Behavior+Plans

Incentives/Consequences:

It is a good idea to have a behavior plan that provides both incentives and consequences. It is idealistic to live in a world where students never do wrong. They need consequences. That being said, it is best to try and be as positive as we can. This is where incentives come in. Encouraging good behavior will reduce negative behavior. Below are some examples of plans I have used that have been successful.

RULES TO LIVE BY WHEN IMPLEMENTING AN INCENTIVES/CONSEQUENCES PLAN:
 * Be consistent. Always give the reward/consequence when you say you will. The kids will pick up quickly if you do not, which can only end badly.
 * Pick a plan and stick to it. Choosing a plan is different for everyone. If you think a plan will get to cumbersome and you will eventually stop implementing it, don't pick it. The most effective plan is one that you stick with.
 * Rewards must be timed correctly. If you make students wait months for an incentive they lose motivation to work towards it. If you give incentives too often they lose value. The timing will vary student to student, class to class. My rule of thumb is to give a class award every 2-3 weeks and individual awards monthly or bi-monthly for students. A good strategy for students that are consistent behavior problems is to set them up for individual awards more often. For example, if everyone else in the class has an incentive of $20 to sit in the teachers chair for the day, make this student's $15. They think they are getting special treatment with the teacher, like the attention, and are more motivated to actually work towards an incentive.

=Kastner Cash--Individual Incentive=

Kastner Cash is an individualized money-incentive rewards system. Here's how it works:

1. The idea behind this system is to motivate students to be well-behaved and to reward them for being well-behaved. It is given on an individual basis so it is focused on each and every student. 2. Create your own form of Kastner Cash. It can be made out of copy paper, construction paper, fake dollar bills, it is your choice. Also decide on a name for your classroom currency. 3. Create a good amount of currency to have on hand. I found the easiest way was to create a word document and copy this as needed. If you do not have access to a copy machine then you can also create it out of construction paper. Because it is a money system, it is recycled, so the need to constantly make more is alleviated as students cash in for rewards. 4. Every time you see a behavior you want to reinforce award cash to the student. Here are some examples: The amount of cash you reward is up to you, as is the amount they need to cash in for an incentive. I would create my currency as $1 and award a bill each time I saw a behavior I wanted to reinforce. In the beginning, you want to reward much more often. This establishes routines and lets students know what you expect of them. As time goes by, slow-up on the rewards for behavior that is expected, and only award for behavior that is exceptional. i.e. do not reward a student for doing what they should be doing.
 * Student comes into class and is the first to get to work
 * Student helps another student
 * Student is polite
 * Student completes all of their homework for a certain period of time
 * Student stands up for another student

5. In the classroom, post the rewards for students. Keeping them posted is a visual reminder to students on what they are working towards. I created a poster that looked like this:

KASTNER CASH: $20 $50
 * Homework Pass
 * Lunch with the teacher
 * Sit in the teacher's chair for the day
 * Celebrity Lesson (student gets to teach the class something)


 * Rewards are up to you. It is best, when possible, to keep rewards as non-material items. This is easier to manage as a

6. As the students get familiar with the system, they get more creative with it. For example, I also used the system to teach responsibility. If a student lost their cash or left it sitting out somewhere, just like would happen in the real world if they left cash somewhere, I would not replace it. Each student made their own "wallet" to keep their cash in a safe place.

7. If copying the cash became too much to keep up with, I had students keep a checking account. This taught them to balance their accounts to keep track of spending.

My favorite parts about Kastner Cash:
 * Teaches students responsibility
 * I used it OFTEN as a reward for games. I teach math using games all the time. No more students asking me "What did I win?" They always won Kastner Cash. This motivated them to stay focused and play the game as well as removed the worry of having something to give my students as a prize.
 * Throughout the year students start to have a "black market" of this currency. I caught my students bribing each other with Kastner Cash to do things such as "buying" a pencil, getting items for lazy students who did not want to retrieve the item themselves, trading lunch snacks, etc. While there is a line to this, it proves that it teaches students how to handle money!

=Scrabble-- Class Incentive=

If you want free, simple, and effective this is it. This incentives plan is effective for many reasons. First, it is easy to keep up with. Incentive plans only work if they are consistent and there is follow through. Secondly, it naturally makes for immediate, well-timed incentives to be given, allowing student motivation to stay at a high level. Lastly, it can be completely free, or very low cost depending on the teacher's budget. Here's how it works:

1. Create the incentives you would like to give. I made the ones in the picture on Microsoft Word and then laminated them so that I could use dry-erase marker (it wipes right off of laminate). If you do not have the resources to make this, writing the words on a dry-erase marker and circling when students earn a letter will do the job as well.

2. Students earn letters with good behavior. At the end of each class if the class stayed on task, had good conversation, was well behaved, etc. they earn a letter and get to color a letter in. Once the entire word is colored in they have earned that incentive. You can make the incentives whatever you would like, I have listed examples of incentives that are non-materialistic below. Also, how often you want to award a letter is up to you. If the class does something that is really great that you want to reinforce, you could give a letter at those times as well. If you do one a day, it naturally makes way for well-timed incentives.

Possible Incentives:

__**Whole class:**__ 1. Gum Day: allow students to chew gum for the day (this obviously needs to not normally be allowed) 2. Seat Swap: students can sit where they want for the day 3. Free time: students get x amount of minutes to do anything of their choice 4. Snack day: students get to bring in a snack or teacher could provide snack 5. Go on a walking field trip 6. Extra Recess 7. Class will be held outside 8. Listen to music of the classes choice while working (must be appropriate) __**Individual**__:
 * 1) Assist the custodian
 * 2) Be a helper in another classroom
 * 3) Be featured on a photo recognition board
 * 4) Be recognized during school announcements
 * 5) Be the first one in the lunch line
 * 6) Be the leader of a class game
 * 7) Be the line leader or the caboose
 * 8) Be the teacher's helper for the day
 * 9) Borrow the principal’s chair for the day
 * 10) Choose a book for the teacher to read aloud to the class
 * 11) Choose any class job for the week
 * 12) Choose music for the class to hear
 * 13) Choose the game during physical education
 * 14) Choose which homework problem the teacher will give the answer to for a freebie
 * 15) Dance to favorite music in the classroom
 * 16) Design a class/school bulletin board
 * 17) Draw on the chalkboard
 * 18) Earn extra credit
 * 19) Eat lunch outdoors with the class
 * 20) Eat lunch with a teacher or principal
 * 21) Eat with a friend in the classroom (with the teacher)
 * 22) Enjoy class outdoors for the whole class
 * 23) Enter a drawing for donated prizes among students who meet certain grade standards
 * 24) Get “free choice” time at the end of the day
 * 25) Get a “no homework” pass
 * 26) Have teacher share a special skill (e.g. Sing)
 * 27) Help in a lower level class
 * 28) Learn how to do something special on the computer- like graphics or adding sound
 * 29) Listen with a headset to a book on audiotape/ music
 * 30) Make deliveries to the office
 * 31) Pick a game at recess that everyone plays including the teacher
 * 32) Play a computer game
 * 33) Play a favorite game or puzzle
 * 34) Read a book to the class
 * 35) Read morning announcements
 * 36) Read outdoors
 * 37) Read to a younger class
 * 38) Sit at the teacher's desk for the day or a set amount of time
 * 39) Teach the class a favorite game
 * 40) Sit in the teachers chair for the day

=Consequence System= It is a good idea to have some type of consequence system put in place in the event students do "do wrong". Consequences should be clearly communicated and followed through with ALWAYS. Below is a list of possible consequences you could give:


 * Loss of Privileges including:
 * Recess
 * Participation in class rewards
 * Change of seat
 * Loss of classroom job
 * Last to get lunch
 * Stay after school to clean the room, teacher's desk, etc.
 * Community service--could be anything

=Fortune Teller Consequences:=

This is a comical take on consequences. Rather than constantly focusing on the negative or posting consequences in the classroom (never liked that idea) this adds a bit of humor but is still a deterrent. This can be easily customizable to your students. Choose consequences that no one would want to necessarily do, but that also doesn't put academics as a consequence. For example, the picture has book report as a consequence. I would not suggest this because it associates school work as something negative. However, the 700 word essay on behavior, while academic, has a purpose. The consequence is focused on the negative behavior the child displayed, but more importantly on how one should act. When choosing consequences think of activities that your students would not enjoy, that are appropriate, and do not put academics in a negative place in their mind.

Here's how to make a fortune teller:

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