Taking the time to celebrate
During the
busy school year, we seldom have time to reflect on where we’ve been and what we’ve accomplished. Too often we get bogged
down in the day-to-day pressures of our schedules and endless lists of what
needs to get done.
Of all the
inspiring stories from the year, three amazing students stand out for
rising to the very top of our national points board. Points are part of our
extrinsic reward system, but behind the numbers are students who’ve put in a lot of effort and care
into their work. In BrightFish Reading, the more activities you complete and
the higher your accuracy, the more points you earn. It’s probably not surprising that students
consistently rate the points system as one of their favorite parts of the
program. The points can be redeemed for games, which are valued rewards, but
having a tangible recognition of your work and how far you have come can be
even more powerful motivators.
Behind
those students are the wonderful teachers who really dig into a technology to
make it work for their kids. Bringing in a new tool to use in the classroom – on top of everything else that’s going on – involves change and, frankly, more
work. Perhaps it’s also not
surprising that the kids who made it to the top of our national standings were supported
by teachers who embraced the tools, asked a lot of questions and devised their
own creative strategies for keeping students focused and engaged. For software
developers, those educators are considered “gold” for their ability to bring our
programs to life and help us improve.
Next week classroom
celebrations are starting to take place as the 2016-17 year winds down. As you recognize
your students for their achievements big and small, take time to enjoy the
moment and reflect on how much was accomplished this year.
