Simple Class Reward System
In my sixteen years of teaching I’ve tried every classroom reward fad I could find!
I’ve done the marble jar, a complex money system (literally with my face on the bills). I’ve tried tickets, individual desk cards, hole punch cards…you name it, I’ve tried it. Each system had its positives, but they all had one BIG problem…they all inevitably turned into a ton of work for me!
I also found myself stuck in a cycle of spending my own money on treasure box and prizes for the students to “earn.” Before I knew it, I had spent a small fortune on trinkets that probably got thrown away when I wasn’t looking!
With all of this in mind, I went on the hunt for the solution and I am happy to say I have finally found it! This “Scrabble” inspired reward system is quick and easy to implement and the best part is, you come up with the rewards! Some of my most exciting rewards, cost me zero dollars.
Make it Easy for Yourself!
One of my most popular, free rewards is “Mega, Extra Recess.” My students go nuts about this one! Instead of just tacking on some extra minutes to their existing recess, I take them out at odd times during the day. As soon as we unpack, we go straight outside for recess! They absolutely flip. We have our normal recess as well, and I love to sneak in another at the end of the day.
No homework for a whole week is another fun one. Each afternoon, I pretend to forget that they’ve won it and I’ll try to assign homework. They love reminding me that they’ve earned “no homework” and I act super dramatic when they remind me. The great thing about this system is you have the power to create any reward you like.
The right class system will make your life much easier!
How Do I Put It Together?
So, here’s how to set it up. Decide on your rewards. I typed mine into PowerPoint and put each letter in a rounded square to make it look like a tile. Click here to grab your own editable template! Once you’ve typed up all of your rewards, print them out once on white paper and then once on a bright color. The white papered version I usually glue to chart paper and laminate. The colored version gets cut into individual squares, which I usually keep in a sandwich bag, or this year mine are on the side of my fridge in a magnetic container.
Every time your kiddos do something amazing, award them a tile! The beauty of this system is…you never know what letter they will pick out. Sometimes they only need one more letter to earn a reward, but it’ll take days for that letter to be picked. The suspense is intense, but it makes it all the more exciting when they actually earn their class reward.
I hope this reward system makes your life easier! Have a fabulous school year.
-Emmy
