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positive rewards for students in a classroom

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12 Examples of PBIS Strategies for the Classroom | HMH

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Learn how to use PBIS in the classroom. Explore 12 examples of PBIS strategies that foster positive behaviors and academic success in all students.

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Classroom management is essential for creating an environment that is conducive to learning. There is nothing worse than having a student's behavior throw a wrench in your entire lesson plan. It might be tempting to address disruptive behaviors directly with consequences and reprimands.

Unfortunately, this draws unnecessary attention to the undesired behavior. It can also lead to further disruptions and discourage trust and respect among your students. Positive reinforcement is a superior technique for maintaining order and establishing a conducive learning environment.

Here's why it works and five ways to use it in your classroom management strategies.

Why Positive Reinforcement Works

The first studies on positive reinforcement date back to the 1940s. American psychologist B.F. Skinner examined different conditioning strategies on rats. He recorded the animals' responses to positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, and punishment.

Skinner found positive reinforcement was the most effective way to mold actions into desired behaviors. For years, principles have been successfully applied in the classroom as well. Studies have found, students are more likely to repeat a rewarded behavior than they are to stop a punished behavior.

Five Positive Reinforcement Classroom Management Strategies

Positive reinforcement is a great tool when it comes to behavior management, but you have to know how and when to wield it.

1. Be Intentional and Diverse

A verbal "good job" is encouraging, but being more specific and intentional will go a lot farther. Even young students are very perceptive. They will recognize the difference between sincere and generalized praise.

Be specific about what is you find pleasing and leave them no room for doubt. Consider varying your methods of positive reinforcement to avoid students becoming desensitized. Use a combination of the following positive reinforcement styles to keep your class engaged and interested:

Nonverbal cues (thumbs up, jazz hands, clapping)

Verbal praise ("thank you for participating," "excellent question")

Tangible rewards (bite-sized candies for class participation)

Activity rewards (five minutes of free time for those who stay on task)

Group rewards (end of the month pizza party for no tardies)

Students will respond in varying degrees to different types of positive reinforcement. Don't be discouraged if it takes some trial and error to figure out which methods work best.

2. Practice Timely Positive Reinforcement

Another key component is timely positive reinforcement. Waiting to comment on a student's good behavior is less effective as the association becomes diminished over time.

Sometimes it's not possible to acknowledge behavior in the moment, say in the middle of a lecture or an assembly. Remember to follow up with the student as soon as you can, to maximize the impact of the positive reinforcement.

3. Curb Your Expectations

Many teachers are prone to highlighting the behavior of a model student in the hope that others will follow suit. Although this works in theory, it doesn't always work in practice.

It can create animosity and jealousy between students, resulting in additional behavioral issues and disruption. In addition, it leads teachers to develop unrealistic expectations for their students. Instead of viewing small gains as the marks of success, teachers withholding praise while they wait for greater results.

Don't fall into this trap. Acknowledge where your students are in their journey to improvement and focus on incremental encouragement. Here's an example:
You have twenty minutes of silent reading a day, but one of your students can only sit still for five.
Instead of holding out in hopes of a twenty-minute miracle, highlight and reward their progress. If they read for eight minutes, they get five minutes of tablet time. The next day, make it ten, then fifteen, until they reach the full twenty, at which point offer additional praise to reinforce the behavior.

4. Understand How Your Students Receive Praise

Some students don't always respond well to positive reinforcement. A shy or socially uncomfortable student might feel embarrassed when singled out in front of the class. This use of positive reinforcement has the potential to backfire, leaving the student less inclined to repeat the acknowledged behavior.

Get to know the unique personalities of your students. Some of them might prefer being thanked quietly at the end of class. Others may respond better to phone calls or kind notes to share with their parents.

This is especially true when teaching students with special needs, who are often hypersensitive. As a director of special education, it's important to have procedures in place to help your teachers navigate the unique difficulties they face. Schedule a personal demo and learn how we can help you create a legally defensible behavior intervention plan in under an hour.

5. Develop a Reward System

Reward systems are one of the most motivational behavior management strategies you can implement. Tangible prizes provide an opportunity for individual growth, encourage teamwork, and foster cooperation.

Avoid limited prizes:

Focus your prizes on effort, not accomplishment. Such as, everyone who remained on task for thirty minutes gets five minutes of free time at the end of class.

Focus on most improved:

Although it is important to reinforce the behavior of your top students, make sure you have rewards geared towards the most improved behavior as well. This maintains a balanced class dynamic, giving students at every level something to strive for.

Create competition with group rewards:

Intentionally divide your students into teams and set up a reward for the team that works the best together. This allows your students to build off of each other's strengths and practice cooperative behaviors.

Encourage long-term behavioral improvement:

Having a big prize, such as a pizza party or movie day, is a great way to foster motivation and group effort. You might even notice your students holding each other accountable as they work to achieve their common goal.

Positive Reinforcement: One Piece of the Puzzle

Positive reinforcement is only the first step to fostering a cohesive learning environment. There are many tactics you can employ to minimize behavioral disruptions. At Insights to Behavior, we offer a free monthly webinar for those looking to take actionable behavioral management steps in their schools.

We also have over 60 hours of K12 behavior management training workshops. These are perfect for teachers seeking more effective classroom management strategies. Sign up for yours today.

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5 Activities For Using Positive Reinforcement in the Classroom

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Classroom management is essential for creating an environment that is conducive to learning. There is nothing worse than having a student's behavior throw a wrench in your entire lesson plan. It might be tempting to address disruptive behaviors directly with consequences and reprimands. Unfortunately, this draws unnecessary attention to the undesired behavior.

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Topic Page: It’s easy to think primarily elementary and middle schools implement PBIS. Would you be surprised to learn there are thousands of high schools implementing PBIS, too? The key features of PBIS don’t change at the high school level; implementation simply addresses contextual factors unique…

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Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) implementation is a state-initiated project that provides districts and individual schools throughout Minnesota with the necessary training, coaching, technical support and evaluation to promote improvement in student behavior across the entire school, especially for students with challenging social behaviors. PBIS school teams establish clearly defined outcomes that relate to students' academic and social behavior, systems that support staff efforts, practices that support student success and data to guide decision-making.

PBIS is identified in Minnesota's Olmstead Plan as a strategy for increasing the percentage of students with disabilities receiving education in the most integrated setting. Read more about the Olmstead Plan. Read more information about the Minnesota Department of Education Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports Initiative below.

PBIS Definition

PBIS is defined in state statute, thanks to the implementation efforts of more than 39 percent of schools (803 schools to date) with support from districts and/or funded Regional Implementation Projects. The definition of PBIS is below:

"Positive behavioral interventions and supports" or "PBIS" means an evidence-based framework for preventing problem behavior, providing instruction and support for positive and prosocial behaviors, and supporting social, emotional and behavioral needs for all students. Schoolwide implementation of PBIS requires training, coaching, and evaluation for school staff to consistently implement the key components that make PBIS effective for all students, including:

1. establishing, defining, teaching, and practicing three to five positively stated schoolwide behavioral expectations that are representative of the local community and cultures;

2. developing and implementing a consistent system used by all staff to provide positive feedback and acknowledgment for students who display schoolwide behavioral expectations;

3. developing and implementing a consistent and specialized support system for students who do not display behaviors representative of schoolwide positive expectations;

4. developing a system to support decisions based on data related to student progress, effective implementation of behavioral practices, and screening for students requiring additional behavior supports;

5. using a continuum of evidence-based interventions that is integrated and aligned to support academic and behavioral success for all students; and

6. using a team-based approach to support effective implementation, monitor progress, and evaluate outcomes.

Consistent with Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.232, subdivision 1, character education curriculum and programs may be used to support implementation of the key components of PBIS.
Read how over 800 Minnesota schools are getting great results using PBIS.

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Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports

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Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) implementation is a state-initiated project that provides districts and individual schools throughout Minnesota with the necessary training, coaching, technical support and evaluation to promote improvement in student behavior across the entire school, especially for students with challenging social behaviors.

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PBISApps | Teach By Design—5 Ways to Reward Students the Right Way

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When students are rewarded and they don’t know why, the reward doesn’t work. What can we do to offer rewards that encourage students to start doing the things we want them to do?

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This Ultimate List of PBIS Incentives contains over 350 items to inspire your PBIS rewards program. Sort by tangible, recognition, or privilege.

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We get asked all the time, "Can PBIS Rewards be used in middle school?" And the short answer is, Yes. Many of the schools using the PBIS Rewards system are in fact middle schools.

PBIS can have a profound impact on school culture when there is schoolwide buy in from the administrators, teachers, and students. Your PBIS initiative can be just the tool to get everyone speaking the same language.

PBIS in Middle School

If you teach middle schoolers, you understand that in many ways they're still children, even though you can see glimpses of the young adults they're going to become. The physical, emotional, and intellectual changes that happen right before your eyes are fascinating to see, and they will respond to your instruction and guidance with enthusiasm. They're fun to teach, they love to learn, and they care greatly about doing well in school - a perfect combination of traits that makes PBIS incentives for middle school students especially effective. And because they're straddling that gap between childhood and the teen years, incentives that work for both younger and older students work well for middle grades, too.

Do you have some incentives for middle school students that work well for your classroom but aren't on this list? Share it and we'll add it to the list!

Incentives for Middle School Students

Oh yes! This creative idea is what you think. A Teacher vs. Student Beanboozled® Jelly Belly jelly bean challenge. Make this a public challenge for your classroom or challenge the pricinpal at an assembly.

Proceed with caution. Some of these flavors are out right disgusting!

Price: Inexpensive

Category: Privilege

Submitted by: Rachel Brooks (Moline, IL)

Students can participate in a canvas painting party.

See pictures from Rise Academy's canvas party on Twitter.

Price: $5 or More

Category: Privilege

Submitted by: Rise Academy, Covington, GA

Choose Video Conferencing Virtual Background

Student chooses the virtual background the teacher will use during video conferencing with the class

Price: Free

Category: Privilege

Students can enter into a monthly drawing/raffle to win a Door Dash lunch delivery.

In distance learning, this can be delivered to their home, instead of to them at the school.

Price: $5 or More

Category: Tangible

Submitted by: Esperanza Soria (Wrenn Middle School, TX)

A schoolwide PBIS celebration. Group student to match the number of rooms you have and have them work together to solve puzzles to find the next clue. Find all the clues in within the time limit to save the day.

Check on this post on Instagram.

Price: Inexpensive

Category: Privilege

Submitted by: Katie Ritchie, Oglesby Washington Jr. High (IL)

A game of "reality" Hungry Hungry Hippos. Students are rolled into the ball area to fetch and retrieve balloons with a laundry basket. Game(s) could be played tournament style or as a single.

Watch a video.

Price: Inexpensive

Category: Privilege

Submitted by: Donny Sikora, Warren Woods Middle School (MI)

Students enjoy a limo ride and lunch.

Check it out on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/BSkPrLaBP_D/

Price: $5 or More

Category: Privilege

Submitted by: Madison Elementary School (Marshfield, WI)

Teachers can create personalized backgrounds for students based on the qualities they wish to recognize.

This is easy to do using Canva, a digital product/print creating platform that has a free upgrade for educators. Educators can use already created Zoom templates and individualize them to match the student.

Price: Free

Category: Recognition
Value:
Submitted by: Tiffany Garbiso (Santa Ana High School)

Student(s) can redeem this rewards and get a fun, silly, or energetic photo ( or video) with their friends that is shared by the teacher or school. This could even be shared via social media by the school, PBIS team, or teachers.

See example on Instagram

Price: Free

Category: Privilege
Value:
Submitted by: Mrs. Ashton, Rio Vista Elementary in Anaheim, CA

Spirit Week

Participate in a Spirit Day activity, i.e.:

Elementary:  Monday - Wear Pajamas, Tuesday - Crazy Hair, Wednesday - Crazy Socks, Thursday - Dress Like Your Teacher, Friday - Hat Day

Secondary: Monday - Wear Pajamas, Tuesday - Wear School Colors, Wednesday - Crazy Socks, Thursday - College Gear, Friday - Hat Day  Being on time for video lessons

Price: Free

Category: Privilege

Spoon Balancing Challenge

Students can challenge the teacher or other students with the spoon balancing challenge. Place the spoon on the bridge of your nose so that the handle is pointing down towards the floor and whoever can get the spoon to stay on their nose for the longest period of time wins!

In distance learning, this can be adjusted to be during a Zoom/Classroom video session.

Price: Free

Category: Privilege
Value:

Turkey Trot

Teachers dressed as turkeys run a race against the students. See the story and photos here.

Price: $5 or More

Category: Privilege

Share Your Incentives for Middle School Students

Do you have an incentive idea for middle school students that would be a great addition to our list?
Share Your Idea
Here are some related articles you may find interesting:

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PBIS Incentives for Middle School Students

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This list of incentives for middle school students is a great asset for your PBIS program and schoolwide PBIS implementation.

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22 PBIS Reward Ideas | Classroom & School-Wide Incentives

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Explore 22 PBIS rewards ideas for individual students, classrooms, and school-wide incentives. Find success in teaching students positive classroom behaviors.

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4 Ways to Use Rewards and Prizes to Encourage Your Preschoolers

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The preschool classroom is a lively, bustling place. It’s filled with 4- and 5-year-olds trying to navigate the world around them and being met with a multitude of positive and negative behaviors. Teachers strive to create a safe, respectful environment for both teachers and students. For this reason, it’s important to

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22 PBIS Reward Ideas | Classroom & School-Wide Incentives

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Explore 22 PBIS rewards ideas for individual students, classrooms, and school-wide incentives. Find success in teaching students positive classroom behaviors.

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This Ultimate List of PBIS Incentives contains over 350 items to inspire your PBIS rewards program. Sort by tangible, recognition, or privilege.

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Total Chaos

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In my classroom I like to give clear expectations by providing the rules and procedures for entering the classroom, classroom daily interactions and activities, and even exiting the classroom.

1. Refer back to or repeat the rule

2. Take a privilege or reward

3. Contact parent

4. Referral to office

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Classroom  Rule Consequences When Broken

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Classroom  Rule Consequences When Broken

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1. Name on board/sticky note - warning

2. Check mark 1 - 5 minute recess loss

3. Check mark 2 - 10 minute recess loss

4. Check mark 3 - Call parent/Complete loss of recess

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write name on paper

take away activity

silent lunch

conference with parent

No PBIS

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1. Verbal warning

2. Move clip

3. No activity/recess

4. Phone call home

5. Principal

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In the beginning of the school year, I will create a very direct system as such as giving a warning, sit desk in the hallway, call the principal if bad behavior remains, then call parent.

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1st attempt - verbal warning

2nd attempt - pull child to side

3rd attempt - no recess

Anything after call that child parent

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Name on board - first ofense

Checkmark beside name - 2nd offense

Silent lunch - 3rd offense

Reflection sheet - 4th offense

Call or school status parent -5th offense

Write up - principal's office

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Warning

First offence-move clip,take away activity time

Second offence-teacher student conference, no recess

Third offence-parent contact, communicate with principal to let them know about parent contact

Fourth offence- office referal...

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Clear expectations, rules, and consequences posted.

I use proximity and sticky notes to communicate with them.

1st offense - warning/look

2nd - conference

3rd - loss of privaledge

4th - call home

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On the first offense student will get a verbal warning

Second offense student will loose 5 mins of recess or no snacks

Third offense student will call his/her parent(s)

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1. Verbal warning

2. Student-Teacher conference and written contract

3. Loss of privilege

4. Parent Contact and written contract with parent signature

5. Principal

I just say that's a warning or you're on number 2

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1st - is a warning (i'll say after class) we talk after class abd try to fix the problem

2nd - if it contuines then i contact the parent

3rd - we talk to the princple with the parent

4th - you get written up

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When/If my students break a rule, I write their names on a piece of paper and look at them.

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When/If my students break a rule, I write their names on a piece of paper and look at them.

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1. Verberal warning

2. Clip Down

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I have a calming voice.

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I choose the vocabulary I use wisely, and define it as I go.