Implementing an Incentive Program

When a school is dealing with challenging students and they are finding that the tactics they are using, such as social skills training, friendship groups, or behavior plans are not working, then it may be time to implement an incentive program. We have to be careful though, as obtaining incentives too easily or frequently may cause children to only perform a function for a reward. On the flip side, not being consistent when delivering the incentives may result in the student maintaining the same lack of motivation that may have been the root cause in the first place. So, it is important that the student have a role in creating the plan, helping to choose meaningful incentives and creating a sense of buy-in. As the children get better at using their appropriate social, emotional, and behavioral skills throughout the year, the rewards should become harder to obtain and self-management should increase. “This allows students to grow and mature and to not have to receive a reward every time they do a positive behavior. This personal growth allows you to develop different incentives that continue you to challenge students” (Hamlett, 2018, p.1). 

References

Hamlett, T. (2018). Module 4: Incentives, peers, and the educative time-out process, Part 1 transcript: Incentives [Lecture notes]. Retrieved from https://ace.instructure.com/courses/1652445/files/100071763?module_item_id=22985953&fd_cookie_set=1