· Kay · classroom management · 2 min read
Five Easy and Free Ways to Reward Positive Behavior in the Classroom
Here are five simple ways I reward positive behavior without spending hours managing a complicated system.
Managing behavior in the classroom doesn’t have to mean handing out candy or visiting the dollar tree every week to refill the treasure chest. I’ve found that the most effective systems are the ones that make kids feel recognized and empowered.
1. 🎟️ Student Coupons
These are a hit every year. I offer coupons like “Sit by a Friend,” “Wear Sunglasses During Work Time,” or “Bring a Stuffed Animal.” They’re free for me and super motivating for students. I let them trade them in on Fridays and it’s always the highlight of the week. This strategy works well for all grade levels from kindergarten to 6th grade.
I’ve put together a full set of editable student reward coupons that you can grab here.
2. 🫙 Class Compliment Jar
Anytime our class gets a compliment, from another teacher, the principal, or parent, we add a pompom to a small jar. The class will usually try to earn a compliment by walking quietly in a straight line out in the hallway. When the jar is full, we vote on a whole-class reward. It builds community and encourages students to work together.
3. 🏆 Mystery Prize Board
This strategy works well when you want students to behave for a substitute or guest teacher. I write rewards behind sticky notes and put them in front of the class on the whiteboard. If students get a positive substitute report, they get to pull one sticky note and reveal the prize when I come back. The suspense makes it fun and fresh.
4. 📢 Shout-outs and Celebrations
At the end of each day, we do “Shoutout Circle.” Students give a shout out to someone who was kind, helpful, or showed great effort. It’s amazing what they notice about each other, and it builds classroom culture like nothing else.
5. 😊 Positive Notes Home
So often teachers will contact parents when behavioral issues arise, but rarely do we contact them for positive reasons. It’s really important to break that negative association. A quick note or email to parents about something great a student did goes a long way. I try to send at least one a week and it always makes someone’s day. To encourage other students, I will announce, “Kaiden did such a GOOD job during independent reading today! I’m going to write a happy note to his parents right now.”
