Game Day Reward

When you ask fourth graders what they would like to do for a reward, I am always surprised to hear them choose, "Game day, you know the kind when we can bring in our electronics!"

I am always continually surprised at how you can communicate missing work in many ways ... using the planner and crossing out work when it is finished, highlighted print-outs of missing work, lists in planners, packets created from absences, verbal reminders, contacting home, and the most motivating of all strategies is "REWARD". Oh! Even the details, "reward soon ... at the end of the week ... tomorrow ..." are often not motivation enough. "Reward THIS morning" is when you see action. By this time, there isn't enough time to be successful, but oh, do students try!

That is what we want, we want our students to be successful. We want to reward the students who are ALWAYS on track. The students who are usually doing what is right, even when no one is looking. Then we want to motivate the students who have choices and may struggle to select the best choice. We want students who are struggling to get a "clean slate" and an opportunity to be motivated to attend the next reward. We are thankful to work with elementary students, who are learners, learning from their choices, and we know all of our students have the potential to be successful and attend the rewards.

On Friday we had a reward. Students could choose from Game Day or watching the movie, Planet 51. So much fun!