Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
in the Classroom
‘The secret of education is respecting
the pupil’
(Ralph Waldo Emerson)
Compiled by Kim Harrison, Derek Noffke, Julie Pappas, Louise Raye, & Allira Zangari
Alphabetical listings of strategies for
motivating students in the Classroom
A B C D E F G H
I J K L M N O P
Q R S T U V W X
Y Z
N.B Stages mentioned with activities are only a recommendation as every class and teacher varies.
A
Awards (all stages)
Awards are a great way of motivating. Make your own awards and certificates on
brightly coloured paper for al KLAs. Here are some examples:
“Extrinsic motivators are not used as bribes but as a tool to extend learning”
(e.g. Bandura & Schunk, 1981 as cited in Dolezal, Welsh, Pressley, & Vincent, 2003, p.260)
C (C continues next page)
e f o r what
en a p urpos explain
i ve c hildr t o le arn –
“G t
e y a r e abou
th
value”
“The object of teaching a child is to enable him to get along without his teacher”
(Elbert Hubbard)
F
Focus Point (All stages) Free Day (All stages)
This method is useful when the teacher needs During Free Day you might play
to control the class quickly and settle them board games, have a free
down. recess, go for a walk. Those
Write the word “Focus” on the chalkboard and students who choose not to be a
directly beside the word you write a time that part of the team and play by
is near the end of that particular period, e.g. the rules can be supervised by
if period finishes at 1.00pm, you write an aide or placed in another
12:55pm beside the word “Focus.” Tell the classroom during this time.
students that they need to focus on that time
and those last five minutes will be for them to
fulfill their ‘talking needs.’ Everyone must
work well in order to get their reward of five
minutes. Appoint the most talkative student
as time monitor.
“What the pupils want to learn is as important as what the teacher wants to
teach” (Lois E LeBar)
H
Happy Ball (All stages)
For this activity you will need a soft ball, up to a basketball size, that has a smiley or
happy face painted on it. Children are to sit in a large circle on the floor facing the
center awaiting the game to start. The teacher starts the game by rolling the ball to
a student and the following areas can be investigated.
• Learning student names: a student rolls the ball whilst saying the students name that
they are rolling it to.
• Self-esteem activity: a student says something positive to the student that they are
rolling the ball to.
• News activity: saying something positive about what activities the student may do
over the weekend.
• Getting to know you session: a student rolls the ball to another student and says
something that they have learnt about that person, e.g. Tom has two brothers.
• Children are discouraged from rolling the ball only to their friends.
“One of the most important things a teacher can do is send the pupil home in the
afternoon liking himself just a little better than when he came in the morning”
(Ernest Melby)
L
Student Line-ups (Early Stage 1 –Stage 2)
In groups of approximately ten, students are asked to line up in various orders. These
may include:
• Tallest to shortest.
• Shoe size.
• Month of birthdays.
• Alphabetical order of first names.
The list goes on, however this can be modified by directing the students not to talk
whilst undertaking this activity, making them think about how they are going to
communicate their answers.
“The teacher has devised rules and routines for her students that are useful
and provide smooth transitions within lessons and between activities”
(e.g. Evertson, Emmer, & Worsham, 2000 as cited in Dolezal et al,2003, p.261)
M
Classroom Money Auction (Stage 1 – Stage 3)
Teacher creates fake money vouchers (class dollars) which are given to students
for good behaviour, performance or improvement. The child takes responsibility
for their own accumulated dollars and at the end of the term a class auction is
held where students can bid for small prizes such as pens, notebooks, balls,
McDonalds vouchers etc. Prizes can be shown to the students throughout the
term as an incentive to work towards.
“If they finish early let them
100 Minute Club (Stage 1 – Stage 3)
listen to music they like”
All students are expected to read 100 minutes weekly. Parents sign
weekly verification slips. They should either read 20-30 minutes nightly
during the school week or spread it out to include the weekend as long as
it equals 100 minutes. Students are read to by family members to earn
their minutes at the beginning of year. All students who have completed
this weekly requirement are awarded at an awards ceremony (held every
6 weeks). They receive certificates and usually something additional such
as pencils, ice cream from canteen etc.
Talk with the students about the importance of learning, and using the mind,
overcoming adversity, having a dream and working for it
P
Personal Incentive chart (Stage 1
– Stage 3) Teacher Payback (Stage 1 – Stage 3)
Students could have a personal Have a class points chart, whereby exceptional
incentive chart on their desks, behaviour by the whole class is rewarded with a
where they fill up little squares with point. Set a class goal to be achieved by the end
tiny dot stickers when they bring of the year e.g. 500 points. Agree upon the
their homework in. After five spaces teacher payback prior to commencing the point
are filled they get a reward. After score e.g. teacher has to wear a spider man
the entire chart is filled they get a costume for a day. If students reach the goal,
"bigger" reward. Some incentives the teacher pays the price!
that children like include decorated
pencils, pens, candy, homework
passes (teacher made), scented
stickers, use the teacher's desk (or
a special table) for a day, lining up
first, teacher’s assistant. Some
companies (e.g. McDonald’s) give out
free coupons, which can also be used
as rewards.
“Every student can learn, just not on the same day, or the same way”
(George Evans)
R
Tips for Using Rewards (http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr300.shtml)
• Keep the reward system simple. A complicated behaviour system is difficult and time
consuming to manage.
• Make the reward meaningful to your students. Opportunities for student choice can be
particularly effective.
• Use rewards to get students off to a good start with a specific behaviour.
• Focus on one behaviour at a time, and have your students help select it.
• Begin by rewarding students often, and then gradually reduce the rewards and maintain
expectations.
• Raise the expectations that must be met for the rewards as the students progress.
• Think in the short term. A system that is no longer needed after a few weeks has done
its job!
• Modify behaviour systems for students with extreme problems. Frequent smaller
rewards given to these students may have more benefit.
Consistently find ways to compliment and encourage students for their good
behaviour, learning success, and helpfulness in the classroom (Brophy 1981 as cited
in Dolezal, et al 2003, p.259)
S (S continues next page)
“The people who influence you are people who believe in you” (Henry Drummond)
T (T continues next page)
“The kids in our classroom are infinitely more significant than the subject
matter we’re teaching them” (Meladee McCarty)
T cont.
“Don’t tell them how to do it, show them how to do it and don’t say a word. If
you tell them, they’ll watch your lips move. If you show them, they’ll want to do
it themselves” (Maria Montessori)
W
Welcome Sign (All stages) “Mak
The class is to design and make a sign that
tact e lesson
i s
feel le – touc hands
can be placed on the classroom door for
visitors to see and admire. The only condition ing” hing on
is that all students are involved in the and –
various stages of the project.
• Canfield, J, 1976, 100 ways to enhance self concept in the classroom, Prentice Hall, New Jersey.
• Dolezal,S E, Welsh, L M, Pressley, M, & Vincent, M M, 2003, ‘How nine third-grade teachers
motivate student academic engagement’, The Elementary School Journal, 103, 3; 239-312.
• Eddleston L, (n.d.), Awards for everyone - Blackline masters, Dominie Publications
• Bafile, C, 2000, Classroom Rewards Reap Dividends for Teachers and Students, Education World,
<http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr300.shtml>
• Utilizing Classroom Rewards for Students, (n.d.), Teachnet.com, <http://www.teachnet.com/how-
to/manage/freeday120100.html>
• McGrath, H. & Noble, T. 1993. Different Kids, Same Classroom, Making Mixed Ability Classes
Really Work, Longman Cheshire, Melbourne, Australia.
• Warrawong Public School, Term 2, 2003, Positive Behaviour Strategies for the Classroom,
(booklet).
• Watson, G, 1996, Teacher Smart: 125 tested techniques for classroom management and control,
The Center for Applied Research in Education, New York.