Rewarding Excellence: Creative Incentives for High School Students

Motivating high school students requires a shift from extrinsic to intrinsic motivation, but strategic incentives can play a crucial role in managing behavior and fostering a positive learning environment. While high schoolers strive for independence, structure remains essential. Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) offers a framework for encouraging positive behavior and academic success.

The Power of Positive Reinforcement

Positive reinforcement is a method for encouraging students to follow directions. It is an effective way to manage disruptive behavior in school. When students are rewarded for exemplifying desired behaviors at school, class engagement will improve, teachers build rapport with students, and the students themselves will be excited to come to school each day. Investing time in setting up these incentives will help you eliminate problematic behaviors over the long term.

Reward Systems and Their Implementation

One approach involves a raffle ticket system where students earn tickets for being on task and can redeem them at a "shop" on Fridays for various rewards. These rewards can be tailored to fit the needs and interests of the students and can be fully editable.

Another strategy involves reward sheets. Each student receives a sheet, and the teacher signs off each time a reward is earned. This method is designed to last several weeks and is easier than using coupons.

Low-Cost and No-Prep Incentives

Many effective rewards require minimal preparation and are virtually free. These options can be particularly appealing for teachers looking to motivate students without breaking the bank.

Read also: Unlock Travel Rewards as a Student

Reward Coupons

Reward coupons offer a tangible way to acknowledge positive behavior and academic effort. These coupons can be easily printed and distributed, and they can be customized to include a variety of rewards.

Examples of no-cost rewards include:

Choose a playlist: Allowing students to select the music played during work time.
Smart Board operator: Giving students the opportunity to use the Smart Board for educational activities.
Choose your own seat: Permitting students to select their preferred seating arrangement.
Missing Work Pass: Granting students an extension on a missed assignment.
Raise a Grade Coupon: Providing an opportunity to improve a grade.

Classroom Management Tools

Easy Choir Reward Incentives are simple classroom management tools designed for middle and high school chorus. This product contains printable rewards that can be quickly handed out in class as a way to motivate and engage your students in rehearsal. This product includes: Choir Cash: Printable pages of one, five, ten and twenty dollar bills in two different sizes. Use colored paper for each denomination for easy organization.Choir Incentive Coupons: Includes 24 ready-made coupons with fun rewards.

Editable Reward Templates

Editable reward templates allow teachers to customize incentives to suit their specific classroom needs. These templates can be used to create coupons or passes that offer unique rewards.

Age-Appropriate PBIS Incentives

Positive Behavioral Supports and Interventions (PBIS) is a framework for encouraging students to behave well in school and can make strategic use of incentives. Here are some PBIS incentives that are perfect for high school students:

Jeans day: If the school has a uniform policy, a jeans pass allows students to wear school-appropriate jeans for a day.
Late homework pass: Provides flexibility for students with busy schedules.
Move seats: Allows students to choose their seat for a class period, promoting a sense of freedom.
Quiet time: A designated period for relaxation or homework in a quiet, dimly lit environment.
Teacher’s chair: Students can sit in the teacher’s chair for a day.
Gift certificate: Donations from local businesses can provide students with free treats.
Test points: Extra credit points can be added to a test of their choosing.
Flexible seating: Students can choose alternative seating options like loungers or yoga balls.
Prize chest: A treasure chest with age-appropriate prizes like keychains or lip balm.

Examples of Creative Rewards

"Family Night Bag": A student gets to borrow a bag filled with games, movies, and popcorn over the weekend.
"Specials" teacher's assistant: A student assists a specials teacher (gym, art, music, etc.) for a period.
5-minute stand up Jr. Comedian: The student gets five minutes to get the class laughing.
Admission to events: Free admission to school dances, games, holiday parties, carnivals, or sporting events.
Advance Peek at an Upcoming Assignment: Student gets a heads up on an upcoming assignment.
Afternoon movie: Student brings in a G/PG-rated movie for the class to watch.
Answer Only Even or Odd Problems on an Assignment: Student can opt to only complete the even or odd problems on an assignment.
Art Party: Students remote and in-person can participate in an Art Party facilitated by Art Teacher or another staff member.
Artwork on display: A student’s artwork is displayed in a designated, high traffic area for a selected period of time.
Assignment reviewer: Student reviews assignments (homework, DMR, morning work, etc.) with the class.
Assist coach at a sport’s game: Student assists a coach at a sport’s game (getting water, towels, keeping score, etc.).
Basketball pick-up game during class: One Friday a month, students to purchase a basketball game with a teacher and two friends. The takes place during an entire class period.
Be a mentor: The student can provide mentor/tutor for another class/grade level. Like reading to younger children.
Be the messenger: The student gets to be the messenger for the teacher for the day/period.
Beanboozled Challenge: A Teacher vs. Student Beanboozled® Jelly Belly jelly bean challenge.
Bingo: Using blank BINGO cards, have students fill them in and use math game pieces as bingo pieces.
Book Talk / Book Club: Student gets to share a book or book talk with their peers by reading a book, giving a review of a book, posting information about a book on Flipgrid, or by hosting a book club with treats during the students’ independent reading time.
Brainteaser: Student gets a page full of fun brainteasers.
Breakfast treat: Student receives a small breakfast treat (breakfast burrito, donut, cinnamon roll, etc.)
Bring a drink: Student may bring a drink to school.
Calming Kit: This kit may include any inexpensive calming item(s).
Charades: Student picks a couple of friends and they play charades.
Charging Pass: The student may charge their cellphone/tablet/computer in class.
Chef for Pop-Up Cafe: Students get to make and serve waffles (or pancakes) to staff members and parents. (With adult help/supervision)
Choir serenades class: School choir serenades a class.
Choose a virtual field trip: Choose a virtual field trip for the class to take.
Choose Principal’s Hair Style: Choose the Principal’s hairstyle for the day or to be in a posted picture
Choose Teacher’s Hair Style: Choose the teacher’s hairstyle for the day or to be in a posted picture
Choose Video Conferencing Virtual Background: Student chooses the virtual background the teacher will use during video conferencing with the class
Choose What Type of Dance the Teacher has to do in a Post: Student gets to choose what dance the teacher has to do in a post.
Choose your seat: Student may choose their seat in the classroom. Short or long term change.
Class Dance Party: Let the students choose from a few songs deemed appropriate and have a virtual class dance party.
Class DJ: Student chooses what school-appropriate music the class will listen to throughout the day.
Classroom Karaoke: The whole class can participate in a karaoke party. Great for in-session, hybrid, and virtual learning environments.
Classroom photo of the Week: Student’s picture is posted for a week in the classroom. When virtual, this can be displayed on the Google Classroom header (or other LMS platform).
Complete an assignment outside: Enjoying the beautiful weather? Allow the student to work on an assignment outside.
Computer/iPad time: Student receives a designated amount of time to play on the computer/iPad.
Cooking lesson: Student learns how to cook a meal with a teacher and take it home to their family.
Cotton Candy party: Students can earn a cotton candy party.
Craft: Teacher shows student how to make an inexpensive craft. Perfect gift around the holidays!
Create a class handshake: A student can create the new class handshake for the month.
Custom GIF: The teacher can create a gif with the student who is being rewarded. There are a ton of sites to make GIFs like gify.com.
Custom MEME: The teacher can create a meme with the student who is being rewarded. You can create a meme in Google Draw.
Decorate a Ceiling Tile: Outline a drawing and paint your masterpiece on a ceiling tile that will be hung in the ceiling of our school and make our building bright and beautiful!
Digital Pie in the Face for a Teacher or Admin: Student chooses a teacher or administrator to receive a digital pie in the face.
Dodgeball Game - Students v Teachers: Students play dodgeball game(s) against teachers. You could even have this be a year-end competition and have a trophy to recognize the winning team each year.
Domino chain reaction: Student and teacher (or friend) work together to make a ridiculous domino arrangement. When finished, topple it for class to see.
Donate $1 to charity: Student chooses what charity they want to donate a dollar to and gets a shout out on the PA.
Donate $5 to charity: Student chooses what charity they want to donate $5 to and get a shout out on the PA.
Door Dash Lunch Surprise: Students can enter into a monthly drawing/raffle to win a Door Dash lunch delivery.In distance learning, this can be delivered to their home, instead of to them at the school.
Dress as your favorite character: Students can dress as their favorite book or movie character for the day.
Dress Code Theme for the Day: The student picks the dress theme for the day (sports, pajamas, backward, crazy hair). The teacher uses the theme throughout the day as possible.
Drop lowest test / quiz grade: Allow the student to remove their lowest grade for a grading period, semester, or year.
Duct tape principal to a wall: Student(s) signs up to help duct tape administration to a wall.
Duct tape teacher to a wall: Student(s) select which teacher they duct tape to a wall.
Early release to lunch: The student is released 5 minutes early to lunch and allowed to get lunch before the rest of the student body.
Erase a tardy: Student can remove a tardy from their attendance.
Escape Room: A schoolwide PBIS celebration.

Non-Food Rewards

Book swap party (each child brings a book they no longer want and “trades” with their classmates)
An art or craft party
A game the class plays together (like bingo or kickball)
If it’s warm outside…water play in bathing suits
Plant some flowers or plants together at the school
Paint birdhouses together to put up at the school
Dance party with music
Film a short digital video/documentary as a class (for e.g. Lunch or recess time with the principal
Books donated to the school library in the student’s honor with a guest reader to read them to the class
Extra computer time
Go to “specials” (like gym or Spanish class) with a friend’s class instead of your own
Sit with a friend from another class at lunch
Gift certificate to the school store
Lunch with the teacher
Sit in the teacher’s chair or at their desk for the day
Use a rolling chair/stool at your own desk for the day
Sit next to a friend instead of in your own seat for the day
Be the “special helper” for the day (running errands to the office, line leader, etc.)
Name read over morning announcements
Student asked to actually read the morning announcements
Choose the story for story time
Let a student be the “principal for the day” or the “assistant principal for the day” or even “teacher for the day” (or just for an assignment)
“Stinky feet” which means you get to take your shoes off in class
Pick something out of a treasure box with prizes like stickers, pencils, erasers toothbrushes, silly bands, etc.
Give out “play money” to students that they can spend in a class-wide auction later in the year (auction items can include games, books, etc.

Student Involvement and Choice

Involving students in the selection of rewards can increase their effectiveness. Allowing students to choose from a menu of options or suggest new ideas can foster a sense of ownership and motivation.

Adapting Rewards for Different Audiences

Rewards should be tailored to the specific interests and needs of the students. What motivates one student may not motivate another, so it is important to offer a variety of options.

Avoiding Clichés and Common Misconceptions

It is important to avoid rewards that are perceived as childish or irrelevant by high school students. Instead, focus on incentives that are meaningful and valuable to them.

Read also: Independent Preferences & PBIS

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