Redding School District

Along with building your social contract/school rules, you will need to tell students how you will give positive feedback when they follow those rules.  Positive feedback is critical to motivating students to choose the appropriate behavior, and it creates a positive learning environment.

1. Shouldn't children at this age already know what is expected of them and how to behave?  Behavior that is acknowledged is more likely to occur again. Behavior that is ignored is less likely to be repeated.  The challenge is to build a context in which the other students in the room do not reinforce the behavior that you are looking to extinguish.  No good behavior should be taken for granted or it may decline, regardless of the student's age.
2. Praising feels unnatural. Won't kids think that it is phony?  If you are not used to praising, it will feel unnatural at first. But the more you praise the more natural it will feel. If you praise good behavior that truly has happened there is nothing phony about it. Be authentic and students will tend to praise others too.
3. Isn't praise manipulative and coercive?  The purpose of praise is to reinforce and increase positive behavior with the student's knowledge. Praise helps clearly describe expectations so that students can successfully meet them.
4. Isn't giving praise like bribing students to do what you want them to do?  A bribe attempts to influence or persuade someone to produce the desired behavior that hasn't yet happened, whereas a praise reinforces the desired behavior that has already happened. A reward is given after the behavior occurs not before.

In contrast to positive contact, positive feedback is contingent upon specific student behavior.  Example of positive contact; "Good morning, Jimmy. It's nice to see you!" An example of positive feedback; "Jimmy, I saw you help Susan get back on track with her math today.  That was very thoughtful and follow's our contract with helping others.  It made me feel good and you should be proud of yourself.  You showed a lot of character."  An example of positive praise was also a part of the exchange.

Team Points:  Once you give directions for transitions it often works to give team points for teams that are following directions and ready in a timely fashion.  You should use the Behavioral Narration technique as the students are following your directions to encourage others to do the same.  As teams show you they are ready, you give points to that team for being ready.  You must define what it looks like to be ready.  For example, "When all team members have their book on their desk, with it open to page 58, and they are looking at me without talking, I know your team will is ready."  After the direction, you then narrate the student's actions while they are making it to your directions and finally give team points to all teams who comply by saying, "Thanks to team 3 for having their books open on their desks and looking at me. Three points." Mark on the chart.  Remember, it isn't about who is first.  It is about all that follow the directions and comply.  So that means that all teams can, potentially, earn the points each time.

1. Get 100 point team charts to post at front of room.
2. Number your teams and label your charts to correspond.
3. Decide what the reward will be if they fill their 100 point chart in a month.
4. Have each team name themselves, (Team Wolves)
5. Use with transitions (very important you don't use this technique to bribe kids to comply)