I’ve been working with kids since I was eleven. (Yes, I know I was just a kid then too, but my neighbor hired me to help out with her two boys under the age of three when she was pregnant with her third.) I loved those kids and learned a lot from them. I’m not sure when I figured out that kids respond better to positive reinforcement than to punishment, but I’m guessing it was at some point when I was working with that family! Their mom was a teacher too and I’m sure that impacted how she interacted with her kids.
Years later, I earned an MEd in elementary education and entered my first classroom as a 5th grade teacher. I loved my students even though some of the other teachers were quick to inform me that I had more than my fair share of the “tough” kids. Once again, I relied on encouraging positive behavior by recognizing it and rewarding it. My school had a very tight budget, so many of the rewards had to be non-tangible things like verbal praise and special privileges.
Are you looking to find a way to create positive behavior support with your own kids?
Whether you are looking to encourage positive behavior with your kids at home or you’re a teacher in a classroom, here are a few things you can do to help encourage positive behavior.
Lead by example.
Kids are amazingly observant and I’m still always surprised by how little they miss. They are always watching you and taking mental notes on what you do. You can’t very well ask them to always be honest if they are seeing you telling untruths left and right. Want them to always give their best effort? You’d better make sure that you are doing the same.
Give positive feedback immediately.
While adults may react well to positive feedback received hours after a task is completed, kids are very different. The younger the child, the more immediate the positive reinforcement needs to be. Even if the only immediate reward you can give is a kind word or a thumbs up, do it!
Downplay negative behavior.
Yes, there are going to be times when you are going to have to address behavior that is less than stellar. Try not to spend too much time focused on the negative behavior. Explain what was wrong with it, what behavior or response you would have preferred, and enact a consequence if needed. Children crave attention and will often do whatever is needed to obtain it, positive or negative. Make it easier for them to receive attention through positive behavior and you will get more of it.
Reward positive behavior.
I know a lot of adults struggle with this one. They feel like they are “bribing” kids to do what they should already be doing without any reward. I’m sure you can make a valid argument for that point of view, but the fact is that rewards work. They don’t have to be huge rewards – there’s no need to spend a lot of money or be overly elaborate. Just a small token is often enough. My 5th graders used to work toward a class movie party. They would have to collect 100 stones in a jar to earn the party and I would often point out moments when everyone was doing what I had asked them to do (working silently or picking up the floor at the end of the day) and drop a stone or two into the jar while pointing out the positive behavior. This worked wonders and was a cheap and easy way for me to give a “reward”.
Some children respond better to rewards that they can physically touch and keep. The Teacher Rewards Kit from Walmart gives you a variety of items like stickers, certificates and bookmarks that you can use to provide an instant reward for your kiddos whether you are teaching, coaching, or even just trying to encourage more positive behavior around the home.
The Teacher Rewards Kit can be found in the school supply area of your local Walmart and only costs around $10! I love the superhero theme that is attractive both boys and girls and will appeal to any age. As someone who knows how busy teachers are (especially at this time of year), I also love that this kit does not require any printing, cutting or punching out of items. Just open the box and they are ready to go!
Extra tip: Know a teacher who is great at creating positive behavior support in their classrooms? This would make a great gift for them!!
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