Motivational+Ideas

**My first mentor teacher used "Smarty Pants" as a motivational tool. When the students used critical thinking skills during class discussions to solve a problem, come to a realization, etc. they were allowed to get Smarties from the "Smarty Pants. **
 * __Smarty Pants__ **

__**Treasure Box **__**My second placement teacher had a treasure box that had little toys, pencils, candy, etc. in it. When the students made a 100 on a test or exhibited critical thinking skills during class discussion they were given a raffle ticket. Every Friday my mentor teacher would draw a ticket stub from a cup and whomever had the matching ticket got to choose a prize from the treasure chest. She only draws three tickets each Friday. ** __**CLASS **__**Write the word "CLASS" on the board. Explain to the students that if the entire word is still on the board by Friday they get to eat lunch in the classroom while watching a movie. When the class gets too loud or is not listening, you take a letter away. The students have the ability to gain their letters back with exceptionally good behavior. You should take away letters moving backwards. So if you have to take a letter away, the first you would take would be "S". This keeps you from having embarrassing profanity on your board! ** **__I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Ice Cream! __****Laminate an ice cream cone and ten scoops of ice cream. Have the ice cream cone taped to the door or a wall that is visible to the students. Whenever the students receive a compliment from anyone other than their classroom teacher, they get a scoop of ice cream. If they get ten scoops they get to have an ice cream party. You could also do this with the word "COMPLIMENT". For each compliment your class receives put another letter to the word on the board. Once the word "COMPLIMENT" is spelled out, have an ice cream party or lunch in the room to reward them. ** __ **I've Lost My Marbles! ** __ **Have an empty jar and as the children exhibit good classroom behavior, put a marble in the jar. You can take a marble back out of the jar if the class becomes too rambunctious. The goal is to fill the jar to the top. **