[Teachldsseminary] Seminary: incentives...

[MomSandee at aol.com]

Can't remember if this has been mentioned in a discussion of incentives but 
for the first time (in 13 years of teaching) I did an auction last year. My 
daughter is a huge health nut and pretty much down on always being given junk 
food at every church activity from youth conference to young women's Sunday 
meetings. When I have given out food I have always had to bring something seperate 
for her (she doesn't eat white sugar, white flour, pork, beef etc.)

This last year I gave out tokens (please don't tell my students those 
blessing tokens I handed out were actually poker chips) and at the end of each 
semester we had an auction to cash them in. Tokens can be given out how ever the 
teacher desires but I liked focusing on things as the need arose (being on time, 
reading at home etc.) and giving out tokens for the good behavior I wanted to 
reinforce.

You can auction off whatever you get. I asked parents to donate but got very 
little response. I mostly bought items from the dollar store or the dollar 
section of Target plus I cleaned out some items I had received in gift baskets 
but didn't need. Just lots of odds and ends. I did include some junk food but 
the huge pack of gum I got at Costco was the big item.

My favorite thing about this was to watch students pooling their chips 
together to help a team mate get a much desired item. Across the board they were 
generous and wonderful on auction day. Oh and you may not want to do this but 
another big item I had were coupons to do things that were usually completely 
forbidden in my classroom: put your head down, have food in class and do 
homework. I only had 1 or 2 of each but they were much prized and used on days they 
were really needed.

Have a great year!

Sandee




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