By Matthew Bassett
As a physical educator in elementary school, I’ve discovered that sometimes the best way to detour negative behavior is to reward positive behavior. There are many things that you can do to brighten a student’s day. Most require little to no time to prepare. Let’s take a look at a few of the rewards.
- Use verbal praise. Constantly telling students what they are doing wrong doesn’t help. It’s easy to focus on the negative behavior and get stuck pointing out negative things all the time. Sometimes it is really beneficial to verbally praise the students who are doing the correct things. If I say “I like how _____ is walking straight in a line” it’s amazing how many of the students start walking in a straight line. With a little effort, verbal praise becomes second nature and can make the biggest difference in how your class behaves.
- Create a points system. Point systems are something that I use with my younger kids. The idea came from watching the TV show Whose Line is it Anyways. The points don’t really matter, but it’s something that we do to make it fun. I give out random points for specific things. The group of students who do a better job stretching will get 50 bonus points. If both groups do a good job then I will give 100 points to everyone. I break down the class into activities and give points randomly. I try to give points to the group of students doing the best on specific tasks, but to keep it even I will keep a group in the game by giving them points they haven’t earned. I do the same with individual students. For example, I give them 25 points if they step with their opposite foot while throwing. At the end of the class period I announce a winner, without having to give out an actual reward.
- Award stickers. Stickers can be a great reward for students. Most of my elementary students and even a few of my middle school students will work harder if they get a sticker. The stickers can be small or large. Handing them out at the end of class shows how hard they worked. You can have a discussion with the students who did not do so well and encourage them to make better choices in the future.
- A prize box. Allowing one or two students to pick out something out of a prize box at the end of the day or at the end of the week can encourage students to stay on task. You can pick up some simple toys and games from a party supply store or you can stop by the dollar bin at the local Target or Walmart. I’ve even included some items that were sent to me as a sample that the students really enjoyed. A small prize box can go a long way when they see a couple of cool items inside.
- Send notes home. A positive note home can be a great way to help a student who is struggling. I use this as an opportunity to reach those students who are constantly a challenge. When they finally have a good day I make sure to write a note home. After the student reads the note to their parent, their whole demeanor changes. I have had classroom teachers call me after school to tell me how hard the student worked for the whole day after getting a note from me. I usually follow-up a note home during the next class period by reminding the student I will write another note if they have another good day.
- Choose a “Student of the Day” or “Student of the Week.” Recognizing a student for a whole day or even a whole week can give you an opportunity to show your appreciation for the student. You can find a student of the day/week card at a local teacher store in small packs. Just fill out one of the cards quickly at the end of a class or the end of the week and give to the student. Be sure to talk about the student in front of the class. Discuss the positive choices they have been making and the hard work they are doing.
- Invent class rewards. You can also set up a reward system for your entire class. Set a goal that students can achieve. Create a goal for something like no time outs given for 10 days. Then give the class a chance to reward themselves. The rewards can be choosing their fitness activity, choosing the music they play (remember you have veto power for inappropriate music), choosing a game to play at the end of class or choosing an activity to do during class time.
Tags: behavior problems, Classroom management, physical education