Ideas for Student Rewards

Reward a student by letting him stand first in line.

Teachers can positively reinforce students' respectful behavior, hard work and good grades by offering them rewards when they excel in these areas. Not only do these rewards make students feel good about their accomplishments, but the rewards also motivate them to do better in school. Teachers can reward the entire class based on their overall performance or each student based on individual performance.

No Homework

When your students behavior well -- no talking without their hands raised, no fighting, no bullying or no back talking -- reward the class with a homework-free night. However, you don't want to give too many of these nights or you may impede student learning. On your desk, keep a container of marbles and a jar. Whenever you get through a lesson where everyone in the class behaves, drop a marble in the jar. When the jar is full, the students won't be assigned any homework that night.

Fresh Air

If all of the students in your class pass a state-required test, give an excellent oral presentation or were on their best behavior all day long, reward them with a little extra recess time or a walk around the school campus. Not only will they enjoy the time out of the classroom, but they will also get bit of fresh air and exercise.

Pizza Party

Almost every kid loves pizza. Set a goal for your class, such as everyone has to pass a big test or everyone has to get their homework in on time for one month. When the students meet this goal, order a couple of pizzas and celebrate. (Make to receive parent and principal approval as well as check students' food allergies.) Supply the plates, napkins, cups and drinks. Hold the pizza party during the students' lunch hour.

Stickers

You can reward individual students for their personal achievements. When a student receives an A on an assignment, give her a sticker. Give larger stickers to kids who earn As and smaller stickers to kids who earn Bs and Cs. Keep a chart in your classroom with all of the students' names on it. Every time they do well on an assignment, put a small star sticker by their names. When they accumulate a set number of stars, they get a sheet of stickers to do with as they please.

References

• Montana Office of Public Instruction: Healthy Ideas for Student Rewards; 2003
• Kim's Korner for Teacher Talk: Rewards and Incentives
• Can Teach: A List of Reward Ideas

Resources

• The Cornerstone: Ideas for Student Rewards and Incentives; 2010