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As the school year winds down, sometimes we have to change up the classroom management to keep the students focused and engaged. That’s where a great End of the Year Classroom Incentive comes in!
Oh teacher friends, the struggle is R-E-A-L!!! The weather is changing, spring fever is in the air and some how (even in kindergarten) the kiddos know the school year is winding down. But wait – there’s still more to do and more to learn! The classroom management plan that has worked all year now seems like a foreign language. The treasure box no longer holds sought after treasures. The color system is well, just not quite as effective as it used to be. Trust me – this is normal, completely normal. It’s time for a little change to pull everyone back in. Time to grab their attention again. Time for a new classroom incentive!
Today, I want to share with you 3 great ways to change it up a bit, and end the school year like the classroom management superstar you are! So here it goes – 3 Amazing End of the Year Incentives for the Classroom.
1. Classroom Incentive Chart
This is always a class favorite in my classroom. After spring break is a great time to pull out this new incentive chart and get the class working together towards a common goal.
To introduce the incentive chart I post it in the front of the classroom. Before I even have a chance to bring it up there are usually multiple people asking “what’s that?” Their curiosity is something I play into and answer “Oh, you’ll just have to wait. But I think you will love it!” This little bit of wonder and curiosity helps them get excited. When you do introduce the new classroom incentive the excitement is there and they are ready to work for the new goal!
How it Works . . .
The best part about the whole class incentive is the versatility. You get to set the “rules” for earning stars. This means you can choose those areas that you’d like the class to work on, or those areas that are maybe getting a little lax. Here are some of my favorite ways to earn stars:
- Class compliment from another teacher or staff member (this could occur in the classroom, in the hallway, in the cafeteria, in PE, anywhere!)
- 100% Homework or Assignment Turn-In
- “First Grade” Behavior (or use whatever the next grade up is for you to describe amazing behavior in any area)
Basically, you decide how the class will earn stars based on what your class needs. Getting a little too chatty? Make a quietly working goal. Becoming a little too much like family and starting to argue like brothers and sisters? Create a goal for kindness, sharing and playing well together. I think you get the idea. Just make sure that you clearly lay out the expectations and how those stars can be earned. Explicit instruction is always a good thing – even in class incentives! Once the students know the goal then they will work towards it.
Next, you need to decide on a class reward. Sometimes I choose the reward and sometimes I let the students give ideas and then vote. Some popular rewards in my classroom include:
- Extra 20 minutes of Recess
- Lunch in the classroom with the teacher
- Shoes off Day
- Bring a buddy (stuffed animal) day
- Popcorn and a Movie
In Action . . .
Once you have introduced the new goal and the class “prize” then start watching. Just like with most things new, the students will be very mindful of meeting the goal. You can help to keep it in the forefront of their minds by doing a star reminder each morning. Use it to practice some addition and subtraction too. For example, you might say “Wow! You have already earned 3 stars! How many more do you need to reach your goal?”
When the class earns a star it’s something to be proud of. We like to celebrate our stars with a little cheer. This helps to reinforce the positive behaviors throughout the process too!
The Super Star Incentive Chart that I use in my classroom is editable. This makes it super easy to customize, print and use in your classroom today! I like to laminate mine too so that I can use it over and over again! You can find the Super Star Classroom Incentive Chart in The Kinderhearted Classroom Store and on Teachers Pay Teachers.
2. A Popping Good Classroom Incentive
Don’t you just love this bulletin board from @miss5th!
I don’t know about you but bright colored balloons, fun activities, confetti (or dare I say glitter), and a stick pin all sound like an equation for a popping good incentive! Fill some balloons with a paper that lists a fun and special activity for the class (add a little confetti or glitter for an extra special reveal). Then hang the balloons at the front of the room on a bulletin board or around the classroom. You can even hang them from strings and have them hanging down (just be sure to lay out the rule for hitting them because you know that will be a BIG temptation).
Some special activities my class always likes include extra recess, reading in the dark (a class favorite using finger lights), special art project, extra center time or shoes off day.
Each week, give the class a goal for the week. This could be anything that you want the class to focus on (showing kindness to others, reading quietly during silent reading, picking up trash and putting away supplies, etc). List the goal on the board or write it on the balloon with a sharpie marker. Then, if the class has met the goal for the week, pop one balloon at the end of the day on Thursday. Friday’s activity will be the activity that came out of the balloon! I honestly don’t know which the students enjoy more: the fun activity or popping the balloons! Either way it’s a fantastic classroom incentive.
3. Focus on the Positive
Sometimes a change in how you send the message is all that is needed to make your classroom incentive effective again. Stamps, smiley faces, colors in the calendar are all great. But a special bracelet that can be worn home ramps it up to another level! These award bracelets are their own incentive because the kiddos just beam with pride when they get one.
This set of award bracelets is geared towards finding positive behaviors like being a good friend, being a good listener, being a good example, working hard and more. {Here’s a little bonus: There are are awards here that can be used all year long too!}
You can find these Award Bracelets in The Kinderhearted Classroom Store and on Teachers Pay Teachers.
I hope that you found some ideas that you can take back to your classroom. All of these classroom incentives can be used any time during the year, or even all year long. But I have also found them especially effective at the end of the school year when we needed a little change of pace. Whether your year is about to start or end remember – You’ve Got This!