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Mrs. Tinsman’s Classroom Edit display name

  • Clay Elementary School
  • Clay, AL
  • Half of students from low‑income households Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more

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Positive reinforcement is a key element in my class. Each student has an individual "Smiley Face Chart". Smiley Faces are earned for following directions, having good manners, completing work or being a good friend. When ten Smiley Faces are earned, the student counts them and chooses an item from the classroom Treasure Box. They love looking through the Treasure Box for that one item that catches their eye. Our classroom Treasure Box is a huge part of the behavior management plan of the classroom. Positive reinforcement is always more effective at changing behaviors than punishment or taking things away. Having new things for the treasure box is key for the students to maintain interest. In addition, earning a reward each time the student reaches ten Smiley Faces, encourages students to continue to work hard. It also does not penalize students by denying a weekly reward because of one bad day. This system is not just about rewarding students; this particular positive reinforcement system also encourages academic skills. The "Smiley Face Chart" is actually a Tens Frame, which is used in math as a way of organizing objects for counting, addition, subtraction and skip counting. Every time a student puts up another Smiley Face, she/he counts how many they have and then how many are still needed, making ten each time this addition problem is completed. In the past, I have taken small toys I found in my own children's rooms to help fill up the Treasure Box. Now, my kids are older and these small items, like Happy Meal toys, are a thing of the past. I find it harder and harder to fill up the Treasure box with interesting things.

About my class

Positive reinforcement is a key element in my class. Each student has an individual "Smiley Face Chart". Smiley Faces are earned for following directions, having good manners, completing work or being a good friend. When ten Smiley Faces are earned, the student counts them and chooses an item from the classroom Treasure Box. They love looking through the Treasure Box for that one item that catches their eye. Our classroom Treasure Box is a huge part of the behavior management plan of the classroom. Positive reinforcement is always more effective at changing behaviors than punishment or taking things away. Having new things for the treasure box is key for the students to maintain interest. In addition, earning a reward each time the student reaches ten Smiley Faces, encourages students to continue to work hard. It also does not penalize students by denying a weekly reward because of one bad day. This system is not just about rewarding students; this particular positive reinforcement system also encourages academic skills. The "Smiley Face Chart" is actually a Tens Frame, which is used in math as a way of organizing objects for counting, addition, subtraction and skip counting. Every time a student puts up another Smiley Face, she/he counts how many they have and then how many are still needed, making ten each time this addition problem is completed. In the past, I have taken small toys I found in my own children's rooms to help fill up the Treasure Box. Now, my kids are older and these small items, like Happy Meal toys, are a thing of the past. I find it harder and harder to fill up the Treasure box with interesting things.

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About my class

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