Bright Ideas Blog Hop: Mystery Motivators

Welcome to next stop on the Bright Ideas Blog Hop! 

Thanks, Gina for the warm welcome! I hope you enjoyed reading her post on easy ways to collect papers. :) Today I'm going to be blogging all about my new favorite behavior management tip, mystery motivators! 

This year my teaching partner and I have a student who has been extremely hard to motivate to make good choices.  All our tried and true tips and tricks have failed and we were desperate to find something that worked to motivate this student to make better choices, so we could teach. 

We consulted our administration, who are FABULOUS, and they suggested we give our student a motivation survey.  We found that peer approval motivates our student and we started brainstorming peer approval rewards to motivate our student to make appropriate choices.  

We decided to have our student work towards a treat that the whole class could enjoy as a reward for his good behavior.  He earns things like a special snack for the class, going to recess 10 minutes early once a week, extra computer lab time, etc.  

To keep him on track, we came up with three things we wanted him to work on and then broke up our day into nine sections.  If he is successful in meeting his goals during each section of his day, he gets a star.  Each week, we determine the number of stars he needs to earn a treat for the class.  

He was initially excited about this but it wasn't working.  He'd not earn a few stars, and then automatically think "Why bother, I'm never going to earn _____ stars?"

Our principal suggested the concept of a mystery motivator as a reward for making good choices at the end of each day for earning a certain number of stars. We have started out low, 5/9 stars, but will increase the number of stars he needs to earn as his behavior improves.  We sat down with our student and brainstormed things he'd like to receive as a reward for making good choices at the end of each day. It was important that HE come up with this list so HE felt motivated.  It was important for us that they be free and easy to implement since he would get a reward each day he met his goal. Our student's list of motivators is below.  

He carries his behavior chart and mystery motivator envelope back and forth between his two classes.  Before the day begins, I slip a slip of paper with one of his mystery motivators written on it inside the envelope.  I try to rotate them out so he doesn't get board with them.  At the end of the day, if he reaches his daily goal, he gets to open the envelope.  He likes it because it's a surprise and a present he gets to open at the end of the day. It also helps us build a more positive relationship with us as well.  

Opening his mystery motivator has become a special moment for my student, as well as for the rest of the class.  They are always excited to see what he earned for making good choices that day.  

I am proud to report that last week, our student earned a treat for the class. So I let him choose a special snack for the class.  He chose fruit snacks, and I was happy to buy them!

He also reached his weekly goal on Friday, so the class will get to enjoy a special treat next week as well.  

I hope you enjoyed reading how mystery motivators have been a difference maker in my classroom this year.  Mystery Motivators could also work has a whole class incentive for making good choices as well, especially if you use the WBT Scoreboard System! :) 

For another bright idea, hop on over to The Second Grade Surprise.  Jeannie is sharing a bright idea on keeping students quiet in the hallway. :) 

For even MORE bright ideas, feel free to hop along the links below.  I know I will be after I pour my first cup of coffee! :)

You can also check out more bright ideas on our collaborative Pinterest board {here}! :) 

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