WITH
MOTIVATION IDEAS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Why Motivate? 3
Steps to Successful Motivation 4
Quick, Easy, and Inexpensive Ideas 5
Motivational Bulletin Boards 8
Other Terrific Ideas 12
Ideas to Help You Celebrate Success 16
Attachments 20
Yearly Motivational Plan Form 21
Monthly Motivational Plan Form 22
100 Ways to Say “Very Good” 23
I’m a Blooming Success 24
WHY MOTIVATE?
Motivation is essential to the success of any program. In order to ensure that students are consistently putting forth their best effort, teachers need to find ways to inspire students to want to learn.
Here are some guidelines to help you in developing your student motivational plan.
1. Plan for the entire year at the beginning. Evaluate the rewards you plan to use and try to save the best for last.
2. Set realistic goals. Post the goals so students understand what they have to do to be successful. Every student should be able to achieve in your lab. We want to set our students up for success, not failure.
3. Display student progress. Students like to see how they are doing and they like to share their success with others. Competition is often the best motivator. Bulletin boards displaying student achievement will add appeal to your room.
4. By recognizing their achievement, students will realize that what they do is important to you.
5. Do not be afraid to make changes in your plan. Follow through on your procedures from the first semester to keep the students interested.
Patti Stepbach and Becky Sutherland compiled the ideas in this booklet. They are a culmination of motivational plans used by teachers, lab managers, and consultants in SuccessMaker schools.
STEPS TO SUCCESSFUL MOTIVATION
1. Plan
· Make a yearly plan.
· Save the best awards for last.
· Let students know about the motivational plan.
· Organize prizes by grade level so that the prizes will be different for students each year.
2. Display
· Let students see who have been successful.
· Show an overview of SuccessMaker progress.
· Involve students.
· Make the room attractive.
3. Change
· “Variety is the spice of life”…Use a variety of measures of SuccessMaker progress – gains, target level, total correct with a specified percentage, etc.
· Follow your plan, but freshen up” occasionally.
4. Challenge
· Make the student’s goal attainable, but challenging.
QUICK, EASY AND INEXPENSIVE IDEAS
1. Praise from the Teacher or Lab Manager
See the attached sheet on 100 Ways to Say “Very Good.”
2. Hug or Pat on the Back
The teacher or lab manager can hug or give the student a pat on the back for his or her accomplishments.
3. Personal Note to the Student from the Teacher
Write the student a personal note about his good progress, behavior, etc.
4. Note from the Teacher to the Principal
Send a note to parents about their child’s success.
5. Letter to Parents
Send a note to parents about their child’s success.
6. Daily Student Recognition
Announce the names of students who make great progress in the morning / afternoon announcements.
7. Most Correct Answers
On a given day, five students who receive the most correct answers for that day receive a certificate, poster, etc.
8. Lunch with the Teacher
9. Free Course Selection
10. Free Reading Time in SuccessMaker Libraries
11. Certificates
See examples in courseware manuals or design your own.
12. Customize the Student Number screen
The teacher can use a student photograph. Students can create a picture in Paintbrush or use clipart.
13. Customize the Welcome message
This can be student directed or teacher directed.
14. Wise Old Owl
The boy and girl who receive the most total correct exercises from the previous day get to keep the Wise Old Owl for the day on their desk. (The Wise Old Owl is a stuffed owl. You can use any stuffed animal.)
15. Commercial Coupons
Ask for coupons from business partners such as McDonalds, Pizza Hut, etc.
16. Teacher Created Coupons
The teacher creates and gives students coupons such as free homework passes, speed games, etc.
17. Sticker Book
Students can design their own seasonal or thematic book. Students are rewarded with stickers to keep in their book.
18. Ring the Bell
Student rings a bell when he/she gets a certain score and receives applause from the class. This works well in the distributed model.
19. Hand Stamp
Student receives a stamp for getting a certain score.
20. Punch Card
Student has his/her card punched every time a certain score is achieved.
21. Lab Assistant for the Week
Student is selected to clean headphones and assist with keeping the lab clean.
22. Wall Charts
List student’s names on a chart. A star is placed by the name for getting a certain score.
23. Individual Student Charts / Folders
Students keep track of scores independently.
24. Catch a Student Being Good
A student receives recognition from a teacher or principal for displaying good behavior or obtaining expected scores.
25. Computer Assistant
A student is selected each day to assist the teacher or lab manager with general housekeeping, shutdown, etc.
26. Jelly Beans
The teacher keeps a jar of jellybeans on his or her desk. Students receive a jellybean each time certain scores are achieved.
MOTIVATIONAL BULLETIN BOA
27. Travel the Road to Success
Display a model of a highway on the board or the wall. Provide each student with a pattern of a car. Students move their cars along the road, stopping at designated areas for rewards. Teachers can target gains or total correct exercises.
27. Climbing the Ladder to Success
Gains or total correct exercises measure student success. Students are given a pattern for a boy or girl. Students climb the ladder to success.
28. I’m a Blooming Success
Student success is measured by gains. Each week a Gains Sort in the Custom Report Command is run to track student progress. Students receive parts to build a flower for each level of success achieved.
29. Frequent Flyers to Success
Display a map of the United States on the bulletin board. Students color and write their names on airplanes. Students are selected on a weekly basis to act as travel agents and flight attendants. Once a week, students receive an update of the frequent flyer miles they have earned according to the number of total correct responses in math and reading. CAI Flyers meet with ticket agents to calculate the number of frequent flyer miles earned for the week. Students move their airplane across the United States to the designated city. In this case, all flights land in Hollywood, Home to the Stars. Once students earn 500 frequent flyer miles, they become First Class Travelers, earning the privilege of having a cushioned chair for the week and juice served by the flight attendant upon arrival to school. Once the students arrive in Hollywood, a plaster cast of their hand is made and the student earns his or her wings.
30. Success Tree
Student success is measured by percent correct. Teachers display students names who have scored 70% or above on daily sessions. Students write their names on apples, which are then hung on the Success Tree.
31. Treasure Chest of Great Gains
Student progress is measured by total correct exercises. As the students reach certain plateaus, bronze, silver or gold coins are given to the students according to the goal reached. The coins are placed in the treasure chest. At the end of the year students are allowed to take their coins home.
32. Reach for the Stars
Student success is measured by gains. Stars represent one-month gain. For each month students grow, they earn a treat from the treat jar. Three months growth earns students a trip to the treasure box. Five months growth earns the students lunch with the teacher and a special treat.
33. Growing by Leaps and Bounds
Gains or total correct exercises measure student success. Bulletin board displays a pond with lily pads, which represent one-month gain or a specified number of correct exercises. Students put their name on the frog of their choice.
34. Going Bananas
Student success is measured by the percentage correct. A jungle theme using a banana tree is displayed on a bulletin board. At the end of the day students scoring 70% or above are given a banana cutout with his/her session score and places it on the tree. On Friday five students who have achieved the highest scores receive a prize.
35. Our Goal is Better Gains
Student progress is measured by gains. A model of a football field is displayed on the bulletin board. Each goal line is a gain. Students start on the fifty-yard line and move their football towards the goal post as their gain increases. Two fields can be used, one for math and another for reading.
36. All About Me
Students with special achievements are recognized by having their picture displayed on the bulletin board or on the computer screen. Examples of recognition pictures can be the student with the most total correct exercises in math and/or reading, the most improved student, the most gain for the month, or students who top out of courses.
37. Step Toward Good Gains
Patterns of feet with total correct exercises are placed on the bulletin board. Students place their names on the feet. Students progress along the trail to the class goal.
38. Build a Sundae to Success
Students are given a sundae dish and patterns for sundae toppings. Each topping represents a gain or set number of correct exercises. When the student reaches the goal, they place a topping on their sundae. At the end of the month or semester, students who have reached their goal enjoy an ice-cream social.
39. Something to Crow About
Students are recognized for topping out of courses. The bulletin board features a scarecrow and birds. Names are placed on the birds to recognize completion of courses.
40. We’re Soaring to Success
Bulletin board displays a hot air balloon. As the students reach their goal (gains, total correct, or time on the computer) they add a balloon to the board. At the end of the year, students who reach their goal enjoy a fun-filled afternoon playing with the balloons they earned for good work.
41. The Main Attraction
Students earn theatre tickets for gains. Each month a movie is shown to students who reach the monthly gain. The bulletin board can be decorated with movie posters obtained from the video store. Serve the students popcorn and soda.
42. Ballooning Our Way to Success
Use two bunches of balloons, one for math and one for reading. Students fill in the balloons with their names and goals until the bunch is completed. When all students reach the school goal, a school-wide celebration takes place.
43. Gaining a Wealth of Knowledge with SuccessMaker
Display a large piggy bank on the bulletin board. Small moneybags with student names and goals are placed around it. Students reaching their goal are eligible for a raffle at the end of the year.
44. Cashing in on Success with SuccessMaker
A picture of a cash register is placed on the bulletin board. Money with students’ names is placed around it. When a student reaches the goal for the year, he or she receives a school credit card to use in the school store.
45. Write for Success
A computer and pencil are used as the background for the board. Students who are working in RA Reading / Writing model or WE are given a journal for writing. As assignments are completed, students add the titles of their writing to the board. A class journal can also be kept to include students’ actual writing samples.
46. Putting It Together for Success
Each student is given a puzzle to color and decorate at the beginning of the year. The student then cuts the puzzle into various pieces and places it in an envelope. When a goal is attained, the student places a piece of the puzzle next to his or her name on the board. Once all students complete their puzzles, the class celebrates with a game day.
47. Stocking Our Pond for Success
The background for the board is a large pond or a small child’s outdoor pool can be placed in the room. Students earn fish of different colors and sizes for goals attained. Number of correct exercises with a specified percentage correct might be the focus. Fish might also be cut from white paper for students to color. Students go fishing for prizes.
48. Reach for Your Pot of Gold
A rainbow and pot of gold are placed on the board. Students are given gold coins as they achieve their goal. Once they reach across the rainbow, their name goes in a pot making them eligible for a reward.
49. BEE All You can BEE
Patterns of bees are placed on the board. Students receive a bee each time they get a score of 70% or above (with a specified number attempted or correct). When a designated number of bees are in the hive, students receive a special reward from the teacher.
OTHER TERRIFIC IDEAS
50. Estimation Jar
The teacher fills a large jar with jellybeans, M & M’s, or cookies. Students make a guess every time they reach a certain score. The closest guess wins the jar of candy.
51. Percent Correct Lottery
Every time a student makes a certain score, the student puts his or her name in a hat for a chance to win a prize.
52. Challengers Club
Students are given time to do additional sessions before school or after school in order to reach a personal goal they have set for themselves. Students meet with the lab manager to determine their goal and to write their plan of action plan for the club. The club is voluntary.
53. Scrappy Dogs
The Magic Petz program is used to motivate students and keep them on task. This is a take off on the “virtual pets” that have become so popular. It does not require continuous care like the ones the kids have. However, it allows great interaction between the student and the electronic pet. Students can give the dog food, water, and treats. They can play ball or tug of war, pet its head, or rub its belly. They can even teach the pet tricks! The kids really love this activity. One student per day, per class, is selected to spend the last five minutes of the class period playing with the pet. Students are selected on the basis of behavior and their lab score.