Tokens are a bad idea

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Home : 2004 : July : 22

Tokens are a bad idea
By Kiersten

I've worked w/ grade levels (K-5) (both as a sub and regular teacher)and the token/ticket thing gets really out of control. You will spend so much time trying to figure out who gets what and when that it takes time out from
teaching, believe me, I've tried. This is the system that worked best for me, a group/individual one. With the group, you have a candy dish and at the end of the day, you put in a certain amount of candy based on your assessment of how the whole class behavior was (4 for excellent, 3 for good, 2 for needs work, and 1 for a really tough day). I also took out a few candies if the class

was really out of order at a particular time (didn't happen very often.) Then for the individual, I used the changing of the card system (which is based on consequences only): green for first step, yellow=2nd, orange=3rd, red=4th-consequences were loss of recess, note home to parent, parent conference, etc. Each day, the cards started back at green. The reward for staying on green was intrinsic-students wouldn't get negative consequences if they were good-good luck whatever you choose....