The end of the school year can be tough on classroom management. The weather is warmer, the schedule is crazy, and elementary students and teachers can only think of one thing – summer vacation. The management plan and reward system that has been effective all year may not be successful now. Focusing on and rewarding desired behaviors with ice cream sundaes can make the last days of school run more smoothly.
Use the steps below to add an element of summer fun to the classroom by having students earn an ice cream sundae party. The students earn the different items they need to make an ice cream sundae and then celebrate their good behavior with a sundae party.
Set Up the Parameters of the Reward System
- Decide when the party will take place. Is there a set date the rewards need to be earned by or will the class just have the party once they have collected all the necessary items?
- Choose what types of behaviors will be rewarded. Consider the management challenges currently present and what specific behaviors are desired; being specific when talking about and modeling classroom behaviors is the key to success.
- Develop a plan for how you will handle individual misbehavior. Repeat offenders need to be dealt with according to the classroom and school disciplinary procedure. One student making consistent bad choices will frustrate and de-motivate the rest of the class.
Create the Classroom Reward Materials
- Devote a classroom bulletin board to the ice cream sundae reward.
- Draw and cut out all of the parts needed for an ice cream party: a napkin, a spoon, a bowl, scoops of ice cream, individual toppings, a cup, a drink, etc.
- Title the bulletin board and display the individual parts of the party the class needs to earn around the outer edges of the bulletin board.
Explain the Management Plan to the Students
- Show the students the bulletin board and talk to them about the ice cream sundaes they can earn.
- Give them specific examples of the behaviors you will reward. Model and have the students act out the desired behaviors. Give the students sample scenarios and have them rate the behavior as one that would be rewarded or not rewarded.
- Discuss what will happen if one student continuously disrupts the class.
Reviewing classroom rules and procedures at the end of the year may be necessary as students’ attention spans get shorter. Maintaining consistency and praising desired actions is more important than ever. Developing a plan to reward positive behaviors with ice cream will help end the year on a positive note.
Megan Sheakoski - Megan Sheakoski is a teacher, mom and writer whose ideas have been featured in college text books, graduate courses, on websites and on ...
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