I am one of those firm believers that positive reinforcement works much better than harsh discipline and strict routines, both in my own home and in the classroom. We need to raise our children to make responsible decisions for themselves without us having to always reprimand them when they make mistakes or do things wrong. This is why I like to set class values, instead of class rules. If my students can adopt and stick to these values, then there won’t be much room for bad behaviour.
So, with this in mind and with my new students being allocated to me, I decided to search for a fun way to encourage my learners to not only add their own values to our class routine, but to also stick to them, and more. In my search I stumbled on to what I think is an awesome idea! It’s more suitable for primary school kids but could possibly be adapted for older students.
The Eye Spy Jar
At the beginning of the year or school term, place a jar on your desk. Label this jar to say something like “I See You” or “Eye (I) Spy With My Little Eye”. Let everyone take note of the jar and bring it’s appearance into your morning discussions. Explain to your students that you will be watching them throughout the year and that every time you see someone doing a good deed, going the extra mile or simply having a positive attitude, then you will place a googly eye (or a button or marble etc.) into the jar. Once the jar is full, the class would be rewarded with a treat. I decided that popcorn and a movie during class would be our first treat.
The idea behind this rewards system is to not only encourage my students to practice good habits (instead of focusing on rebellious ones), but also to realise that they need to work together as a team to reach their goals. Students who are slacking will be in the limelight of their fellow classmates and all eyes will be upon them too (just not the fun googly ones)!
In fact, you can encourage your students to also approach you with good things their fellow learners have done, and then an eye can be placed in the jar too. So, in the end, everyone is looking out for the good in each other!
Like I said, this is not only for teachers, as a parent you can get your kid/s a jar too! It’s a wonderful way to focus on the good, leaving little room for bad behaviour.
Resource Link: http://sparklinginsecondgrade.com/you-oughta-know-about-eye-spy-jar/
Just thought I would share this super cool idea with you!
I SUPPORT @STEEMITEDUCATION
