. Evaluate the situation you will be in.  Are students going to need a lot of behavior modification or just positive reinforcement?  If you don’t know, talk to a teacher who has been there to see if they know what to expect. If no one knows what you're talking about, begin with positive reinforcement and add more supports if the students arrive acting like feral monkeys. 


  2. Remember that you are rewarding positive behavior choices and ignoring minor negative behavior choices.  Extreme behavior falls into a different category.


  3. How will you let students know when they are doing the right thing?  Some use a program called, “Class Dojo,” others use class or table points, some use tickets.  What is the least disruptive way to let students know that they are following classroom rules and routines?  When I was a new teacher, I often used table points if I needed modest behavior modification.  If you are teaching a very rough group, you will most likely need an individual reward system.  (One good thing about this is that well-behaved students, who are often invisible in difficult classes, feel seen.)   Whatever you choose, you need to follow-up with it.  If the one you chose is too time intensive for you, switch to something you can do.


  4. What are your rewards?  You don’t need to break the bank in order to find rewards that the kids will want.  Start by looking at the age group you teach and figuring out what they like.    (See below for reward ideas.)


  5. When you give points, tickets, or whatever system you choose, name the behavior you are rewarding.  “Thank you for getting started right away.”  “Thank you for staying in your seat.”   To you it’s obvious, but for most students, especially ones who lack insight because of age or circumstances, naming the correct behavior helps them identify and comply.


  6. Don’t feel guilty because you are doing external rewards.  I had a parent who was upset that his 13-year-old didn’t want to get better grades for the "intrinsic value" of learning.  I told him that intrinsic rewards may come later, but especially in middle school, kids are at the “SeaWorld” stage.  If you don’t flip them a fish, they won’t perform for you.  Even as adults, we aren't going to do things solely for internal satisfaction.  Would you continue going to work if you didn’t receive a paycheck?


  7. Take a moment every few weeks and see if the system is working the way you want.  If it isn’t, adjust accordingly.  If many kids don't buy into the table-points system because they have a classmate who either won't or can't behave, consider having that student earn points separately from the rest of the table. The rest of the table can earn extra points if they help the outlier to do better.



Suggestions for Rewards:


Note that rewards aren’t what you think they are:


Students generally value:

  1. Attention

  2. Recognition

  3. Choice

  4. Status

  5. Time with friends

before they value a pencil that cost you fifty cents.   Notice that four of the five things on this list are completely free. 


The best classroom rewards are usually the ones that make students feel important rather than the ones that empty your wallet.


Example:  At the beginning of the year, in my advisory class, no one had any homework yet, so we did a “team building” activity.  The winners needed a prize, so I went into my cabinet and found a roll of string.  The winners showed them off, and one even made a bracelet from the string and wore it for weeks. My neighboring teacher came in about two weeks into the school year and stood at my door and said, “You give them string?”  She had been spending a lot of money on impressive prizes and was not getting nearly the excitement that occurred when a student walked out of my room with a long piece of string.


So what can you offer?  Keep in mind that you will need to follow your school policies for what you give out, but here are some free and low-cost suggestions.


TK - Grade 2

Free Rewards

  • Line leader

  • Teacher helper

  • Read to the class

  • Show and tell item

  • Lunch with the teacher

  • Sit in teacher chair

  • Classroom mascot for the day

  • Choose the read-aloud book

  • Wear a funny hat

  • Positive phone call home

Inexpensive Rewards

  • Stickers

  • Pencils

  • Erasers

  • Temporary tattoos

  • Treasure box items

  • Bookmarks



Grades 3-5

This is the golden age of rewards. They still love prizes.

Free Rewards

  • Lunch with a friend in the classroom

  • Pick your seat for the day

  • Choose a class game

  • Read announcements

  • Classroom DJ during work time

  • Extra recess minutes

  • Teacher assistant

  • Choose teams for a game

  • Positive email home

Inexpensive Rewards

  • Fun pencils

  • Animal erasers

  • Gel pens

  • Small notebooks

  • Dollar store toys

  • Fancy stickers



Grades 6-8

Middle schoolers pretend rewards are stupid while desperately wanting rewards.

Free Rewards

  • Sit where you want for a period

  • Listen to music during independent work

  • Homework pass

  • Extra credit point

  • Eat lunch in the classroom (surprisingly popular, even with 8th graders)

  • Teacher's chair

  • Five-minute social break

  • Pick classroom music

  • Help set up equipment

  • Positive email home


My favorites

  • Rubbish Treasure Box (Copyright Paula) – Paula restocks hers almost entirely from neighborhood "free" sites and giveaway groups.  

Things I've seen students fight over:

  • Broken toy dinosaurs and Minions

  • Random keychains

  • McDonalds Happy Meal Toys

  • Fidget toys

  • Leftover holiday decorations

  • Strange office supplies


The less valuable it looks to adults, the more middle schoolers seem to want it.  I once had to draw names to avoid a brawl when I added a paper Burger King crown to the prize shelf.  I had gotten it in the morning when I picked up an iced tea.  Random things from your cabinet work as well.  Second prize often receives a Post-it.  Also, if you can sell it like Karen, trash works.  (I had a kid frame a used dryer sheet I gave as a prize.)


Cheap Rewards

  • Popsicles  (you can get a lot for low costs and they really, really work)

  • Little clips that you attach to backpacks  (You can get these at low cost in bulk)



High School

High school students want freedom.

Free Rewards

  • Open-note quiz coupon

  • Late assignment pass

  • Work with a friend

  • Music privileges

  • Leave class 30 seconds early

  • Eat lunch in room

  • Teacher recommendation note

  • Flexible seating

Cheap Rewards

  • Little stuffed toys you can buy in bulk on eBay  (I asked a boy why he kept using all of his points for these and he said his autistic little brother loved them.)

  • Snacks or popsicles  (Granola bars are often the biggest bang for your buck.  Buy in bulk at a box store and place a high point or ticket value on them.)



Rewards That Work at Any Age

Positive Contact Home

One of the most powerful rewards there is.

Recognition Board

"Student of the Week" "Growth Champion" "Most Improved"

Choice

Whenever possible:

  • Choose partner

  • Choose seat

  • Choose activity

  • Choose order

Choice is often more motivating than prizes.

Mystery Rewards

Kids of every age love mystery.

Examples:

  • Mystery envelope

  • Prize wheel

  • Mystery coupon

  • Secret classroom privilege

(When I do this with middle school, I usually add an awful prize in the mix as well.  A kid carried a sponge over his head back to his seat, like he was carrying the Olympic Torch.)



 
 
 

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