Positive Reinforcement Teaching Resources
Bring a positive reinforcement element to your classroom management strategies with teacher-created printable and digital teaching resources. Explore classroom reward systems and charts, behavior punch cards, student certificates and more resources designed by our teacher team to reward students for what they do well.
Positive reinforcement resources include gamification, material rewards and classroom economy reinforcers to move the needle away from negative reinforcement and help you build a more positive classroom environment and improve student behavior.
Curious about how to implement positive reinforcement strategies in your classroom? Read on for a primer from our teacher team, including positive reinforcement examples, ideas for good reinforcers and tips on strategies that will work in an elementary or middle school classroom!
What Is Positive Reinforcement?
Positive reinforcement is a teaching strategy that is commonly used in elementary schools to promote positive behavior among students. Whether your school uses the popular PBIS set-up, or some other framework, the basic idea behind this strategy is that positive behaviors can be reinforced by rewarding them, which in turn makes them more likely to be repeated in the future. It makes sense, doesn't it? And there's plenty of research to back this up, too!
In practice, positive behavior reinforcement involves identifying specific behaviors that you would like to encourage in your students — everything from listening quietly during class to following directions to being kind to classmates — and then providing positive feedback and rewards when those behaviors are demonstrated.
Positive Reinforcement Examples to Use in the Classroom
Let's plumb a little deeper with some simple positive reinforcement examples that can work in the classroom. Your reinforcement of good behaviors can take the form of rewarding students with something tangible, but you can also do myriad things that don't require giving anything away.
- Print "brag tags" or brag bracelets from our collection for students to wear their positive feedback.
- Label clothespins with "caught doing x behavior," and clip them to students' bags or cubbies as a way to show you've noticed their good behavior and an encouragement to keep it up!
- Allow students to earn something special like spending time at your "lunch bunch" or taking the classroom pet home for a weekend (with parents' permission, of course!).
- Publicly praise students in front of their peers. Yes, it can really be that simple, but be sure not to lavish all your praise on individual students.
- Award students with "bad day" cards to use when they're having a bad day as a way to take it easy for the day. Hey, we all have bad days!
- Offers students a 10-minute break to draw or read as a form of positive reinforcement.
- Reward students who are caught "being kind" with a chance to play with a special toy.
- Allow students to earn a day with no shoes or wearing a hat in the classroom.
Over time, this positive feedback and reinforcement can help to create a culture of positive behavior in the classroom, making it more likely that students will continue to behave in positive ways.
Brag tags are fun positive reinforcement example that works well with students.
More Positive Reinforcement Strategies That Work With Students
Looking for some specific strategies you can add to your teacher toolbox? Here are some simple — but effective — ways to focus on the positive!
Verbal Praise
It doesn't get simpler than verbal praise to reinforce positive behavior. When a student exhibits a positive behavior, be it following directions or helping a peer, simply acknowledge and praise them for it. A "Great job, you followed directions perfectly!" can go a long way.
Stickers and Tokens
Kids have loved stickers since they were invented, and doling them out as a means of rewarding positive behavior is a simple strategy to implement in the classroom. You can also try offering some sort of token — perhaps a classroom "buck" and allow students to trade in their stickers or tokens for prizes or other rewards. This strategy is especially effective for younger students who may be motivated by tangible rewards.
Consistency
It may not feel like a "strategy" per se, but consistency is key when using positive reinforcement. Teach Starter Senior Resource Producer Randi Smith spent 16 years in elementary and middle school classrooms, and she offers this important advice:
"Apply the same rules and rewards consistently across all students. Otherwise, it leads to confusion and diminishes the effectiveness and novelty factor of positive reinforcement."
Positive Notes Home
A positive note home to a student's parents or guardians to let them know about their child's positive behavior can be especially valuable because it not only reinforces that positive behavior but also lets parents know that their child is doing well in school.
Peer Praise
Build your classroom community by encouraging students to praise each other for positive behavior. You can have students share positive comments about their peers during class meetings or at the end of the day.
Whole Class Incentives
You don't have to stick to one-offs and rewarding individual students. Classroom incentives are a great strategy to reinforce positive behavior for the whole class. Your class can work together towards earning a special reward for everyone, such as a pizza party or a movie day, when a certain number of positive behaviors are exhibited. This strategy encourages kids to work together and support each other in exhibiting positive behavior.
One Final Note on Positive Reinforcement in the Classroom
Your students are individuals, and that comes into play in positive reinforcement strategies too — what works with one student may not work with another.
"Some kids respond to treats, some to verbal praise, and some students absolutely glow when they find out you're willing to make a positive parent phone call," Smith advises other teachers. "Use different reinforcers!"
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Behavior Punch Card – Right on Target!
Motivate your students to be on target with this punch card template.
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Slicing Up Good Choices! Class Reward Tracker
Encourage teamwork and positive behavior in your classroom with a new pizza- themed classroom reward system.
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Student of the Week Certificate – Lower Grades
Celebrate your Student of the Week student with this certificate for lower grade students.
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Our Class Got a Compliment! - Class Reward Chart
Motivate your students to keep up the good work with this classroom reward chart.
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Desk Pet Habitat Templates
Encourage positive behavior with printable Desk Pet Habitats for your students to spend their Desk Pet Dollars on!
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I Need a Break! Card Templates
Help your students regulate their emotions by presenting them with an ‘I Need a Break!’ card for a few minutes of downtime.
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Positive Self-Talk Poster: Talking to Myself
Highlight the benefits of positive self talk and having a growth mindset with this classroom poster.
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Last Day of School Printable Bookmarks
Send your students off for the summer with one of our end-of-year bookmarks to color.
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Caught Being Good! Class Reward System
Reward and track positive classroom behavior with a printable “Caught Being Good” ticket system.
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Digital Mystery Rewards – Interactive Resource
Use this fun and exciting set of digital mystery rewards to promote positive behavior in your classroom.
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Happy Note Home
Communicate positive messages to parents and guardians with a Happy Note Home letter template.
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Brag Tags
Provide positive reinforcement for good behavior and achievements with printable Brag Tags!
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Digital Reward Chart – Marble Jar
Celebrate classroom successes with a fully digital marble jar classroom reward chart.
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Classroom Reward System - Table Points Tracker
Encourage teamwork and positive behavior at your table groups with a new classroom reward system.
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My Cooperation Sticker Chart - Printable
Promote and reward cooperative behavior with a pack of printable cooperation sticker charts.
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You're a Star Certificate
Give positive feedback to your students with this You're a Star Certificate.
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Editable 5th Grade Graduation Certificate
Celebrate 5th grade graduation and reward your students with printable promotion certificates.
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Goal Setting Thermometer Template
Set and track individual and whole-class goals with a printable goal-setting thermometer template.
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Behavior Intervention Cheat Sheet
Keep a Behavior Intervention Cheat Sheet at your fingertips to help manage classroom behaviors quickly and easily.
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Star of the Week Poster Templates
Celebrate successful students with printable Star of the Week Poster Templates!
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Printable No Homework Passes
Reward students with a No Homework Pass using our printable homework pass templates.
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Identifying the Parts an Earthworm Worksheet
Read, learn and label the parts of a worm with a set of printable animal features worksheets.
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Superhero Reward Charts
Motivate and reward students in the classroom with a set of superhero themed desk charts.
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Behavior Reward System - Token Charts
Celebrate classroom successes with a set of fun-themed classroom reward charts.
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Mystery Prize Picker - Interactive Behavior Rewards
Reward your students with special surprises by using our interactive behavior reward picker!
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Out of this World Behavior - Class Reward
Motivate and reward positive classroom behavior with a reward chart that is out of this world!
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Virtual Classroom Management - Interactive Reward Charts
Track and reward extraordinary class behavior with a set of fun digital reward tracking slides.
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Classroom Store Kit
Set up a classroom economy and open your very own Classroom Store with a printable classroom store starter kit.
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Superstar Supply Box – Behavior Incentive
Promote and acknowledge positive behavior with a superstar supply box template and accompanying poster.
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Critters with Character - Classroom Behavior System
Tame your ‘wild’ classroom behavior with an animal-themed classroom management system.
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Behavior Bucks Classroom Reward System
Encourage good behavior choices by awarding your students with Behavior Bucks to purchase prizes from the classroom store!
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Picture Reveal - Reward Chart Printable
Encourage your students to follow classroom rules and procedures with fun whole-class behavior reward charts.