What is it?
This is an initiative at JYS to encourage more of the children to take an active part in learning some new maths so that they can earn stickers and make progress through the maths awards – and more importantly make progress through their maths learning. The idea is that when the children feel they are able to independently meet the targets on the next record, then they can be “tested” by either the class teacher, the Headteacher or Deputy Headteacher. When they are judged as “secure” in all the areas on their record card, then they will be congratulated in our weekly sharing assembly. They can then begin working towards the next record card.
Why have we introduced it?
In the 2018 - 19 academic year, the School Development Plan had a major focus on maths. As a school, we looked to see how we can improve our teaching of mathematics in an effort to always try to improve our maths provision. Having spoken to some of the teachers in schools in our area, they have had some success by raising the focus of maths by having an awards program that recognises when the pupils make progress in lessons, but also rewards them (for example through stickers) for when they choose to push themselves to learn more in their “free time” or at home. The objectives on the record cards can also be used as targets for the children’s maths.
What’s in it for the children?
By raising the profile of maths in this way, we hope to encourage children to push themselves to learn more maths. Advantages of a reward system:
1) Appropriate behaviour - studies show that students conform to appropriate behaviours when rewarded either intrinsically or extrinsically;
2) Increased motivation - students show interest and raise their participation in the everyday classroom tasks, responsibilities and learning;
3) Joyful students - incentives for students motivate them to be more productive because they create a feeling of pride and achievement. Being successful makes you happy;
4) Boosted self-esteem - every success story helps students become more self-confident. They are proud and also encouraged to achieve another successful result;
5) Completed home learning tasks - the National Association of School Psychologists suggests that reward systems help motivate students to complete their homework. It’s rather shocking that without rewards, students don’t complete it;
6) Improved results - rewarding students encourages and endorses school effort. They lead to improved outcomes for students.
