How to Reward Your Class Almost for Free
Sadly, our students often hear they aren’t smart enough, they’re not special, they can’t… But, we have the opportunity to lift them up with encouragement.
It doesn’t take a lot to encourage our students. Praise is free, and rewards can be free or cheap too. It’s mostly about acknowledging the growth and accomplishments of each child, so they know we notice them and value their effort.
Early in my career, I realized just how much some of our students need us to acknowledge them.
My new student was counting up each addition problem from across the room. I could hear her across the room. She was eager, bright-eyed, and bouncing around her chair as if it were a trampoline.
She had just transferred in from another district. Her file arrived along with her.
Reading the file, my eyes widened. My heart broke. And, my cheeks reddened with anger as I read the one solitary line under student strengths.
“There are none.”
N-O-T possible!
EVERY child is special. Each child is unique. Every single child has some wonderful quality worth celebrating.
It’s our job as teachers to help children discover and develop the strengths they don’t even know they have.
Developing a classroom environment that encourages and celebrates each child’s successes is just as important, if not more important, than creating a rigorous one. Rewards and praise are ways to do that.
There are so many easy ways to celebrate our students and our classrooms. Classroom rewards can be free or cheap.
You’ve probably already thought of the classic teacher go-to rewards: a homework pass, extra recess, or an extra cool sticker. But, to keep things fresh, we need to branch out. Other rewards might include:
- Be the teacher’s helper
- Play a school-appropriate game online
- Call home to brag about the child’s awesome job (This is best done in front of the child.)
- Pick a joke to read to the class
- Wear slippers to class
- Blow bubbles at recess
- Invite an adult to read to the class
- Take a special good news note to the office
- Use special work supplies (pens, markers, stickers, stamps, etc.)
- Play a board game with a friend
- Play a game on the iPad
- Pick music to listen to during class
- Listen to a book on CD
- Help the media specialist
- Chew gum or eat candy in class
- Draw on the board
- Invite a friend from another room for lunch
- Draw or paint in class
- Pick a book to read to a younger class
- Help a special area teacher with a younger class
- Get a homework pass
- Bring a stuffed animal to class
- Choose a brain break for the class
- Pick a classroom job
- Pick a friend to work with for an assignment
- Take an extra awesome note home
- Be the line leader or pick your spot in line
- Bring something in for show and tell
- Teach the class about a hobby or interest
- Skip an assignment (or do only odd or even numbers)
Award certificates are another great way to recognize your students’ hard work.
- Kids love them.
- They’re easy.
- Kids can show them off.
- Parents notice them.
I like to give award certificates at the end of the semester, the year, or really any old time the kids do something awesome.
But, let’s be real. Buying packs of awards at the store adds up quickly, and thinking of enough awards to give everyone something that fits them and then creating the awards is time-consuming. #NoTimeforThat!
Plus, with nearly 100 awards, there is something positive for everyone. #EveryChildIsSpecial
While we always want to encourage each individual student, it’s also important to have classroom-wide goals and reward teamwork.
Classroom rewards encourage team spirit and encourage students to support one another.
Whether you choose to use marbles in a jar, class points, or whatever goal-setting system, you’re going to need ideas for rewards or incentives. These are some of my favorite classroom reward ideas.
- Dress-up day
- Invite another class to eat in your room
- Do a STEM activity
- Have a show-and-tell day
- Have a dance party
- Do fun Friday activities
- Take a night off of homework
- Have a no-shoe day and wear slippers in class
- Do a science experiment
- Invite a guest speaker to come to class
- Let everyone pick their seat for a day
- Play board games
- Have extra library time
- Watch a movie
- Play a review game
- Have an extra brain break
- Invite the principal to lunch
- Wear hats all-day
- Hold a classroom talent show
- Have a popcorn or hot chocolate party
- Have class outside
- Play learning games online
- Play minute to win it games
- Have a crazy hair day
- Break out some favorite center activities and have extra center time
However you recognize your student, please remember when it comes to celebrating our students’ positive qualities, “There are none” is not an option.
EVERY child is special. Every child is unique. And, EVERY SINGLE CHILD has some wonderful quality worth celebrating.
Get ALL of the reward ideas in an easy-to-print PDF, plus 3 editable awards here.
