Among the many academic subjects we teach our students, we also teach them so much more that goes beyond that. They learn how to follow rules, make friends, be kind, be responsible, respectful, make good choices, and so much more.
Positive reinforcement is a great way to celebrate this behavior. It will encourage the behavior to continue when students are doing a good job. This can be done in many ways but a good classroom management strategy is a fantastic place to start. You can read about one of my favorite strategies, Blurt Beans, here.
With a good classroom management system, you will not only show students the consequences of their actions when they don’t make the right choice but also encourage and celebrate them when they show that they are responsible, respectful, kind, etc.
If you are looking for the perfect system for your classroom that will get your students excited and motivated to continue to do well, you have to try out Desk Pets.
Desk Pets are a unique classroom management system that will reward students for their good behavior by giving them “desk pets” to keep on their desks and accessories to go along with them.
The desk pet is an animal eraser. You can read with it, write with it, or even play with it at designated times of the day.
Here’s how to implement the Desk Pet system into your classroom
To start, students will earn Desk Pet Dollars from your classroom when they are doing a good job, following the rules, helping others, staying on task, showing respect, being responsible, etc. After they earn their dollars, they then get to spend it to adopt a desk pet of their choosing!
The desk pet gets to hang out with them at their desk. In order to buy habitats, supplies, and other accessories that will keep the desk pet “happy”, students will need to continue to earn more Desk Pet Dollars. This provides the incentive for them to continue making good choices even after they got to pick out a pet.
Later on in the year, students can even have the option to give their desk pets a permanent home by taking them home (if you choose to).
When students are not following rules, they may be charged a Desk Pet fee that they have to pay using their earned dollars or their pet may be taken back to the adoption center.
Students love this system! They can share with their friends what animal they received and what accessories they have to go along with it. This inspires more good behavior because students will want what their friends have.
If you want to get started with Desk Pets, you can do that free with my starter kit here.
It comes with the rules you need to get started. You’ll get an adoption application, a zoo habitat along with instructions on how to set it up, Desk Pet signs, and an editable page for writing prompts.
If you want the full resource, you can check that out here. It comes with all of the printables you need. You’ll get behavior contracts, Venn diagrams, pet store price lists, Desk Pet journals, and more!
This will definitely be a hit for your students, and it will definitely make you a memorable teacher!
One comment