I was a special education teacher for more than 11 years…given that background, I was trained in behavior modification, positive reinforcers, and classroom/behavior management!  It was always my job to shape behaviors, mostly inappropriate!  I still strongly believe in many of those principles and have been able to apply them to the “regular” classroom and my own children.  I think that every child and classroom is unique and what may work with one child or class may not work with another.  It’s all about balance…I strongly believe in “logical consequences” for children whenever possible.  If you break it, you fix it…if you hurt someone, make it right, etc.  I’m also a big fan of positive reinforcement “gimmicks” in my classroom.  I’ve used everything from sticker charts, to marble jars, to raffle tickets, to candy.  I was really surprised and curious to learn more about the programs discussed during Thursday’s class that eliminate any type of “tangible reinforcers”.  I understand the idea in theory…but it comes down to the question of intrinsic motivation…Do all children have it?   I know that I love my job but I think that I would  question my committment to it if I didn’t get a paycheck each week!  I think we all could use a little “boost” or a pat on the back when we do a good job.  Once again, it all comes down to balance.  I don’t “reward” my students for every single accomplishment in my room.  I also encourage them to evaluate their own work (and behavior) to determine if it is their best, provide rubrics and exemplars to help with expectations, and offer constructive feedback on assignments and not just the global “Good Job”.  I don’t want my students becoming completely dependent on me for the evaluation of their work or solely eliciting my opinion to validate their efforts.  But for now, in second grade, I’m going to stick with my sticker charts and “catch em being good” reward systems.  It’s working!