I need some scoreboard incentives ideas for High or Middle school students. I don't want to have to reinvent the wheel.

I have the following so far:

1. Banking time for game day.
2. Leave class on time...
3. Homework...
4. Work in class with the person of their choice....
5. Extra Credit...
6. 1 Minute time...
7. Bank Music time....

Looks like a great list to me! I'd only add Mind Soccer (see free downloads). In addition, if you want more games, Google Fred Jones, preferred activities time, on the Internet ... you'll find lots more games there.

Try using Mind Soccer as an Instant Game. If the kids get ahead of you on the Scoreboard by two or three points, your choice, they can stop whatever you are doing and play an Instant Game- five minutes of Mind Soccer.

The students love it. They feel a sense of control, but you are still going to use the material you are going over anyway as the basis for you questions.

Love it...

I am so happy I found this site. I teach 7th grade English Language Arts. This is my first year teaching, and I wish I could have started this at the beginning of the year. While my current classroom management plan is working for 95 % of my students, after state testing my students seem to think school is over. I plan on using Whole Brain Teaching next year, but my only concern is the incentives for the scoreboard. I never like to use homework as a punishment/reward. In addition, my school has a strict homework policy. I know this is an old post, but if anyone could explain the other incentives listed I would truly appreciate it. Thanks!

Any learning game will do ... of course, we favor Mind Soccer ... Fred Jones has many learning games, many are based on sports ... Google his name and let us know how they work. Also, see the list below by clrnbowdoin.

My question about ScoreBoard use is how to start off. (I teach 9th grade Physics First) On my first day, I'm getting the impression that I should NOT let the class "win." (To show I'm serious about it). Is that right? Still, I should have some sort of consequence/reward up there. I know Chris suggested using "more homework" vs. "less homework" but I don't think that would work for me. First, I don't assign homework every night - usually only twice, maybe 3 times per week. And it's usually only 10 problems or so. Would it really be effective motivation for them if they could knock off only 1 or two problems? (I'm skeptical, but I know you say they'll work REALLY hard to avoid even just a LITTLE bit of work!)

Plus, their homework on the first day is to take home a parent letter outlining my expectations for the class that they must get signed. And I tell them at the BEGINNING of the class that they MUST do it, so I can't really hold out the "less homework" carrot on that first day.

So, I'm thinking I have three workable options:
1) Let them work for some sort of immediate (end-of-the-period) reward - like listening to music for a minute during their "exit ticket" work (but not let them win the first day

2) Keeping a running tab through the next day, to be applied to the NEXT homework assignment, whenever that might be..

3) Keep a running tab to be applied to an end-of-the-week fun activity.

I guess what I'm really asking is whether I should be using short-term (same-day) or longer-term rewards to start off? What has worked best for you all?

- Jen

In college I use "extra credit" and "dextra credit" ... I say, "all my classes at the end of the semester end up with some extra credit. The classes that work the hardest, logically enough, earn the most extra credit. What I mean by working hard, on this first day, is quickly and energetically following my directions. Tell your neighbors what I just said ... oh, that wasn't fast enough! You just got one point dextra credit ... groan loud ... oh, that wasn't loud enough! You got another point dextra credit. Groan really loud! Great, you got a point extra credit. Clap your hands two times REALLY FAST! Great, you got another point extra credit."

At this point they are hooked. And note, the score is now even. Let them lose by one point the first day, come out even the second day, and win one point the third day. DO NOT USE THE MUSIC REWARD UNTIL LATER IN THE SEMESTER. When you have homework, switch to one problem more or less homework. Yes, everyone will work really hard to avoid a little bit of work.

Thanks, Chris!

I can't really hold out the offer of extra credit, as my Admin absolutely FORBIDS it, schoolwide (as they also do giving grades/credit for "completion" or "class participation"). We do have a schoolwide reward system of "merits" that I can use as incentives as well, and I'm thinking of incorporating those, somehow, into the ScoreBoard Game. But it takes awhile for my freshmen to realize the value of these, so maybe I'll keep that for later.

I guess I'll go with more/less homework scheme to start, even if it only means knocking a problem or two off their assignment... They do moan and groan even when I give them ONLY 10 problems - to them it seems like a hundred, apparently, so maybe they WILL work hard to avoid one or two...

Also, I forgot to mention that I teach semester-long, double-block classes. I will take your advice to heart about not progressing too quickly, though I only have to stretch my variations out for 5 months instead of 10.

Thanks again. I am SO excited to try your techniques this September. I think they will be a HUGE help especially when running labs.

- Jen

This is my second year using WBT, and my 11 year teaching in general. I teach 7th & 8th grade science. I use the more/less homework. Sometimes I let the students pick which problem(s) to cross off their homework if they are ahead, sometimes I choose or just shorten a list of vocab. I occasionally have a long term reward for something like picking their own seat for a period (or part of a period). I found long term goals difficult for me to keep track of and keep the motivation going because of my schedule. It's a block schedule, so I only see the same class every other day. And I teach 7 different classes. I much prefer having a reward for that day so I don't have to have an extra chart for 7 different classes and how many points each has accumulated.

Further into the year, I start playing for no homework more often. Here's the thing though- I offer that as the reward on days that I didn't plan to offer homework anyways. I always write some assignment on the board (usually some boring questions out of the textbook so I don't have to copy a worksheet I don't want to use). Just in case the class is obnoxious, I want to be ready with their "homework." But they work extra hard when it's the all-or-nothing reward of no homework. I hope that makes sense. Don't just "give" them no homework. Make them work for it!

Another thing that worked well for me was playing music during labs. The students LOVE having music on during class and labs are the perfect time for it. I know a lot of people only allow them to earn a few minutes of music or bank their time to have a lot of minutes. I find it hard to keep up with points in the middle of a lab. I tend to just not mark many points. So instead I started doing lots of points and teach-oks during directions for the lab. If they were ahead when it was time to start the lab, I would turn on the music. My scoreboard turned into "Keep the DJ Happy!" My scoreboard/whiteboard is magnetic and I stuck a music note on a magnet. Every 15 minutes (it's an 80 minute period) I'd slide the music note to the "happy face" or the "sad face" part of the board to indicate how I, the DJ, was feeling. I was "happy" if students were behaving/working well on the lab. During that 15 minutes I could move the music note closer or farther from the center line to let them see if they were getting close to losing music for the upcoming 15 minutes. It only took me turning off the music in the middle of class a couple of times for them to get the idea. After that labs were so smooth, great participation, on task, etc because no one wants the music to go off, even for 15 minutes.

Amy Kirshen

Love the music ide Amy.

I want to be in your science lab class where were you when I was young (and that was a long time ago, but I feel young enough to hum along with your lab kids).