During my 16 years in the classroom, I saw and used a lot of whole-class reward systems. The issue isn’t the reward itself – it’s the way accountability is handled.
Here’s what I mean:
One of the more common ones was a “fill the jar” system. I’ve seen these with pompom balls, marbles, cute little star magnets, and more.
The basic idea is that if the class does well, something gets added to the jar. When the jar is full, the class gets a reward like a pajama day, extra recess, or no homework.
Some teachers take items out of the jar for poor behavior, but others make it an additive system only.
And I understand why these are so popular:
- They’re cute. Seriously, just look on Pinterest or Etsy for “classroom reward jar” and you’ll find so many adorable options.
- They encourage the whole class to behave. In theory, all students will work together to behave appropriately and earn the reward.
- They’re easy to set up. The materials are often cheap or free, and they can be reused year after year.
However. In my experience, jar-fillers don’t lead to any noticeable behavior improvement.
It’s better than having no reward system at all, sure…but there’s also some big problems with systems like this.
A Class of Individuals
Whole-class reward systems (marble jars, monthly reward charts, stars on the board) assume that collective accountability and positive peer pressure will be enough to keep everyone on track.
Here’s the truth: Classrooms are filled with individual students.
Even though you might be in charge of “a class,” just one or two students can derail progress without any felt consequence.
(You know who those students are, right? The ones who completely change the dynamic of your classroom just by being there?)
Often, students (especially younger students) won’t make the connection between “I blurted out three times on Tuesday” and “our class’s pajama day is delayed until next week.”
It’s just too abstract and distant.
What Actually Makes Behavior Improve
Brain research and our own experiences tell us that behavior improves when feedback is immediate.
If a student misbehaves, there needs to be an immediate response on the part of the teacher.
Similarly, if a student does something well, they’ll be more likely to do it again if the reward is immediate.
(I can hear someone protesting that the reward is immediate because the jar gets filled right away. But remember that the real purpose of whole-class reward systems is not motivation.)
Behavior also improves when consequences (and rewards) are clearly connected to behavior.
The reward for jar-filler systems is often several weeks removed from the behavior. The idea behind this system is to accumulate good behavior, but that means on slower days, there’s no immediate reward* for good behavior.
*I’m also not advocating for immediate prizes and handouts. That trains a whole different behavior pattern.
There’s one more piece that matters here: Placing responsibility on the individual, not on the class.
Jar-filler systems tend to focus on shared accountability – and this isn’t bad! But when it is the only system in place, responsibility becomes abstract.
Concerns with Individual Accountability
When whole-class systems don’t work, it can feel like the only alternative is tracking and correcting students individually.
But systems like clip charts can make students feel singled out or targeted. They can cause resentment or even create power struggles.
The most effective classroom management systems blend individual and collective accountability without requiring constant intervention from the teacher.
Consider: What would change if students experienced accountability individually and daily, instead of collectively and occasionally?
This is the foundation of the system I use and teach, and it’s why rewards stop feeling like bribery and start functioning as instruction.
F.A.Q.
Whole-class reward systems rely on collective accountability, but classrooms are made up of individual students. When responsibility is shared, some students don’t experience a clear or immediate connection between their behavior and the outcome, which limits behavior change.
They can be motivating in the short term, especially when they’re new. However, motivation tends to fade when rewards are delayed or when students don’t see how their individual behavior affects the outcome.
Individual accountability is important, but systems that focus only on individuals can create resentment or power struggles. The most effective classroom management systems balance individual responsibility with a shared class goal.
Not necessarily. Whole-class rewards can still be effective when they’re part of a system that helps students experience accountability consistently and clearly, rather than relying on collective behavior alone.
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