AboutTracy Chatters Expertise I can answer questions related to classroom discipline for middle and high school, student motivation, rewards plans, creating an exciting classroom environment and planning field trips to enhance curriculum.
Experience I am a CA credentialed secondary teacher with 5 years classroom experience. I have designed my own social studies curriculum to include exciting hands-on activities, role-playing and other events that make kids want to learn. I have taken more than 100 students on exciting educational field trips including Washington DC, Ashland OR, and all over California. I currently train new teachers how to create a positive classroom environment.
Organizations CANEC
Education/Credentials CA Secondary Authorization for Social Studies, Spanish and Russian
Expert: Tracy Chatters Date: 8/29/2007 Subject: a good rewards program for 6th graders
Question can you suggest a positive reinforcement program that doesnt require too much focus throughout the period.?
Answer I used to use a 2-marble jar system with my 6th graders. One jar for them, one jar for me. Each time I had to wait for them to be quiet or to give repeated directions, I'd take marbles from their jar and put them into mine. Every time they sat down quickly, got to work, transitioned well or if I saw a random act of kindness, I'd put a marble (or 2 or 10 depending) in their jar. When their jar is full, they get a class party, or free time or a movie day- whatever you're comfortable with. Often you just get near the marble jar and a sudden hush falls over the room.
I've also used a series of dashes representing a certain amount of time- say 20 min. If you have a discipline issue, erase a minute. There is no way to earn these back. Come Friday, whatever is left is their free time at the end of the day. It generally results in more team work and the class self-monitoring behavior.
What they want most in 6th grade is time to socialize so you'll have to find a way to fit that into your rewards. I've found that tokens, gadgets, pencils etc just don't work anymore at this age.
