As a VIPKID teacher, choosing the perfect reward system for the next day can be daunting. You print and gather and soon have a messy classroom and feel no more prepared for the next day of class. It’s OK – we all started in the same place! 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 share a free printable so that you can get organized for May.
SEASONAL BACKGROUND
To get ready for May, 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 but it has been a game changer.
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
My students’ eyes light up when they see this Dragon Boat Race reward system in the classroom. They love seeing that I know about their culture and it opens up an opportunity for them to be the teacher and share their plans and traditions with me. A simple build a scene reward system is easy for me to manage and works for students of all ages and genders so it is a staple in my classroom in May.
WEEK 2
When I share about Memorial Day I always connect it to the Tomb Sweeping Festival. We talk about how we honor people after they have died and remember loved ones together. I can teach about parades and grilling and the start of summer but this simple reward system often ends in a deeper cultural connection about loved ones who we miss. Parents always appreciate these short moments when I go beyond the lesson slides to share culture in an authentic way and this reward system makes it quick and easy for me to do.
WEEK 3
Don’t be afraid to use the same background for multiple classes. This sunny day gets me so excited for summer and I love to share my favorite frozen treats in May. Students love to talk about ice cream but older students may be able to talk about popsicles and snow-cones and other frozen treats that they look forward to in the summer. A simple reward system can help to keep conversations seasonal and fresh.
WEEK 4
That same background can also be the start of a fashion show with sunglasses. I always have a bowl of sunglasses on my desk and many students will run to grab a pair to wear once they see the first pair of sunglasses added to this simple reward system. What an easy way to start talking about what we wear in the summer.
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 them to use expand upon our conversation for the students who need that and I can add them to my whiteboard quickly for students who need to keep moving through the content slides.
WEEK 1
If you haven’t tried singing a few bars of Baby Shark in class, you are missing out on some big smiles from your students. While it may get stuck in your head, your class will be memorable for families and that leads to feedback and rebooking so I think the risk is worth it.
WEEK 2
I use these pigs when talking about singular and plural but I keep a pile of them for a reward system at the start of summer. I love to ask students what they love to do in the summer once the weather gets warm. We share our favorite activities to do alone and also with others. We talk about what we do in the summer with our friends and also with our families. These pigs make both the teacher and student smile and offer familiar vocabulary practice in an engaging and fun way.
WEEK 3
Just as I kept things simple with the summer sun background, I use this festive cupcake background for multiple classes because I have plenty of cupcakes for students to choose from.
WEEK 4
If you have a student who doesn’t seem excited to earn cupcakes for an additional class, try placing a cupcake on the background for the FIRST item and then grabbing a different prop from the lesson for a moment of comedy. Reward system time is really a brain break in my classroom so use these ideas as just a starting point.
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. 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 a 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.
SPINNER
This month I am turning my classroom into a game show by using SPINNERS as reward systems. If you don’t already have a spinner, take a look at this one and see some great ideas below on how to use spinners in your classroom.
I keep my May 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 May 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.
