Spark Student Motivation: Homework Pennant

It's Saturday! Let's get each other and our students motivated! What tip, trick, lesson, or idea have you used or plan to use in your classroom that motivates your students?

Do you ever have some students that aren't motivated to complete their homework or turn it in on time?

Me too! It seems likes you get at least one every year right?

Well, I added a whole class incentive several years ago to give some of those students a little "peer pressure" to complete their homework.

This idea is simple and easy to keep track of (my favorite):

Every day EVERYONE completes their homework, they earn a letter (spells HOMEWORK).  

If they spell the word HOMEWORK, the entire class has no homework the following week!

Sounds like an awesome incentive right? It's pretty hard-I've actually only had to award this a few times in all the years I've been offering this coveted prize!

Why? If even ONE student forgets their homework or doesn't complete it, all the letters come down and they have to start all over again. :(

*I don't accept late homework for the incentive. 

There's only 8 letters, so I tell my students if they all encourage each other they can have no homework after every two weeks!

*Don't panic if you HAVE to assign homework or if you have a class that always completes their homework. As I mentioned earlier, it's difficult to attain this goal for most classes, but you could offer an extra recess or computer time instead. This motivational tool is to persuade those reluctant homework finishers to get on the ball or for classrooms that need a little spark.

Make this a class job-have a student hang up or take down letters. I have mine at the front of the room so it's a great visual and reminder. 

I sometimes offer an extra letter if everyone brings back important forms or returns their report cards the next day.

We also talk about how we should act if someone causes the letters to come down. How can we help that student? They come up with great ideas and it motivates the student to try harder.

This might be great to introduce when you get back in January to start the year out right!

Would you like a copy of my Homework Pennant? I'd love to share it with you! Just leave a comment with your email (if you're not a blogger) and I'll send it to you this weekend!

I hope you had a wonderful week! Please link up any lessons, ideas, tips, tricks, incentives, ANYTHING you do get your students motivated or excited!

Don't forget to grab my button and link back to this post!

Check out all the wonderful ideas from my friends who link up and don't forget to leave some love by commenting....we LOVE comments!