Resources for Teachers, Educators and Professionals
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Ten Tips for Using Rewards in the Classroom
(adapted from Education World)
- Keep the reward system simple. A complicated behavior system is difficult and time consuming to manage. The Appreciation Station makes rewards clear and simple. Just set up the treasure chest according to your needs and display it in a prominent place to keep students reminds of what the "consequence" of good behavior is!
- Make the reward meaningful to your students. Opportunities for student choice can be particularly effective. You can add meaning by using the treasure chest's color-coded capsules and tokens—for example, each color can be assigned to a particular class of prizes, according to task difficulty.
- Use rewards to get students off to a good start with a specific behavior. The Appreciation Station makes rewards easy—just hand the child a token and let him/her collect the prize!
- Focus on one behavior at a time, and have your students help select it. When the children participate in setting up their Appreciation Station program, they feel in control of their own results.
- Reward students for showing responsibility. Shift the emphasis of the classroom management system from the teacher to the students. The Appreciation Station helps children "learn to earn". Once they discover the pride of achievement, they will continue to seek it out on their own.
- Begin by rewarding students often, and then gradually reduce the rewards and maintain expectations. The Appreciation Station can also be used for students to collect certificates that will add up to larger rewards.
- Give consistent rewards for academic achievement. The Appreciation Station makes consistency easy for the teacher!
- Raise the expectations that must be met for the rewards as the students progress. The Appreciation Station is a flexible system that can be used for both short-term encouragement and long-term management of desired behaviors.
- Think in the short term. A system that is no longer needed after a few weeks has done its job! The Appreciation Station grows with the child. The system can be adjusted for use with new behaviors, to move from individual performance to group achievement, or to grow with the children.
- Modify behavior systems for students with extreme problems. Frequent smaller rewards given to these students may have more benefit. The Appreciation Station offers immediate gratification for students with special needs—simply hand the token to the student at the exact time the desired behavior is performed.
Further Reading
A List of Reward Ideas
This list provides reward ideas for both primary and intermediate students. They make great ideas for your Appreciation Station coupons!
Read more at CanTeach »
Classroom Rewards Reap Dividends for Teachers and Students
All teachers prefer to rely on their students' intrinsic motivation to encourage them to come to school, do their homework, and focus on classroom activities, but many supplement the internal drive to succeed with external rewards. The teachers say rewards—free time, school supplies, or tasty treats—can help kids master the expectations of acceptable classroom behavior and scholastic achievement.
Read more at Education World »
Information on Praise and Reward Systems
Learn how praise and reward systems help to create a positive school environment which reduces bullying and other problem behaviors. A praise system in which all students are given equal opportunities contributes to group unity and equality.
Read more at the Anti-Bullying Network »
