This blog post is written in two parts, the first by Katrina Harte, The Animated Teacher, and the second by guest blog writer Rachel Peach.

6 ways to use positive reinforcement for students

1. Verbal praise

Verbal praise is one of the simplest and most effective forms of positive reinforcement for students.

Simply acknowledging and complimenting students for their good behavior can go a long way in shaping their behavior. This is particularly true for students whose love language is words of affirmation. Read more about student ‘love languages’ here.

2. Classroom rewards

You can establish a system of rewards for positive behavior, such as a prize box or a special privilege. For example, students who exhibit good behavior throughout the week might earn the privilege of sitting in a special chair or getting a special treat.

3. Public recognition

Public recognition, such as posting student work or announcing a student’s name in front of the class, can be a powerful form of positive reinforcement. It gives students a sense of pride and can be a great motivator for good behavior.

4. Written praise

Written praise, such as a note or a certificate, can be a tangible form of positive reinforcement for students that they can keep and look back on later. It can also be a great motivator for good behavior.

5. Personalized reinforcement

Personalized reinforcement, such as a one-on-one conversation or a special activity, can be a powerful form of positive reinforcement for students. It shows them that you are taking the time to recognize their individual efforts and achievements.

6. Group rewards

Group rewards, such as a class party or a field trip, can be a powerful form of positive reinforcement for students.

It gives them a sense of pride and camaraderie and encourages good behavior through peer pressure.

While I wouldn’t usually promote peer pressure, what you will actually observe is students holding each other accountable for their actions. This is often more powerful than a teacher holding a student accountable as their peers generally hold a lot more weight.

It’s important to note that positive reinforcement should not be used as a bribe or a threat. When used properly, positive reinforcement is a powerful tool for shaping student behavior and encouraging good choices. However, when used as a bribe or a threat, it can have negative consequences and can actually decrease desired behavior.

BUT WAIT! There’s more!

Here are some super helpful thoughts on how to encourage students to do the right thing by my very gifted colleague, Rachel Peach.

Just do the right thing!

By Rachel Peach

Three students drifted in late to class. Issue some demerits.

Bringing History books to Science. A reminder about organisation.

Laptops not charged … again. A couple more demerits.

Students gazing out of the window. A 5 minute lecture on the importance of focus.

Random talk about the weekend. Redirect. Random talk. Redirect. Random talking again.

Why don’t students just do the right thing?

Why does anybody do the right thing?

Motivation is a complex topic which, put simply, can be described as either intrinsic or extrinsic.

The intrinsically motivated student finds joy in learning, may strive towards mastering a goal with more persistence, is likely to experience a state of flow and needs less teacher prodding.

Intrinsic motivation tends to foster creativity and critical thinking with students continuing to noodle problems outside the classroom. Students who experience success are likely to have enhanced motivation.

Shift your practice to reward students doing the right thing. This honours students who sometimes slip under the radar whilst highlighting great learning behaviours which is something we should be noticing and celebrating. 

The trick is to do positive reinforcement for students spontaneously and unexpectedly. 

For example

• Give rewards to students who turn up on time after recess.
• Introduce your first lesson activity, take the roll, then walk around the room giving rewards to students who have started on their learning activity. 
• Listen to group talk and give rewards for students talking on task.

Announcing your rewards ahead of time makes them extrinsic motivators.

Unexpected rewards for appropriate learning behaviours nudges students towards new habits and might reinforce intrinsic motivation drivers in students over time.

This is one more mechanism we can use to help students become great learners so let’s reward students who show great learning behaviours.

Conclusion

In conclusion, positive reinforcement for students is a powerful tool that can be used to encourage good behavior.

By rewarding desired behaviors with positive attention, recognition, or tangible rewards, we can shape student behavior and make it more likely that they will engage in positive behavior in the future.

So, the next time you’re trying to get your students to do the right thing, try using positive reinforcement for students to encourage good behavior.

You might just be surprised at the results!

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common teacher fears

New Science Teacher Advice

5 easy ways to spice up a lesson

1. Take it Outside

Get your students up and out of their seats by taking your lesson outside. A change of scenery can help break up the monotony of the classroom and add a new level of excitement to the lesson. 

This doesn’t need to be for any particular reason. 

Got some worksheets for students to do? Get them to complete them outside. That’s it.

Apart from being a great way to spice up a lesson, is also one of my fave ways to differentiate. It allows students to sit or stand or lie down in a way that works for them. It also allows students to group together, pair up or isolate for quiet time. 

If you want to go the extra mile you could turn your lesson into a scavenger hunt, but honestly just taking your class outside is enough.

Some tips:

• Set strict rules before hand with the warning that if they don’t behave appropriately or don’t take their work seriously you will bring them back inside.
• This doesn’t have to go for the entire lesson. Even just a 20 minute section of the lesson could be done outside.
• Make sure you let your admin know if you are planning to do this in case of an emergency or the need for a student to be contacted by the office.
• Consider other classes, the weather, and seating options. 

2. Incorporate a Fun Brain Break

Brain breaks are a great way to spice up a lesson. They give your students a mental break which allows them to re-focus and continue learning. 

Incorporating a fun activity that has a competitive edge like bottle flipping, or rock, paper, scissors, can re-energise students and help them be ready to dive back into the lesson.

Here are 23 of my favorite brain break ideas for middle school.

3. Turn it into Stations

Adding movement and choice are great components when you are looking to spice up a lesson. Turning your lesson into stations is a great way to get your students up and moving while still teaching them important concepts. 

You can set up stations around the room and have students rotate through each station, working on different aspects of the lesson. 

This allows students to work at their own pace and can make the lesson feel more interactive and hands-on.

Again, this doesn’t need to involve heaps of extra preparation for you. Instead of having the class work linearly through the different activities you already had planned, split them up into stations around the room. 

4. Make it a Competition

Adding a competitive element to your lesson can be a great way to get your students motivated and engaged. 

Whether it’s a friendly competition between groups or a class-wide contest, giving students a reason to work hard and try their best can add a new level of excitement to the lesson. 

I often do this while watching an educational video. I split my class into teams, and while watching students write questions (and answers) from the video. We then go around and each group can ask the class a question. The group that answers first correctly gets a point and if no one can answer it then the team that asked it get a point.

This works particularly well to spice up a lesson for videos that are more than 10 mins long. 

Don’t forget to add some incentive, like a prize or lollies, to keep your students motivated.

5. Add Some Fun Tools

Adding fun tools to your lesson can help keep your students engaged and make the lesson more interactive. 

Buzzers, dice, or mini whiteboards, can be used to create hands-on and interactive lessons. Even something more simple like incorporating post-it notes is enough to spice up a lesson.

Incorporating these fun tools can help keep your students interested and engaged, even when the subject matter is challenging.

Conclusion

In conclusion, incorporating these five simple tips into your lessons can help make your lessons more engaging and interesting for your students. 

From taking the lesson outside to adding fun tools, there are many ways to add a new level of excitement to your lessons. So don’t be afraid to get creative and try something new!

If you’re still in doubt, try to add movement, change the environment, or try something new and out of the ordinary.

Do you have a way you like to spice up a lesson?

Please comment below!