Mystery Student

Description

What Is It?

Mystery Student is a fair and practical class wide incentive strategy that targets specific behaviors. Use the Mystery Student strategy when there is a specific behavior of concern that more than 20% of the students repeatedly exhibit

Why Use It?

This is a strategy that can be used to increase situationally appropriate behavior in the classroom.

Instructional Steps:

1. Randomly select one student by drawing a name from a hat.

2. Announce the expected behavior:

  • Stay on task

  • Fast transitions

  • Ignoring disruptions

3. The Mystery Student is the name drawn from the hat.

4. Put the name, without peeking, in an envelope and seal it.

5. Keep track of students who meet the stated behavior

  • Tally on post-it-notes

  • Keep track on a seating chart

  • Use a class roster

6. About 6 minutes prior to the end of class, open the sealed envelope.

  • If the Mystery Student met the expectations, then announce the student’s name. The whole class receives the stated reward, such as the last five minutes for personal time.

  • If the Mystery Student did not meet the expectation, then re-seal the name in the envelope and use the last 5 minutes to discuss the behavior.

Quick Tips

  • On the first day of implementation, it is important that the mystery student is successful, as this will build buy in from the students.

  • Only for the first time, rig the drawing – put the same name on each slip of paper in the hat. Choose a student who is likely to be successful (not the most well-behaved student).

  • Consider role-playing both inappropriate and appropriate behaviors

  • Provide a rationale for the expected behavior to improve classroom environment

Resources

Did you know?

  • For more information about this strategy, contact your campus' MTSS coach.