In our classroom, we use various positive reinforcement strategies. One of them is called 'quiet critters,' designed to encourage positive behavior. The quiet critters come out when students are working quietly, but if they hear noise, they return to their jar. They'll only come back when the class is silent again, reinforcing the value of quiet focus.

• The Stratton School participates in a positive behavior system that emphasizes and rewards the positive actions taken by students.  Students are recognized and rewarded in a number of ways:

  • Star Student Tickets - distributed by all staff to recognize positive student behavior (each homeroom or special education teacher AND each special area teacher will give out at least one Stratton Star Ticket each day).

    • Students bring these strips back to their homeroom and place them in a star container.

    • Teachers draw a student's name weekly from collected strips for “Star of the Week.” 

    • Teachers write the student name and the character quality the student has exhibited on a star(provided) and send the star to the Main Office to be posted on the wall outside of the Main Office.

    • Weekly Stars are announced during the Monday morning announcements. 

    • The weekly collection of strips are brought to the Main Office each Friday and placed in the “PBSIS Fish Tank”.  When the tickets reach a certain level the entire school will earn special events/activities.

    • Monthly Prize Drawing - Each month 10 students will be selected from collected star tickets and be given the opportunity to spin the prize wheel for a special incentive.

From October through May, two 1st-grade students (one boy and one girl) and two 2nd-grade students (one boy and one girl) are selected each month for demonstrating all-around excellence. These students are honored at a monthly Board of Education meeting, and their pictures are displayed on the 'Stellar Comet Board' at the school entrance.

We also use the 'We Bloom Together' system, which is easy to organize. I display everything on the whiteboard, with the class-voted reward at the center of the flower.