Spark Student Motivation Saturdays!

I can't believe it! I'm having my first linky party! I feel like a big girl now! haha! This topic is so important to us now with our kiddos getting spring fever! I know we all have techniques that work in our classrooms and this is going to be our place to share our magic tricks! Every teacher needs a bag of tricks! Each Saturday you can link up to share ONE idea/tip/incentive you use in your classroom to motivate your students. I want it to be quick and easy for you to link you up each week and this will give us weeks of ideas! It can be an idea you've used recently or with a different grade level, something someone else has used, or a school wide incentive. What do you do to motivate or encourage your students? Choose any topic you want to share about, here are some possible topics, but not limited to:

Behavior

Completion of Homework

Participation

Reading Counts/Accelerated Reader

Getting Along With Others

Studying

Returning Forms

Academics

ANYTHING!!!

Basically ANYTHING  you do in your class that is EXTRA and gets kids excited! No idea is too simple, sometimes it's the little things that make a big difference! The possibilities for this linky are endless! I can't wait to see what everyone does in their classrooms! I think this time of the year is a perfect time for this linky especially with spring fever-we all need a bag FULL of magic tricks!!

  Now for one my magic tricks...

Here are my bags!!! I've been using this motivational trick since I interned! I have always loved game shows and try to incorporate fun anytime I can in my classroom! I got this idea from the game show "Let's Make A Deal". I pass out tickets all week for miscellaneous things (participation, sharing, prepared, helping others, correct answers, etc.). My students go crazy for tickets, even this time of the year because of my weekly drawing! At the end of the week I choose 12-15 tickets and they receive a small prize (treat from candy jar). The last ticket called is the big winner and they can go for the treat (the for sure thing) or go for the deal (taking risks/chances).  I have three bags set up: 2 are great prizes (full size candy bar, cotton candy, movie theater candy, etc.), and one is a zonk (paper clip, used homework pass, rubberband, etc.). They know there's a chance they could lose, but in 17 years I've NEVER had any student take the "for sure" treat and not go for the deal! I'll admit, I do feel bad when they get a zonk, but we're not all winners. It's a great life lesson.

Of course, I play all of this up with the "audience"..."Should they go for the deal? Do you think it's Bag #1 (cheers), Bag #2 (cheers) or Bag #3 (cheers)? It's up to you, you can go with the audience or go with your gut/heart? Which bag will it be?" And then of course, I drag it out by putting my hand in and out a few times to draw out the suspense! "Are you sure you want this bag?" And then I pull out the prize!

 

The three bags are set up when they get back from lunch on Friday-they remind me every Friday when I drop them off not to forget to set up the drawing! I've upgraded my bags since I first started this incentive-for years I used Publix brown bags and sharpie marker numbers.

 

 

Here are some sample prizes: Bag 1 and Bag 3 have movie theater candy, and Bag 2 is the "zonk" with a paperclip.

   Can't wait to see what's in your bag of tricks! You can link up anytime during the week!

 

***Don't forget to grab my new button and link back to this post. Why don't we share some blog love and follow/comment on at least one other post while we're here?