So, I have started using a new discipline/reward system here in the last couple weeks, and it seems to be working relatively well.  I wish I had instituted it last year, but I spent much of last year fumbling around and getting my bearings as a new teacher and was too busy with that to come up with even a semi-sophisticated system.

Now, the #1 problem that I have with my students here is that getting them to answer is like pulling teeth.  When I went through my TESOL training, one of the things that was drilled into my head was attempting to elicit information and answers from the students, rather than give it to them in the form of a lecture (the second is often called “the banking method”, because you are depositing the information in the students.  supposedly.), and so it is painful to me when I can’t get an answer out of them even though I know they know the answer.  This year I am determined to do my best to fix that, even if it is through bribes.

Last semester, I would often buy huge bags of dirt cheap candy, and I would give it as a reward for a correct answer from students.  There were a few problems with this.  One, I don’t like giving the kids too much candy, as it makes them even more hyperactive than they already are.  Two, I ended up with a lot of students blurting out wrong answers in an attempt to get a piece.  Third and worst of all, it meant that when I did an exercise *without* a candy reward, they were extremely apathetic and even defiant, insisting that they should get candy.

So, here is my new system:

After assigning my students English names (again, I should have done this last year, but I didn’t for some reason), I gave each of them a gridded paper, 5 square across, like this:

I bought about a million of those star stickers that every teacher on the planet uses at some point in their career, and some larger candy (lollipops, small bags of chocolate chips, etc), and a big jar for the candy to go in.  When a student volunteers to answer a question (the volunteering is crucial), and the answer is correct, they get a star on the grid.  It doesn’t matter if the question is the answer in a game, or a response to something in the textbook, the reward is the same.  If I am using a worksheet, the first person to finish it correctly gets two stars.  When they fill up a row (5 stars), they can come up and choose a candy from the jar.  If I catch them using their cell phones, sleeping, cheating (this is a big one, and a major problem in Korean schools, as it isn’t seen as a particularly bad thing), or if they blurt out an answer without raising their hand, they lose a star.  If more than 2 people attempt a question and get it wrong, I will still call on more students, but there is no reward, as it becomes a process of elimination for the answer.

Here’s why I think this system works well, as well as some of its results:

1.  It gives every student the potential for a reward.  Yes, students who are good at English will earn candy faster, but students who are at a somewhat lower level still earn it as well, though it may take them a bit longer.  To counter that, I try to call on the lower level students more often than my advanced students, to try and even out the competition.

2.  It quiets down the class an incredible amount.  I used to have a huge problem with students blurting out answers, creating a somewhat chaotic environment.  Now I have almost none.

3.  The students are actually excited to try and answer, but, because I have the “wrong answer” rule, usually students raise their hand when they are at least somewhat confident in their answer.  This cuts down on the amount of time I spend seeking out a correct answer from the students.

4.  The students actually pay attention.  This is a small miracle.  They pay attention to what I’m saying because not only do they want to be able to hear the question, but they listen to me when I’m teaching as well, because they want to be able to answer correctly.  Whereas many of my students used to goof off in class, almost everyone seems to give my talking a reasonable amount of attention now.

Not only do my students seem to really enjoy this, I do too.  I love seeing the look on the kids faces when they earn a star, and so I look forward to giving them out almost as much as the students look forward to receiving them.  I also, obviously, enjoy the fact that my classroom is about 1/4th as loud and chaotic as it used to be.  I don’t dread going to class anymore, and to some extent, I even look forward to it.

I’m not sure how well this system would work in America, but it certainly works here in Korea.  It would definitely work for elementary kids (who I’m sure would even be happy to just earn stars, without the candy), and it works with my middle school students.  High school students might require a slightly more complex system (and maybe a larger grid), but I think it could have potential there as well.  If any of you other Korea-teachers try out this system, please let me know how it works with your students!