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How do I motivate my students to earn points?
How do I motivate my students to earn points?

motivational or incentive ideas from other GMM teachers

Updated over a week ago

Do you wonder how other GMM teachers inspire their students to earn points?

Check out some of these ideas!

Grades

The daily grade is earned by meeting the GMM Daily Goal.

Special Chair in the Classroom

Students who earn a certain amount of points get to sit in the comfy chair for a day.

Flashback Fridays

Every Friday, two teachers have their students work in Mixed Review while listening to music. Using earbuds, students listen to music, compete to earn the high score of the day, and improve their long term retention at the same time!

Pizza Party

Two teachers held a 4-day competition among their classes. The point-winning class earned a pizza party and the winners were showcased in the school newsletter and the local paper. One student earned 2,757 points in four days!

Leaderboards

Some teachers use leaderboards to encourage class competition.

GMM Warmup (Bellringer) Challenge

At the beginning of class, while she takes attendance, a middle school teacher gives 5 minutes for students to earn as many points as possible. The top point earners are given a small candy.

Homework Pass

One teacher gives a homework pass to students who earn more points than required during a given time period. During a 3-day time frame, she asked for 40 points. One student earned 944 points!

Extra Recess

The class earning the most points earns extra time at recess.

GMM Math Money

One teacher hands out math money - $1 for every 50 points above the weekly goal. One student earned over 1300 points!!! From the class store, students can 'purchase' items such as pencils, erasers, post-it notes, or flip-flops. This teacher says the students learn about finance in addition to earning their rewards.

GMM Math Helpers

Only those with their name on the board can help other students if the teacher is busy with another student.

The two categories of helpers are:

1. 5 Star Generals - those with at least 5 stars in their Mixed Review and,

2. Terrific Tutors - those whose ratio of green boxes is greater than the sum of their red and yellow boxes combined. (For example: If they have 11 green, 2 red, and 3 yellow their ratio is 11 green to 5 red +yellow so they can be a tutor.)

Students realize that the list is fluid. If your status changes, your name can be taken off the helper board or your name could be added.

Point Clubs

Some teachers use points clubs with various incentives for level.

500 point club - Math Stars

1000 point club - Math Superstars

2000 point club - Math Supernovas

Bulletin Board Challenge

For every 25 points, they earn a leaf. Once they earn 4 leaves, they earn a pumpkin.

Grade Level Challenges

One math department challenged each grade level to compete for the most points earned. The winning class won a hot breakfast prepared by the teachers.

Ticket System

One teacher uses a ticket system. Students earn tickets for meeting the Daily Goal, helping other students, improving a follow-up exam by 10% or more, or improving proficiency colors over the previous week. Once per month, a winner is drawn from the ticket jar for a $10 gift card.

Bubble Challenge

Students doubling the daily goal earn a bubble for the class on the bulletin board. At the end of the marking period, the class with the most bubbles wins a party.

Giving a test grade to top point earners

For the top two point earners of the week, a teacher gives an automatic 100 on the weekly quiz. These students are motivated to earn points and feel they have received a huge reward. They really have just completed the quiz problems ten times!

Infinity symbols to create images in the classroom

One teacher makes an infinity symbol for every 1000 points earned by her students. She creates fun images using the infinity symbols to post on her classroom wall. Her students and their parents enjoy seeing the 'fruits of their labor' posted on social media.

Whole School Challenge

One group of middle school teachers set a school-wide goal of 15,000 points for one week. If the goal was met,

  1. the top two scores from each class could duct-tape the assistant principal to the wall, and

  2. all students could participate in Halloween STEAM activities, including pumpkin catapults.

The students exceeded the challenge!

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