I started using reward tags a couple of years ago. At first I was dabbling, using the usual: first day of, monthly icons, character ed, attendance, etc... However, last year my tags took an unexpected turn.
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| Start with the basics! |
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Multiplication Reward Tags.
Students earn a tag for each factor. |
At the beginning of the year I explain the tags and the Class Dojo. Then, I connect them. Once a student has entered the Class Dojo, they earn a tag for their chain. It's a great motivator for the students and the bonus is that families are linked in and can see what's happening in the classroom.
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| Offering a tag for connecting to your digital platform is a great motivator! |
Without a lot of forethought I put up a weekend challenge that asked students to clean their room. If they did so, and posted a picture to our Class Dojo, they would earn a Reward Tag on Monday morning. The students loved the challenge! I was surprised by how many were willing to complete the task and post to our Dojo. I am not sure which facet was the ultimate motivator: the tech or the tag. But I decided to keep going.
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I wrote the Challenges on the Homework Board each Friday.
Then, I would take a picture and post in the Class Dojo. |
Over time, I started to get more organized and creative. Weekend Challenges became family affairs. My goal was to create challenges that were seasonal/timely, required minimal time, and cost little or no money. Parents started to comment on the challenges and Monday mornings included some fun story telling.
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| I would also create graphics to post in the Dojo. |
My students keep their Reward Tags on a chain stored in the classroom. At the end of the school year they get to take home the chain and the items attached to it. While most of the items on the chains are the brag tags, I occasionally use charms from Fitness Finders. If only a handful of students complete the challenge, I will reward with a charm instead of a tag. I don't tell the students which weeks will be a tag versus a charm because I don't know the number of participants before Monday morning.
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| A crazy blend of tags and charms! |
To help me stay organized, I plan out tags a few weeks in advance. I prefer to print, laminate, and cut in bulk. For storage, I keep the tags (and charms) grouped and in a plastic compartment bin. The bin you use may differ from others' depending on the size of your tags.
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Print, print, print.
Laminate, laminate, laminate.
Cut, cut, cut. |
The printing and cutting isn't so horrible. The lamination is another story. I have a small laminator in my classroom. But, the reality is, lamination costs money and takes time. So this year I am trying something different.
Instead of using chains and tags (which require lamination to endure the school year), I have created a "Reward Tag Cache" sheet. Each sheet will hold 10 Reward Tags. Students will keep their sheet in their folders. Once they have earned a tag, students will glue them onto their sheets. This will eliminate two things: the need for chains and the need for lamination! Students will need more that one cache sheet so I will print them two sided. Hopefully, the idea of filling a cache and needing another one will be an additional motivation for the students!
You can find a freebie sample of September Reward and the Reward Tag Cache sheet here:
The September Tags include:
Best Book
Family Walk
Game Night
Spiffy Room
Favorite Subject
Sheets are designed with 15 tags per sheet. For my class size, I need to print two copies of each sheet. I am offering them in color and black and white. So, if you don't have access to a color printer, or want to save on ink, you can print the black/white tags on colored paper to add a bit of color to your tags. Alternatively, if you decide to use the Reward Tag Cache, you can print on white paper (or card stock) and have students color in their tag!
Additional Resources and Ideas for You and Your Classroom
Click below to be directed to:
Multiplication Facts: The Superhero Challenge (resource that includes directions, probes, posters, student progress monitoring chart, tags)
Click below to read more about how I use Class Dojo in my classroom:
How to Create the Best Home/School Connection With Just One App
I hope you find incorporating Reward Tags into your classroom to be as rewarding as I have. Enjoy!