Student Contributor: B. Montano
This tool is a great way to implement a positive community in the classroom. Many times we think of positive behaviors and accomplishments people around us do but do not tell them. Praise is one of the most simple and effective methods for engaging and motivating your students. Praise, when used correctly, may help children overcome behavioral issues and enhance their attitudes toward learning.
This tool would be best used weekly. I believe Wednesdays are the best days to implement time for the notes. It’s the middle of the week and students are needing an uplifting. Although, Kudos Notes can be flexible and can be used a couple times a week or biweekly. It is best used when you notice students are struggling going through the week or needing a positive comment that will brighten their day. One of the positives of Kudos Notes is not needing many materials or preparation. Students will be given a Kudos card and they will have 5 minutes to write to a peer of their choice. They will choose to write to a peer who has been kind, making good decisions, brightening the day, encouraging other students, etc. After students have written their notes, they will pass it to the peer they wrote it for. I would challenge students to choose a new student each week- so everyone can receive a card. I would also suggest the teacher taking a part of Kudos Notes. Students also like to hear good things from their teachers. I would keep track and make sure you are choosing a new student each week.
I believe this is most suited for the supportive phase. It promotes pleasant attitudes toward others, as well as a sense of community and belonging. This tool encourages students to work together and engage with one another. It aids in the prevention of classroom misbehavior by allowing students to recognize their accomplishments and effort in the classroom. This tool is very much in line with student-centered and collaborative theories of influence. These enjoyable and interactive activities would be less important to an educator with a teacher-centered influence. A teacher with a student-centered approach, on the other hand, would do all in their power to build a community in their classroom. It also belongs to the cooperative side of the influence continuum because both the teacher and students participate jointly in the activity.
More Information –
Tool Source: My sister (teacher)
I implemented this tool in a 3rd grade, rural area with 18 students. This tool was simple to prepare, teach and use. I was able to make my own Kudos Note Card and print out copies. My students LOVED using this tool and were very engaged in doing so. What was successful about this tool was seeing students reflect on the positive interactions they had with their classmates within the week. Students understood their role was to thank someone for an act of kindness. I embedded this tool on a Monday and we wrote our kudos note on Friday so students had time to truly reflect on an act of kindness someone did for them. An adjustment I would make to ensure every student gets a card is to put every student’s name in a bucket. Each student will pull one name out of the bucket which ensures every student gets a kudos note. Which I believe is a good adjustment if students know kudos notes come on Friday.
Demographics: 1st grade/15 students/Rural community
This tool was very easy to prepare for. I just went online and found some cute lined note cards to print out for my students to use. We went with a “Kindness Rocks” theme. I noticed that the students LOVED it. They were so excited to write something kind to their classmates. I asked a few students how it made them feel when they received their card written for them- they all said it made them feel good and very happy. I explained to the students that the goal of this was to do something nice for each other to make sure everyone knows how loved and appreciated they are.
I did change this idea a little bit. Instead of letting students pick who they wanted to write to, they drew a name out of a bag. My mentor teacher wanted to make sure everyone received a card and not just a select few students. I thought this was a needed addition to make sure everyone was included and felt valued.