Saturday, April 9, 2016

The Power of a Sticker

I have found stickers to hold great power in the classroom.  I have little charts hung up and when they are filled, the child gets a new chart, no prize or certificate, just a different chart. 

Here is how to get a sticker in my class:
     Turn in your reading paper on time and receive two stickers.  Turn it in by the end of the day, receive one sticker. 
     My latest addition is to give one sticker if a child gets one or zero incorrect.  This has boosted work habits immensely.
     Follow the directions of the reading volunteer, get a sticker or two.
     Say your memory work and claim two stickers.  If a student has to go review the verse, he or she receives only one sticker.
     I walk around the room and hand out stickers for being on-task.
     When I realize that everyone is following directions or walking down the hall quietly, extra stickers!
     When an another adult gives the class a compliment--stickers!
     When a student overcomes a learning obstacle or makes an extra effort:  sticker or two.

You may think that this only works in lower grades, but I have found that when I enlist eighth graders to help out they never refuse my offer of stickers.

St. John students receive special stickers on their baptism birthday.  My students treasure those stickers and wear them proudly.

I was thinking that maybe adults should receive stickers, too.  The world might be a kinder place.