Nothing improves student engagement more than finding ways to celebrate student success, especially in the classroom. And while it’s not possible to have a pizza party every Friday, there are things you can do on a regular basis that can help fill your students with self-esteem.
Golf clap
You don’t want students giving full applause on a regular basis. It distracts other learning that might be going on in the room. What you can do is start the tradition of “golf clapping” whenever someone makes a breakthrough. Simply give a quiet series of claps in whole group instruction. You might even tilt your chin up. You’ll be surprised at how quickly the trend will spread.
Good email/text home
Too often, teachers focus on the negative. So when a student hears that you’ll be contacting their parents, they’ll assume the worst. Instead, make sure it’s known that good calls/emails/texts home are available and can be earned with success. It especially has an effect on older students who might be lobbying their parents for privileges or expensive electronics.
Hobby presentation
At regular intervals, reward a student with the opportunity to show off their hobby in a short presentation. You might think that kids don’t like giving presentations, but it’s actually that they don’t like giving presentation on things they don’t care about. This works two-fold: there is the reward aspect, and it gives them a chance to practice their communication skills.
Sit close to/far away from the teacher
There are two opposing sides to this one. Younger students idolize their teachers, so sitting near them makes the student feel special and works as a reward. Older students, though they may like their teacher, want independence more than anything else. Allowing them to move further away shows them trust.
Graffiti
Relax, it’s not actual graffiti. It’s just the ability to write anything they want (within reason) on one of your boards. Students love to give shout outs to their friends, favorite TV shows, music, or other interests and hobbies.
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