Choosing the perfect online teaching reward system can be overwhelming as a VIPKID teacher. As you see photos of what others are using on social media you wonder if you have enough and hopelessly keep printing and gathering more without a plan. It’s OK – we all started out the same way. After 3 years teaching ESL online I now have a full year of reward systems planned and ready to go. Today I’ll share my planning approach and include a free printable so that you can get organized for July.
SEASONAL BACKGROUND
To get ready for July, the first step for my classroom is a seasonal background. I use an oil drip pan like this one. I sprayed it with matte spray paint to avoid glare from my classroom lighting. I attached it to the wall using heavy duty velcro command strips. About once a year I touch up the paint from magnet wear and tear but it has been such a time saver for me and I can’t imagine ever changing my classroom background again.
The whiteboard, teacher name, and feedback sign stay in place all year. I add these easy seasonal letters to keep my background seasonal and I change them once a month. They can work as flashcards and props while keeping my classroom organized and seasonal.
Print your full year set today. Cut, laminate, add magnets on the back and never be scrambling for a seasonal classroom decor solution again. I would love to see a picture of these letters in your classroom – tag me on Instagram @cookfamilyresources.
SEASONAL
Next, I choose a seasonal reward for each week of the month.
WEEK 1
I will be using this Build A Scene Reward System. We begin with a background and add a piece of the picture every 5 minutes when the student earns a star or a gem in the classroom. At the end of the class we have a picture to talk about for authentic free talk and cultural extension about the 4th of July holiday and fireworks in their culture. This is an outstanding resource to help with fast finishers and upper level students but I assure you seasonal rewards are appreciated by the families of our lower level students as well. When you share culture in your classroom, you begin a conversation and expose them to something special on the other side of the world. Just because they don’t have the English abilities to talk with you about it during that 25 minutes doesn’t mean they don’t talk with their parents about it after class.
WEEK 2
I will be dressing up in fun sunglasses. I have 10 pairs on my desk in a large bowl and every 5 minutes when we stop for a star or gem, students are given a choice between two pairs.
I will wear the pair they choose for the next 5 minutes of class and then offer a new choice when I give the next star or gem. This is a visible reward system that makes students smile and couldn’t be easier for me to manage as a teacher.
WEEK 3
I will return to another Build A Scene Reward System because I know they help me use all 25 minutes of classroom time wisely. This week I will use a camping scene to talk with students about their camping experience and what types of summer vacation activities they do outdoors.
WEEK 4
I keep things simple by awarding stars in a summer theme. We can learn a few new summer vocabulary words along the way that they may be encountering in their seasonal conversations. If you love these stars as much as I do make sure you are following Teacher Lauren on Instagram @vipkidteacher_laurenrobertson
STAPLES
After I prepare a seasonal reward for each week, I choose a staple reward for each week. These are tried and true reward systems that work for all ages and genders. I can expand upon our conversations easily for the students who need that level of challenge and I can add them to my whiteboard quickly for students who need to keep moving through the content slides.
WEEK 1
I will use KFC. If you haven’t used Kentucky Fried Chicken in your classroom yet, try it out. I give them a choice of a piece of chicken or a side at each 5 minute interval and we build a meal together. They learn a few new vocabulary words and we get to talk about foods we like and don’t like together.
WEEK 2
This week you will see Hello Kitty in my classroom. It amazes me how my youngest learners love Hello Kitty but this same reward can also spark joy for a pre-teen student. I also used this reward system for my GoGoKid interview so that is a special personal memory for me during the week that I use Hello Kitty.
WEEK 3
I love when teachers tag @cookfamilyresources on Instagram to show all the creative ways they use this FREE Penguin Family reward system. My shy, nervous students always loosen up and laugh to see their family members in penguin form. I reach for my penguin family members all the time when teaching grammar, pronouns, singular, plural, etc. I also use them as props in the Voice of VIPKID lesson about family. In July, I use them formally as a reward system and it always brings smiles from the whole family.
WEEK 4
In the final week of July, I use these soccer balls which gives me an opportunity to have the conversation about who calls this sport soccer and who calls it football. It is really important to me that all 25 minutes of my class time is spent with great purpose on their English learning journey.
STRETCH
Finally, I add a type of reward system that I’ve never used before. Maybe I saw a great idea on Facebook or Instagram recently. . . but I’m nervous, not knowing if it will work well in my classroom. Every month I choose one to try. Maybe I can practice it with a regular student who is ready for a twist or with an upper level student who I know has enough English language that we can work through any bumps in the road with the help of a tiny bit of extra incidental language. Although using a stretch reward is harder for my mind as a teacher during class, sometimes it pays off and I find a new favorite to add to my rotation.
In July, I will be embracing stickers. I’ll be wearing them on my face, adding them to my sunglasses, and even decorating a sign with the student’s name with some stickers.
I keep my July decor and rewards all in one box. Each week on my desk you will see my trial props and rewards (I never put them away), a seasonal reward, a staple reward, and a stretch reward. At the end of the weekend, I can put 3 rewards back into the box and take out the next 3.
Print out your FREE July organizer and fill in your favorite rewards. Laminate the chart and write on it with a wet erase marker so that you can change your plan over the years as needed. If you take 10 minutes once a month to make these boxes, your future self will thank you next year when you don’t have to print anything new or think what you will use for class tomorrow.
Are you a teacher who prefers Digital rewards? Teacher Dawn has a great idea for a FREE digital reward option for your July classroom. Subscribe to her channel for great digital teaching tips for both GoGoKid and VIPKID. She also made the amazing t-shirt you see in my pictures in today’s post – head over to her store to check out all of her shirts.
