Why Reward Good Behavior?

• An Education World article posits that implementing a classroom reward system to promote good behavior has several benefits. It promotes good manners and mindful interaction among the students, reinforces the class rules and improves bad behavior from the students who frequently "act out". It also encourages continued good behavior from everyone in the class.
  
  

What to Reward; What Not to Reward

• In order to promote good behavior in the classroom, it is important that you reward behavior that can be achieved by everyone in the class. All of your students need the same opportunity to meet your goals for good classroom behavior. For example, you shouldn't reward test scores, since not all students test well. Focus on activities such as homework completion (even if it isn't all correct), raising hands instead of shouting out, and good manners.
  
  

Kinds of Rewards

• You can use several different kinds of rewards in your classroom. Younger students might like to receive stickers, or small toys such as a yo-yo. Older students are more likely to prefer a homework pass, being the leader in a class game, choosing what to play during gym, or spending extra time on the computer. You can also choose a reward system that promotes community and teaches responsibility. In this model, you can reward your students with fake classroom currency. This currency can then be used to buy things such as the seat of their choice or an item from a "store" of supplies purchased by you.
  
  

Communication and Support

• Setting goals for good behavior in the classroom involves the participation of people outside of the classroom. In particular, you should ask for support from three groups of people: parents, other teachers, and your school's principal. Parents are helpful because they can reinforce some classroom rules -- like good manners -- at home. Other teachers in the building can be helpful by "keeping an eye" on your students in the hallways, during lunch, at at recess. These teachers can alert you to both good and bad behavior from your students. Finally, your principal can be helpful by praising well-behaved students publicly, thus providing further encouragement for all students to behave well.