Positive behaviour tips and ideas to use in the classroom

Educators try to use various teaching methods based on their classroom environment. Positive behaviour can be encouraged by motivating learners with fun ideas and challenges to nurture an ideal classroom environment.

Here are some ideas to introduce in the classroom so that you are both motivating learners and applying your strategies for teaching!

Reward Systems: 

Advantages of a reward system

1. Appropriate behaviour
   Learners follow appropriate behaviours when they are rewarded either intrinsically or extrinsically.
2. Increased motivation
   Learners will show interest in everyday classroom tasks, responsibilities and learning.
3. Happy learners
   Incentives for learners motivate them to be more productive because they create a feeling of pride and accomplishment. 
4. Boosted self-esteem
   Every success story helps learners become more self-confident. They are proud and encouraged to achieve another successful result.
5. Improved results
   Rewarding students encourages and endorses school effort. They lead to improved outcomes for learners.

Here are some ideas of reward systems for primary schools:

Source: Fabiola Ramirez

Bee-haviour Punch Cards

Bee-haviour punch cards are a cute way to encourage good behaviour. Learners are rewarded for filling up a whole punch card. It’s up to you what happens when the punch card is filled. Maybe you have a little treasure chest that learners select prizes from, or maybe you offer extra free time. Whatever the reward is, your learners will look forward to the reward with each punch in the card.

Source: First Grade At Last

Bucket Fillers

Use a see-through shoe holder so that learners can visually see their efforts being rewarded. This also allows you to see who might need some extra attention. Place clear plastic cups in the shoe rack and use coloured pom pom balls for the rewards. Label each cup with the learner’s name so they can also keep track of their progress.  Discuss some class rules with the learners and what they will be rewarded for (good listener; neat work; helper etc.)  Take a few minutes each day for praise and encourage learners to also fill buckets when friends share and care etc. 

Source: Larremoreteachertips

Brag Tags

These are used to encourage, promote, and celebrate positive behaviour.  These tags are approximately 2″x3″ and hung on a necklace.  When a learner demonstrates a behaviour that the teacher feels is exemplary, a tag is rewarded to that learner.

Source: Lucky Little Learners

Achievement Tree

The idea is that the teacher makes a display with a bare tree on a hillside or in a field, with a basket of brightly coloured leaves below it. Every time a child works hard, or shows kindness, their name and what they have done is written on a leaf and put up in the tree. The tree will often have a sign beneath it to inform visitors as to the purpose of the display, such as '5r's Tree of Achievement'. The children really enjoy getting a leaf on the tree, and it encourages positive behaviour.

Source: Teaching ideas.co.uk

Reward Coupons

These keep positivity thriving in the classroom! Create coupons for the privileges that are motivating to your learners. Use a class discussion to generate a list of ideas, which then turn into coupons. Create them yourself including privileges the learners want. 

Source: Adventures of a School Marm

Blurt Beans

Blurting out answers is one of the speediest ways for a classroom to get out of control. It’s a slippery slope from one learner blurting out an answer to everyone talking at once. The Blurt Beans is a neat classroom management system that allows learners to physically see the effects of their actions. Each day every learner is given X number of beans. If they talk out of turn, you simply take away a bean. Learners may place their beans (if they have any left) in this jar at the end of the day.

Source: Miss Giraffe’s Classroom

Behaviour Bingo

Behaviour Bingo is a behaviour tracking method that focuses only on the positive. To make this you need a few small glass gems that are made for vases with magnets hot glued to the back. The learner must place the gem (which has a number painted on it) on the corresponding square. When a line is filled, the class can receive the pre-determined prize or activity. This activity fosters community because the learners root for each other to get certain numbers to complete a line.

Source: One Sharp Bunch

Personal Clip Chart

The benefit of the personal chart is that each learner focuses on his/her own chart. It also gives the learner a clear visual warning which may help stop the unwanted behaviour in its tracks.

Source: What the Teacher Wants

Team Tables

Encourage a healthy sense of competition. This method involves each table working together to earn points. Not only will this foster community among learners, but it will also give them the opportunity to practice good sportsmanship. When the table works together as a team, they are rewarded. 

Source: Proud to Be Primary

Online reward system for primary schools

When it comes to class management in primary school, ClassDojo is a free digital reward system in which every learner gets evaluated on positive and negative behaviour. Not only does the teacher have access to ClassDojo, so do the students and their parents. ClassDojo is a classroom communication app used to share reports between parents and teachers. Teachers track learner behaviour and upload photos or videos. The gamification style system teaches developmental skills through real-time feedback.

Online Reward System for High Schools

Classcraft’s mission is to make school more relevant and meaningful by creating playful and collaborative learning experiences that teach the whole child. Learners can create their own avatars that have special powers. They play in groups. If someone ignores a deadline, it may fire back on the whole group. Working together and having respect for each other is very important.

How to put a reward system to work

1. Set class goals
   Set class behaviour goals that are achievable and measurable. For example: when you raise your hand, all the students stop talking within 20 seconds. Let your learners participate in setting up those goals. It will motivate them more to abide by the rules.
2. Define how you will use the reward system
   This is the key to success. When are learners receiving rewards? What are your boundaries? Make your intentions clear. For example: learners will receive a reward when they help another learner, they finish homework a day early, when they participate in class.
3. Explain why you gave a reward
   Give your learners specific, genuine feedback attached to the reward. For example: “John, you showed respect by letting Marc in before you”.
4. Give learners a voice
   It’s important to let your learners participate in choosing rewards. To be sure that rewards are valuable and motivating for the learners, you can have a brainstorm about it. Let them put together a list of acceptable rewards. You still have the final word!
5. Reward early
   Just like giving feedback, rewards must be given shortly after the show behaviour. In that case, learners won’t forget what they did to deserve it and other students won’t get suspicious.
6. Lessen the rewards over time
   Raise your expectations for the learner’s behaviour in order to receive the same reward. Learners shouldn’t get addicted to rewards. They must work because of an intrinsic motivation. As learners achieve success in your class, they can learn to be motivated by their own achievements.
7. Give random rewards
   Rewarding learners randomly for their behaviour and achievements keeps them on their toes. They’ll want to be on task just in case!

Classroom Community

You can develop an improved sense of classroom community and there is no lack of ideas where one can start. Learning how to listen to one another, respond with respect and work together are all elements that make a more ideal classroom atmosphere.

Source: bookwidgets.com