Reward Chart Method

Happy CHildren, HealtHy CHildren

Reward Chart Method

Link up positive results with positive behaviour. See unhealthy behaviours slowly disappear and encouraging ones appear.....

Children do not care how much you know… Until they know how much you care…

In this booklet we have used the pronouns “his” and “her” for the child. This is just for the ease of explanation. All the concepts here are meant for and applicable to both boys and girls.

Reward Chart

1. Positive response for Positive behavior - When our behavior

(whether desirable or undesirable) is followed by a positive and encouraging response (such as praise or reward), the chances of us repeating this behavior increase. Each instance of positive response “reinforces” the positive behavior and when combined over a period of time, it eventually makes the positive behavior a regular pattern. This applies to children too.

Without reinforcement

Consistent

Positive behavior

Positive behavior

Positive reinforcement

Positive reinforcement

Positive behavior

Positive behavior

Positive reinforcement

Positive behavior

Positive reinforcement

Positive behavior + Reward

Positive behavior

For example, in the classroom when a boy takes the initiative to answer a question, regardless of whether he is right or wrong, and the teacher responds positively by praising his active attempt, the chances of the boy answering questions actively again will increase. On the other hand, if the teacher shows disapproval publicly towards the boy’s incorrect answer, the chances of the boy answering questions actively in the future will be reduced.

Look what is happening here…..

Absolutely wrong Mohan! Idiot, sit down

Does nobody have an answer??

And look what is happening here……

Your answer is almost correct, Who else wants to try….

This is the basis of the reward chart method that helps children to modify their unhealthy behaviors. This positive, simple, non-violent and effective method is a tried, tested and time-honored way of teaching children about persevering to achieve their goals and a very successful way of molding their behavior. It can be used both as an individual method as well as in a group setting.

Although it can be used to modify any behavior, be cautious to not overuse it. It’s a “psychological tool” and should be used as one. Be careful not to use it for every big and small behavior pattern but only for those that may not be responding to your other attempts or methods. It should never replace the ongoing development of child’s innate ability to learn healthy behaviors through continuous communication with us, and by observing us. However, if the child needs extra encouragement, then this method can be used.

Bribing and rewarding good behavior are entirely different things. When a reward is used to end or preempt bad actions, we are bribing a child, whereas reward is a promised treat for going beyond expectations or a surprise for excellent behavior.

Bribe Reward

Shabnam throws a tantrum while on an outing, so she is promised an ice cream. By doing so we teach her that the “reward” for a public tantrum is a reward. She understands that if I create fuss, scream, or pout, I will be pacified with something that brings me pleasure.

This only reinforces her tantrum, a negative behavior, which will gradually escalate in the future and takes the shape of emotional blackmail- “you better give me a good payoff, or I’ll make you suffer!” Children are deeply motivated by their desires and therefore are likely to continue to use this strategy as long as it works for them.

2. Reward and bribe are not same

The difference between the two becomes clearer here:-

Given before the desired behavior is shown

Is given out of frustration at a child’s wrong behavior.

A bribe is child demanded

Bribes reward negative behavior.

Escalates bad behavior in the future and produces a wrong sense of entitlement for ordinary day to day activities.

Caretakers feel helpless, controlled, guilty & worried.

Given after the child tries and shows appropriate behavior

Is given out of joyful recognition of a child’s right behavior.

A reward is planned, directed & deserved.

Rewards celebrate positive behavior.

Teaches children the joy of walking in the right path, determination, hard work, and satisfaction of achieving ones goals and self-confidence.

Caretakers will feel happy, satisfied & proud.

3- An easy and interesting technique

Come, let us understand the Reward Chart method. It’s a promise/ commitment made by the child to herself and the group. It has the following benefits:

It’ s a promise!!!

Provides clarity to the child on what is expected of him/ her.

It provides tangible proof of good behavior. Children can see their behaviors adding up towards a reward, and how bad behavior moves them away from the reward.

Allows children to be acknowledged each time they behave well.

As a peer activity, it teaches children to become responsible for their own behavior and also contribute in helping other children as well. The process of behavior change is exciting and fun for children.

Only few more stars required.

Friend you can do it!!

4- What behaviors can be modified?

The Rewards method can be used for addressing almost any behavior, such as:

Not bathing

Bed wetting

Not Brushing

Not changing underclothes

Avoiding class

Picky eating, Not eating in time

Lying, abusing

Disrupting class

Bullying

5.

Steps in using the method

Since this is an entirely participatory technique, it is most important to explain the entire process in detail to the children. A description and a discussion in a group setting would be ideal. There are 8 steps to this process-

Reward ceremony

Scoring the Performance

Marking the chart

Preparing the chart

Choosing rewards

Setting the target

Write out the sentence

Choosing the behavior to be modified

Choosing the behavior to be modified

We may see many behaviors in each child that need to be modified. However, trying to change all of them at once is not practical and will be overwhelming to the child. So it is important to first clearly identify & define the behavior that has to be modified.

Name: Meena My behavior.… Index

Sit with each child to discuss and choose which of her behaviors are not healthy.

Discuss how each of these impacts or harms her and also those around her.

From these shortlisted behaviors, choose one or two behaviors that the child is ready to start working on.

(ii)

Write out the sentence :-

A child needs to know exactly what she/he must do in order to receive a reward. The formulation of the sentence that will act as the cue for the child is very important. For it to be effective, we should ensure that the “prompter line” is –

1. It should be written in “first person”( use of word “ I”)

Seema will not use abusive language

2. It should be simple and short

“I will speak to everyone using polite language”

Shaina will wake up at 5.30 am on her own, finish her bath quickly, pack her own bag and reach for breakfast in time.

3. It should be specific

Mohan will be obedient and will listen to all Didis and bhaiyas

I will wake at 5.30am everyday

I will take only 10 mins to bathe

I will pack my school bag, as per the timetable, before going for breakfast

By 7.15am, I will be ready to eat my breakfast.

I will participate in all activities as scheduled in the daily routine

4. It should be actionable & therefore measurable. The sentence should be such that children can vote in a clear “Yes” or “No”

Meera will not waste food

I will finish the food served to me at each meal or snack time.

5. Clearly telling the desirable behavior “what to do”, rather than what the child has to change, “what not to do”.

Pooja will not shout or bully children while in the science class.

I will raise my hand and wait for my turn when I want to say something in the science class.

(iii) Setting the target

Agree with the children on how many stars/ticks/points will fetch them a reward. Even when two children have identical modification behaviors, their targets can vary. Targets would be set on the basis of the age, ability, readiness etc.

For example, if a child shows agreed behavior and has got stars on 15 days out of the 30 days of the month, she may get a reward. As the child begins to gradually meet the target, the difficulty level could be raised by pushing it to 23 days out of 30 days. Further it can be pushed to all 30 days of the month. Similarly, for the same behavior modification, the target for another child in the beginning itself may be 20 or 25 days.

January 2018 - 31 days

Name

Ruby

Neha

Pinki

Rani

Name

Ruby

Neha

Pinki

Rani

I will… at 6.30 in the morning….

I will…… food

February 2018 - 28 days

I will… at 6.30 in the morning….

I will….. everyday I will….. everyday

I will…… food

Choosing rewards

The success of the reward chart method depends a lot on the appeal of the rewards. The reward must be something that the child likes and truly desires. It is important to identify what the prize is ahead of time.

There are many ideas of what these rewards can be. A smile, verbal praise, a hug or extra attention are often powerful reinforcements that stimulate children to continue appropriate behaviors.

With a bit of creativity, Snehsathis can come up with rewards that are not too expensive, yet are very attractive for the children.

Here are some ideas -

Appreciation- Star of the month, ( gets to wear a special badge for a month), Name/ picture highlighted, (gets a slot on the main display board of the home), Gets to say the welcome speech on parents meeting day. Gets garlanded/ crown/sashes etc.

Interesting items- Craft items, including colored pencils, markers, colored paper, modelling clay, paints and sparkles/sequins, stickers.

Books- Children of all ages enjoy books, from picture books for toddlers to educational books for older children. A particularly good behaviour can be rewarded with a trip to the bookshop so that children can select their own books.

Book Shop

Choosing a movie - SnehSathis who allow their children to watch television and/or movies, allow them to choose the monthly DVDs then it is a well-received reward.

Remember that basic needs such as sufficient food, comfortable bedding, appreciation, or reasonable opportunities for leisure should never become rewards (but be unconditionally available to all children in the home).

(v) Making the chart

A common chart, with the target behaviors of all children should be prepared. If the method is being used at an individual level, this will have to be written in the child’s diary.

The chart should contain:-

Name of the children

Expected behavior Target

Space to mark the performance of each day

Space to mark the total performance of the month.

Here is a sample of a chart:-

January 2018

Name Mohan I will …... at 6.30 in the morning

Chinna Raju Babu

Change sentence Target

Total I will….. everyday I will…… food

Similarly make a chart for the whole month.

January 2018 - 31 days

Name Mohan I will …. at 6.30 in the morning

Chinna Raju Babu

Change sentence Target I will….. everyday I will…… food

Total Reward Week

*Some months are 30 days, most have 31 days.

The chart should be preferably prepared entirely by the children (under our guidance) or they should actively participate in it.

There is no one best way to prepare a reward chart. Encourage the children to make their own group charts interesting, using colors, designs, stickers etc. Each child could write her own name in creative ways, and even draw a picture of what has been agreed as her reward etc.

Name Change sentence Target

Ruby I will …... at 6.30 in the morning

Neha Pinki Rani

I will….. everyday Ifoodwill…… Meera

............. .............

Keep the time targets (when the prize is to be collected) short. Frequent, simple rewards keep motivation high. So a monthly chart with slots for weekly totaling would be good.

The chart should be displayed at a mutually agreed place on a wall in the home.

January 2018

Ruby I will …... at 6.30 in the morning

Neha Pinki Rani

Meera

I will….. everyday I will…… food

Marking the chart (vi)

The chart should be displayed where all children can see it while meeting for marking.

January 2018

Name Mohan

Chinna Raju

Babu

Jassi

Behaviour Target

Babu used a bad word today so he will get a cross Mohan got up on time today at 6.30 so he gets a star

At the agreed time every day, the children should be made to come together around the reward chart.

Read out the name and the behavior being observed of one child at a time and ask the rest of the children and SnehSathis to vote.

If the child showed the expected behavior, a tick mark is put in the cell for that day. Each child’s name and expected behavior is reviewed and marked.

Repeat this process every day.

Every time a child receives a tick, it reinforces her to repeat it. Therefore, this process should become a part of the daily routine and should not be missed out at any cost.

It should be explained to the children that points/stars have to be earned, not demanded.

Avoid Nagging and Negativity

A reinforcement system should aim to increase positive behavior, not pressure or negatively challenge the child. Threatening to take away stickers or constantly reminding the child that they won’t get something if they don’t do their chore is going to stress the child out. Imagine a fitness tracker. It will reward you with a screen of praise when you complete your goals, but it doesn’t yell at you for not doing so. Whenever the children show appropriate behavior, they should be made to feel that their day has been brilliant.

(vii)

Scoring the Performance

Weekly scoring

January 2018

Change

sentence

Name Ruby I will …... at 6.30 in the morning

I will…… food Meera

Monthly scoring

January 2018 - 31 days

Change

sentence

Name Ruby I will …. at 6.30 in the morning

Week Total

Every child is different and therefore will move and show change in behavior at their own pace. Some may show a change within a week, others may take months. Some may progress and then show a downslide in between. Allow the child to continue for 1-2 months after the child has met 100% achievement.

When children are unable to score enough to fetch them a reward, they can get disappointed and upset. Gently talk to them to explain why they are not getting the reward. Also emphasize that she should continue to make efforts and you are sure the child will be able to meet her targets next month.

When the modified/new behavior in a child has been stabilized, choose another behavior from the original list of those to be changed and add it to the chart.

Reward Ceremony

As the name of the method itself signifies, the reward and its distribution are important steps in this process and therefore at the end of the agreed time period of the contract, the children and their performance should be rewarded in a celebratory way. It’s a recognition and approval of the commitment and accomplishment, determination & hard work that has been put in. Public announcement motivates other children.

The celebration does not have to be lavish but be sure to make it upbeat, exciting and well attended. Inviting volunteers and community members to such events is a good way to engage them and make it special & cheerful for the children.

6. A change within

With the completion of each cycle(month), children will experience strong positive emotions. These are even more powerful and inspiring than external rewards. We should help them to recognize these –

Sense

As the process continues, children will appreciate these emotions and will try to make the modified and healthy behaviors part of their personality.

I have done this

7. Correct and continuous use

This method has been seen to be extremely effective in modifying behavior. If it is used correctly we are certainly going to observe changes in the behavior of the child and be able to observe desirable behaviour more often.

Few Snehsathis shared that the method is not working out. When discussed and analyzed we realized that reasons for it not working included the following-

Children were unclear of the technique and its process.

Names of children & behavior to be modified had not been agreed upon with the child and neither had been put up on the chart by the child herself.

The target behavior was not written out clearly.

New target behaviors were added suddenly(mid-month) by the adult because the child consistently scored stars through a week.

Marking was not done everyday consistently. Markings were not being consolidated on a weekly or fortnightly basis, making the time interim recognition of progress too apart.

The agreed month end rewards were not being given or were not given in time.

Rewards were not exciting enough for children.

The excitement and motivation was not built up by the SnehSathis and exercise was discontinued after 10-15 days.

Reward system is a method and as with any technique, unless the prescribed process is followed, it will not be effective. From time to time, do check that its being followed in the way it is meant to be used.

My notes

Care is the backbone of our relationship with children and is central to their emotional well-being. This booklet is a part of a series that will inform us about how we can extend the best care to the children so that they can heal their traumas, attain stability & rediscover themselves, evolve and flourish.

Let us discover the joy of working with children…