Submitted by Kelly Fothergill, Blue Ridge, Texas
Idea posted January 19, 2004
To help with classroom management in my 3rd-5th grade classes, I use "Bonus Time." When the students come into the room, I have 8:00 written on the board. Whenever they do so something exceptional, I will add 30 seconds or a minute depending. I also use a stopwatch to take away from Bonus Time. Any time the students are not paying attention or get off task, I simply hold up the stopwatch and click. Any time off the stopwatch comes out of Bonus Time. At the end of class, for however much time they have earned, they get to play a music game. I write about four choices on they board and they vote. This is a great incentive, even if they want to play the same game all year. After a while the stopwatch isn't even needed.