August 17, 2005

Nancy Morrison, a third-grade teacher at Elkhart Elementary School in Elkhart, Kansas

Found In: Rewards & Incentives

I adopted this system from my sister who is also a teacher, and it works great! At the beginning of each nine weeks, each student receives $25 in play money. Anytime they break a classroom or school rule, they are charged a fee. Breaking rules that COST them include such things as not returning homework, disrespect to the teacher or peers, abusing computer limits, etc.

At the end of the nine weeks, I have a celebration. I charge an entry fee such as a $10 cover charge. Then I assign prices to the amenities like $2 for popcorn, $1 per beverage, $4 to read a book to the class, and $5 to be the teacher for 30 minutes – the students just love this. They are not allowed to lend money to friends, and I have truly seen a change in the behavior of my students.

Those that do not have enough money for the cover charge are the waiters and waitresses. They are so jealous of the others, that they make sure they are NOT the servants at the next party. Parents have loved this idea and even come in on reward days to help out and join the fun. The students EARN the right to keep their money and the end result is worth all the money in the world!