Inside: One way to encourage positive classroom management is by using the ticket system. Learn how to print out and use your free tickets here today!
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What is the Ticket System and How Can it Improve Classroom Management?
One of the first lessons teachers learn is to make classroom management a top priority. Even over a quality lesson, manage your classroom first. Then and only then can proper learning happen.
The ticket system is simple: if you see a students exhibiting a desired behavior, you give them a ticket.
Ok, there’s a little more to it, but that’s the bottom line. If done correctly it works remarkably well!
This type of behavior reinforcement is nice because it offers the student immediate, positive reinforcement on their behavior. As a teacher, it is very easy and does not distract from the lesson to simply put a ticket on a student’s desk when I see a desired behavior.
How to Start a Ticket System in Your Classroom
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Take a few minutes to sit down and figure out the behaviors you need to change in your classroom. The best way to approach this with your students is to write down the rules you want them to follow. Ideally this is done at the beginning of the year.
Some suggestions to consider:
- entering/exiting the room quietly
- following a certain set of rules
- following directions
- handing in homework
- geting a permission slip signed
- getting “caught” doing something nice for someone else
- talking quietly
- working quietly
- pretty much the sky is the limit and may be unique to the needs of your classroom
These tickets are FREE to download. I print them on colored paper and then if I’m feeling lazy I have my students cut them out for me. There are 25 tickets per page. I print out a whole pile of them and have them for a while!
Come Up With a Cash-In Method for Your Tickets
There are several ways to cash in the tickets and any of them will work – just pick what works best for your class. Take some time to think about how much time you want to spend on this part of the activity.
I choose to collect all tickets every Friday. About 10 minutes before the end of the class I wrap up early to collect tickets.
A student walks around, students deposit their tickets into a jar and then I draw names. Students are responsible for their own tickets and I do not give replacement tickets if they lose one. I draw 5 names from the jar and they win prizes. My prizes are either candy or coupons. My coupons are for the following:
- change seat for a day
- first out of the room
- 5 minutes of iPad time
- No homework
Keep in mind you may not want to choose a cash -in date of every Friday. It may work better for you to do it every day, or once a month or even once a quarter. Play around with what will work best for your class.
Other Cash-in options to Consider:
- Students collect tickets and “buy” from a store. You provide the merchandise and the pricing on the items. Dollar Store items are typically bought for this.
- Students add their tickets collectively to a jar and once that jar hits a set number, they get a reward such as an extra recess, movie day or pizza party!
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Teaching Students How to Use the Ticket System for Classroom Management
- Make students aware of the behaviors you are looking for – a poster is a great idea.
- Your students will misplace tickets. Be prepared for this. How will you deal with it? You may want to hand them a sandwich bag or envelope in the beginning but ultimately the goal is to help them take responsibility of the tickets.
- Teach students to put their name on the ticket immediately. Just in case they drop it. That way they can increase the chance it will be returned to them if they lose it.
- For the first few weeks, continually remind your students where they should be storing their tickets and that you will not be replacing lost tickets.
Now What?!?!?
Reward! Hand out those tickets! Make a production out of it! Make them feel good for doing good things! Amazing things are going to happen! If your whole class does something awesome, give them ALL a ticket! Sprinkle them around like confetti for a while! You are reinforcing positive behavior! While you are at it, give yourself a few for a job well done!
Practice the Ticket System Using These Fun School Activities!
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