Effort+and+Recognition

=Read and Reflect=

How do you currently apply this strategy without the use of technology? As a media specialist, I oversee the implementation of the Accelerated Reader program at my middle school. We used to reward students with a piece of candy when they passed a test and an ice cream social at the end of the year for top readers but as the awareness of wellness has increased at my school we eliminated food rewards. When this change happened I reviewed our approach and made some changes. I eliminated the candy reward and ice cream social. I set up a 4 tier reward structure. Instead of just rewarding students based on points from the Accelerated Reader program, I also reward students for the number of books they read. There are students who may never get acknowledgement based on points but they are reading and completing books and passing tests. This new approach is a lot more work intensive for me but is rewarding because every student can receive recognition. The other change was to recognize students through out the year as they reach each level and to supply intangible rewards including posting student pictures based on level, increasing library privileges, and school-wide recognition. At the end of the year we acknowledgement the top readers with a gift certificate to a bookstore and after trying variations on the end of year celebration I have returned to the ice cream social celebration. I am comfortable with that because students are not getting ongoing food rewards but recognizing that at times we celebrate with food on special occasions. I created a display outside the media center with student pictures that are moved based on the levels students achieve. What has surprised me is that students, even some who don't fit the high achiever profile, ask me if their picture isn't displayed and should be. Students also regularly linger in front of the showcase to look at the pictures. It has made me realize that students really want to be recognized and don't necessarily have to receive something.

What new insight did you gain from the reading? I had never really thought about making explicit the connection between effort and success. We allude to it with regard to our reading program when we talk to students about reading daily at their level and that they will improve as readers. I can see though that students could really benefit from explicitly saying it and reinforcing that concept over the year. I also really liked the idea of having recorded student reflections that students can review to help them with their process. I think this would work well with the writing process.

=Apply and Reflect=

Provide evidence of the tool that you learned.

How might you use this tool in your classroom? Students love to see themselves in pictures...I would have students develop their own inspirational posters and rotate them in the classroom.