It’s an Honour
Rethinking Rewards and Incentives
Rewarding student achievements or behaviours with food can lead to unintended negative consequences (*see rationale below). To foster a positive relationship with food, acknowledge students’ accomplishments through non-food rewards and incentives.
Follow the 4-step process to take a planned and comprehensive approach to work on this topic.
Getting Started
- What are your current practices? What do other educators use as rewards and incentives?
- What types of non-food rewards and incentives motivate the students?
- Is there a budget for student recognition?
Bright Ideas
Brainstorm reward and incentive ideas together with the students. Here are some examples of non-food rewards and incentives:
- Social praise – attention, verbal praise, thanks, pats on the shoulder, high five
- Recognition – trophy plaque, ribbon, certificate, card or sticker with affirming message, name on morning announcements
- Privileges - sit near friends, extra time for preferred activities, being first in lines, walk with a teacher during lunch, time on the roller racer in the hallway, time to jump on the trampoline in the resource room, taking care of the class animal for a day
- Identification as the Classroom Helper - making deliveries to the office, helper in another classroom, read to a younger class, design a class or hall bulletin board
- Earning points, tokens or play money for desirable behaviour to be put in a draw or used towards non-food rewards - school supplies, spirit wear, movie passes, yearbook, treasure box filled with stickers, erasers, highlighters, fancy paperclips and other fun school supplies
- Extra time to do a preferred activity - outdoor activity, play at the park, play time inside, gym time, art, music, reading or computer time, watch a movie, brainteaser puzzles, group activities or games
- Free passes or entry for school events - dances, football games, spirit days
- Volunteer hours
*Unintended negative consequences of using food as a reward
- Puts individuals who struggle with food and eating (e.g. eating disorders) at risk.
- Puts children with food allergies or other dietary constraints at risk, or else excludes them.
- Confuses children by contradicting the classroom lessons about food and nutrition and developing lifelong healthy habits.
- Encourages eating outside of meal or snack times, which interferes with natural internal hunger and satiety cues.
- Creates a hierarchy of foods and makes the rewarded foods appear more desirable, teaching children to prefer them.
