|
HEALTHY INCENTIVES/REWARDS
Elementary | Middle | High Rewards for students are often food or party-related. Not only can such rewards become boring—these are not always healthy rewards. It is easy and inexpensive to use food as a reward, but such a reward can contribute to health problems and even promote eating disorders. And research has found that when food without nutritional value is presented as a reward, students may learn to prefer unhealthy food. When rewarding children or celebrating with them, try some of the non-food incentives below. Elementary Students• Having ten minutes extra at recess • Wearing socks in class • Eating lunch with a friend • Scribbling at lunch—cover the students’ table with butcher paper, and give them crayons to color their “tablecloth.” • Spending time in an astro-jump • Making deliveries to the office, sitting by friends, playing a favorite game • School supplies • Paperback books • Show-and-tell • Homework pass One more idea for a healthy incentive for elementary students was one that was suggested by a principal as an incentive to exercise and as a student reward. This principal offered students the reward of walking around a track with her at recess. The principal offered foot-shaped zipper pulls to the students who walked with her. The students could trade ten small zipper pulls for a large key chain or keep the zipper pulls to be worn like charms on a bracelet. This incentive/reward program was a big hit! Middle School• Sitting with friends, listening to music, taking a chat break • Reduced homework • Extra credit • Computer time • Assemblies • Field trips • Eat lunch outside High School• Extra credit • Reduced homework • Coupons to video stores, music stores, and/or movie theaters • Longer lunch time “Rewards can be abused and overused. Too often students come to expect something in return for behavior or good grades when in reality they should do the behavior for its intrinsic value.” —Middle School Teacher |
Individual Learning Plan
|
|
15th District PTA - 319 South 15th Street - Louisville, KY 40203 - (502) 485-3535 |