Student Motivation is getting more tricky this time of year.
Today I'm linking up with Joanne to share what been working lately.
Tickets
A while back I mentioned doing tickets for my class. I have always done tickets - usually they act just like money, the kids are rewarded for outstanding behavior, or for trying their best, etc...on the flip side the tickets earned could be traded in for prizes. It has always worked.
Then this year my clever 13th year of teaching children decided to have ticket wars - they decided to combine their tickets with each other to see what group of kids could get the most. It would have been a great math game, but as for motivation it was severely lacking - since the kids that hardly ever got tickets started bullying the kids for more tickets to be part of the group, friends, etc...
So I pulled the tickets - all the tickets in the entire classroom - for about 3 weeks. Then I couldn't handle it anymore. I needed my tickets, and the kids needed to be individually rewarded. This was right before testing, so we were in the midst of major test prep.
I decided to do a raffle with it instead. The kids were back to getting tickets, but instead of trading them in for prizes they wrote their name on the back and they were put into a basket. During test prep and testing I would choose 3 names every afternoon for some random prizes in the classroom - the most coveted being a homework pass.
Even though I still miss the trading station, I also enjoy NOT having to remember to fit it in on a Friday afternoon. I enjoy now changing it up and rolling a dice to determine the amount of names I choose every afternoon. I enjoy the kids knowing that if they try really hard their names will still be on all those tickets in the basket from the past days.
Next year I'm thinking of keeping the raffle instead of going back to trading. I'm thinking of every month starting fresh - just like the team points.
These kids have taught me a lot this year!
FYI - in case you didn't hear about it yesterday...
Hope you have a great day - we are in the midst of full on potty training...
I have used tickets for the past year. I have two different sets, one is red and solid, the other white with print on them. I have only used them for raffle purposes. I have a little box with a slit in the lid. When students get a ticket they put HALF of the ticket (I buy the type that have two of each number) in the box and keep the other half. One Thursday, I do draw and the winners get to choose something from the prize binder. I made up some coupons (homework pass, hat pass, computer pass, special supplies pass, speciality seating pass, etc.) I do the draw on Thursday, because the passes are only redeemable on FRIDAY. This helps control the chaos. It seems to have worked this year for most of the students, some more than others. I don't think I will be going back to my prize bin anytime soon, I have saved time and money with the ticket system.
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend!
Sidney
Teachingisagift
I love that you are willing to try new things with your tickets. :) It's funny how we get so used to our own procedures that "we" need them too!
ReplyDeleteBrandee @ Creating Lifelong Learners
I've done a similar thing but with play money! We did it so that each student started with five dollars on Monday, and then they had to have at least five throughout the week in order to go out to second recess and also at the end of the week there are leveled prizes. Students can earn dollars by following expectations, doing some great etc, but lose them for not bringing homework, not following directions etc. The fact they have to have five to go our really pushes then to make sure they don't lose any starting out the week!
ReplyDeleteI love your flexibility and reflection of what works in your classroom! Thanks for sharing! I've used tickets for 16 years and couldn't live without them either! I have them write their names on their tickets for a weekly drawing. (See my first post)http://headoverheelsforteaching.blogspot.com/2013/04/spark-student-motivation-saturdays.html
ReplyDeleteYou might be able to use it with your tickets too! Thanks so much for linking up!
Joanne
Head Over Heels For Teaching