Creating Momentum for Your School Culture: 3 Fun Tips from the Pros

Ready to step up your school culture? Get the guidance you need from the pros!
By 
The Liveschool Team
 | 
November 18, 2021

What does team buy-in look like?

In one-word: engagement. It’s your whole team engaged in your system and contributing to make it better. You’ll know you have it when you see consistency, creativity, and excitement in your staff when you’re talking about behavior and school culture. That energy then translates to your student body in the form of real-life growth and a tighter community.

What holds back buy-in? Most of the time it’s the friction inherent in change. Schools are dynamic spaces where tradition and change are in constant tension. Introducing any new change is hard, and it’s only natural that teams may be reluctant at first.

Here are top tips from LiveSchool educators around the country on how to shorten the fear of change, and build better buy-in.

1. Make time for comprehensive training

Nobody likes using a system they don’t feel empowered to use. Comprehensive and consistent training smooths potentially bumpy transitions into new systems by accelerating the learning curve and catching any “what ifs” before they happen.

Good training helps LiveSchool users easily navigate the nuts and bolts of the platform so they can focus on the important stuff: helping kids learn.

We did a slow roll out and completed our trainings in small tidbits instead of one large, long training. For example, we did our first training during the first few weeks of school, covering topics like prepping classes, showing students, giving points. We had our next training later, which highlighted neat features, rosters and prizes. We continued to do professional development sporadically throughout the first year, calling out new features or ways to use LiveSchool. This approach kept teachers from feeling overwhelmed with the new tool.” - Anna Austin, Cabarrus County Schools

The takeaways

2. Use data to reinforce your school's “why”

Transitioning, and sticking, to any new system can be a challenge. LiveSchool is committed to being user-friendly, but a user-friendly platform can still be met with hesitation.

Focus on the philosophy driving your LiveSchool program – why are you implementing a points and rewards system?

We connect our professional development around trauma informed practices, the impact of descriptive praise and our classroom management skills with the data we look at from LiveSchool to help teachers see the why behind it all. Seeing the impact their ratio data has on student outcomes has been really impactful. - Katie Elam, KIPP Nashville

LiveSchool's Insights is a great tool to highlight how consistent use of LiveSchool can create real, positive impacts for your students.

We use the Insights data a lot. We publish data every week to see who is using the platform with fidelity. We also set different focuses every single week that are aligned to our values and that help teachers know what they should be looking for when it comes to giving scholars points! - Ge’ron Tatum, Firstline Schools

The takeaways

3. Optimize for team-wide decision making

As people, we feel more invested in programs we help create, so collaboration is key for gaining team buy-in.

Teachers pick what the students can buy, how much the items cost, and how they prefer to have the store run. They also have the ability to request that items and behaviors be added to the matrix. - Jan Burgess, Northgate Middle

Teachers handle the day-to-day logistics of LiveSchool in the classroom and have invaluable firsthand knowledge – their input not only shapes a more effective program, but also ensures their professional needs are met and supported.

Teachers really appreciate the autonomy LiveSchool gives them in identifying which skills they need kids to demonstrate in the classroom. They can choose a behavior they value in that moment and say ‘Today, guys, this is what I’m looking for. If you can do this for me, I can do this for you.’ - Reagan Allegri, Heritage Middle School

The takeaway

Reward and celebrate teachers, too!

Let educators know their work is appreciated through exciting incentives and rewards! Recognition and compensation, whether it’s with material or experiential privileges, encourages team buy-in and boosts morale. Check out our Celebrate Teachers Toolkit for more tips on regularly sharing the love to your teachers!

We have a monthly prize for the teacher who has given the most points, and we make weekly announcements in our staff newsletter. - Melanie Mendez, St. Augustine Preparatory Academy
We award one half-day off every six weeks to the teacher who has the most LiveSchool usage. Second- and third-place teachers get extended lunch, and we provide lunch for the top six teachers. - Aja Alexander, Austin Middle School

The takeaway

In Short: Empower, Emphasize, Show Gratitude

Empower your colleagues with regular trainings and check-ins, emphasize the “why” behind your culture system, and show gratitude to teachers by celebrating their successes. A people-centered approach to team buy-in will help you build a successful school culture for both students and teachers.

Have a story about your team’s journey to total buy-in? Share it with us at @whyliveschool on twitter!

Subscribe via Email

Receive the best school culture resources monthly to inspire your planning.

Creating Momentum for Your School Culture: 3 Fun Tips from the Pros

Ready to step up your school culture? Get the guidance you need from the pros!
By 
The Liveschool Team
 | 
November 18, 2021
How do you take a behavior management strategy and elevate it into school culture? You need more than just a set of standards… you need team buy-in.

What does team buy-in look like?

In one-word: engagement. It’s your whole team engaged in your system and contributing to make it better. You’ll know you have it when you see consistency, creativity, and excitement in your staff when you’re talking about behavior and school culture. That energy then translates to your student body in the form of real-life growth and a tighter community.

What holds back buy-in? Most of the time it’s the friction inherent in change. Schools are dynamic spaces where tradition and change are in constant tension. Introducing any new change is hard, and it’s only natural that teams may be reluctant at first.

Here are top tips from LiveSchool educators around the country on how to shorten the fear of change, and build better buy-in.

1. Make time for comprehensive training

Nobody likes using a system they don’t feel empowered to use. Comprehensive and consistent training smooths potentially bumpy transitions into new systems by accelerating the learning curve and catching any “what ifs” before they happen.

Good training helps LiveSchool users easily navigate the nuts and bolts of the platform so they can focus on the important stuff: helping kids learn.

We did a slow roll out and completed our trainings in small tidbits instead of one large, long training. For example, we did our first training during the first few weeks of school, covering topics like prepping classes, showing students, giving points. We had our next training later, which highlighted neat features, rosters and prizes. We continued to do professional development sporadically throughout the first year, calling out new features or ways to use LiveSchool. This approach kept teachers from feeling overwhelmed with the new tool.” - Anna Austin, Cabarrus County Schools

The takeaways

  • Start with an initial training on the fundamentals.
  • Follow up with a second training to go into tips, tricks, and next-order highlights.
  • Sprinkle sporadic use-case PD throughout the year.

2. Use data to reinforce your school's “why”

Transitioning, and sticking, to any new system can be a challenge. LiveSchool is committed to being user-friendly, but a user-friendly platform can still be met with hesitation.

Focus on the philosophy driving your LiveSchool program – why are you implementing a points and rewards system?

We connect our professional development around trauma informed practices, the impact of descriptive praise and our classroom management skills with the data we look at from LiveSchool to help teachers see the why behind it all. Seeing the impact their ratio data has on student outcomes has been really impactful. - Katie Elam, KIPP Nashville

LiveSchool's Insights is a great tool to highlight how consistent use of LiveSchool can create real, positive impacts for your students.

We use the Insights data a lot. We publish data every week to see who is using the platform with fidelity. We also set different focuses every single week that are aligned to our values and that help teachers know what they should be looking for when it comes to giving scholars points! - Ge’ron Tatum, Firstline Schools

The takeaways

  • Keep educators motivated by highlighting your main goals and vision for a school-wide culture system. 
  • Use LiveSchool’s Insights to give educators tangible evidence of the positive impacts of their work.

3. Optimize for team-wide decision making

As people, we feel more invested in programs we help create, so collaboration is key for gaining team buy-in.

Teachers pick what the students can buy, how much the items cost, and how they prefer to have the store run. They also have the ability to request that items and behaviors be added to the matrix. - Jan Burgess, Northgate Middle

Teachers handle the day-to-day logistics of LiveSchool in the classroom and have invaluable firsthand knowledge – their input not only shapes a more effective program, but also ensures their professional needs are met and supported.

Teachers really appreciate the autonomy LiveSchool gives them in identifying which skills they need kids to demonstrate in the classroom. They can choose a behavior they value in that moment and say ‘Today, guys, this is what I’m looking for. If you can do this for me, I can do this for you.’ - Reagan Allegri, Heritage Middle School

The takeaway

  • Collaboration gives everyone system ownership and creates a program that best reflects the needs of those using it.

Reward and celebrate teachers, too!

Let educators know their work is appreciated through exciting incentives and rewards! Recognition and compensation, whether it’s with material or experiential privileges, encourages team buy-in and boosts morale. Check out our Celebrate Teachers Toolkit for more tips on regularly sharing the love to your teachers!

We have a monthly prize for the teacher who has given the most points, and we make weekly announcements in our staff newsletter. - Melanie Mendez, St. Augustine Preparatory Academy
We award one half-day off every six weeks to the teacher who has the most LiveSchool usage. Second- and third-place teachers get extended lunch, and we provide lunch for the top six teachers. - Aja Alexander, Austin Middle School

The takeaway

  • Find creative and sustainable ways to show staff appreciation. 

In Short: Empower, Emphasize, Show Gratitude

Empower your colleagues with regular trainings and check-ins, emphasize the “why” behind your culture system, and show gratitude to teachers by celebrating their successes. A people-centered approach to team buy-in will help you build a successful school culture for both students and teachers.

Have a story about your team’s journey to total buy-in? Share it with us at @whyliveschool on twitter!

Back
Let’s take this to your inbox
We’ll send you our monthly newsletter which is fully stocked with free resources like articles, videos, podcasts, reward ideas, and anything else we can think of to help you make your school awesome.
How do you take a behavior management strategy and elevate it into school culture? You need more than just a set of standards… you need team buy-in.

What does team buy-in look like?

In one-word: engagement. It’s your whole team engaged in your system and contributing to make it better. You’ll know you have it when you see consistency, creativity, and excitement in your staff when you’re talking about behavior and school culture. That energy then translates to your student body in the form of real-life growth and a tighter community.

What holds back buy-in? Most of the time it’s the friction inherent in change. Schools are dynamic spaces where tradition and change are in constant tension. Introducing any new change is hard, and it’s only natural that teams may be reluctant at first.

Here are top tips from LiveSchool educators around the country on how to shorten the fear of change, and build better buy-in.

1. Make time for comprehensive training

Nobody likes using a system they don’t feel empowered to use. Comprehensive and consistent training smooths potentially bumpy transitions into new systems by accelerating the learning curve and catching any “what ifs” before they happen.

Good training helps LiveSchool users easily navigate the nuts and bolts of the platform so they can focus on the important stuff: helping kids learn.

We did a slow roll out and completed our trainings in small tidbits instead of one large, long training. For example, we did our first training during the first few weeks of school, covering topics like prepping classes, showing students, giving points. We had our next training later, which highlighted neat features, rosters and prizes. We continued to do professional development sporadically throughout the first year, calling out new features or ways to use LiveSchool. This approach kept teachers from feeling overwhelmed with the new tool.” - Anna Austin, Cabarrus County Schools

The takeaways

  • Start with an initial training on the fundamentals.
  • Follow up with a second training to go into tips, tricks, and next-order highlights.
  • Sprinkle sporadic use-case PD throughout the year.

2. Use data to reinforce your school's “why”

Transitioning, and sticking, to any new system can be a challenge. LiveSchool is committed to being user-friendly, but a user-friendly platform can still be met with hesitation.

Focus on the philosophy driving your LiveSchool program – why are you implementing a points and rewards system?

We connect our professional development around trauma informed practices, the impact of descriptive praise and our classroom management skills with the data we look at from LiveSchool to help teachers see the why behind it all. Seeing the impact their ratio data has on student outcomes has been really impactful. - Katie Elam, KIPP Nashville

LiveSchool's Insights is a great tool to highlight how consistent use of LiveSchool can create real, positive impacts for your students.

We use the Insights data a lot. We publish data every week to see who is using the platform with fidelity. We also set different focuses every single week that are aligned to our values and that help teachers know what they should be looking for when it comes to giving scholars points! - Ge’ron Tatum, Firstline Schools

The takeaways

  • Keep educators motivated by highlighting your main goals and vision for a school-wide culture system. 
  • Use LiveSchool’s Insights to give educators tangible evidence of the positive impacts of their work.

3. Optimize for team-wide decision making

As people, we feel more invested in programs we help create, so collaboration is key for gaining team buy-in.

Teachers pick what the students can buy, how much the items cost, and how they prefer to have the store run. They also have the ability to request that items and behaviors be added to the matrix. - Jan Burgess, Northgate Middle

Teachers handle the day-to-day logistics of LiveSchool in the classroom and have invaluable firsthand knowledge – their input not only shapes a more effective program, but also ensures their professional needs are met and supported.

Teachers really appreciate the autonomy LiveSchool gives them in identifying which skills they need kids to demonstrate in the classroom. They can choose a behavior they value in that moment and say ‘Today, guys, this is what I’m looking for. If you can do this for me, I can do this for you.’ - Reagan Allegri, Heritage Middle School

The takeaway

  • Collaboration gives everyone system ownership and creates a program that best reflects the needs of those using it.

Reward and celebrate teachers, too!

Let educators know their work is appreciated through exciting incentives and rewards! Recognition and compensation, whether it’s with material or experiential privileges, encourages team buy-in and boosts morale. Check out our Celebrate Teachers Toolkit for more tips on regularly sharing the love to your teachers!

We have a monthly prize for the teacher who has given the most points, and we make weekly announcements in our staff newsletter. - Melanie Mendez, St. Augustine Preparatory Academy
We award one half-day off every six weeks to the teacher who has the most LiveSchool usage. Second- and third-place teachers get extended lunch, and we provide lunch for the top six teachers. - Aja Alexander, Austin Middle School

The takeaway

  • Find creative and sustainable ways to show staff appreciation. 

In Short: Empower, Emphasize, Show Gratitude

Empower your colleagues with regular trainings and check-ins, emphasize the “why” behind your culture system, and show gratitude to teachers by celebrating their successes. A people-centered approach to team buy-in will help you build a successful school culture for both students and teachers.

Have a story about your team’s journey to total buy-in? Share it with us at @whyliveschool on twitter!

What does team buy-in look like?

In one-word: engagement. It’s your whole team engaged in your system and contributing to make it better. You’ll know you have it when you see consistency, creativity, and excitement in your staff when you’re talking about behavior and school culture. That energy then translates to your student body in the form of real-life growth and a tighter community.

What holds back buy-in? Most of the time it’s the friction inherent in change. Schools are dynamic spaces where tradition and change are in constant tension. Introducing any new change is hard, and it’s only natural that teams may be reluctant at first.

Here are top tips from LiveSchool educators around the country on how to shorten the fear of change, and build better buy-in.

1. Make time for comprehensive training

Nobody likes using a system they don’t feel empowered to use. Comprehensive and consistent training smooths potentially bumpy transitions into new systems by accelerating the learning curve and catching any “what ifs” before they happen.

Good training helps LiveSchool users easily navigate the nuts and bolts of the platform so they can focus on the important stuff: helping kids learn.

We did a slow roll out and completed our trainings in small tidbits instead of one large, long training. For example, we did our first training during the first few weeks of school, covering topics like prepping classes, showing students, giving points. We had our next training later, which highlighted neat features, rosters and prizes. We continued to do professional development sporadically throughout the first year, calling out new features or ways to use LiveSchool. This approach kept teachers from feeling overwhelmed with the new tool.” - Anna Austin, Cabarrus County Schools

The takeaways

  • Start with an initial training on the fundamentals.
  • Follow up with a second training to go into tips, tricks, and next-order highlights.
  • Sprinkle sporadic use-case PD throughout the year.

2. Use data to reinforce your school's “why”

Transitioning, and sticking, to any new system can be a challenge. LiveSchool is committed to being user-friendly, but a user-friendly platform can still be met with hesitation.

Focus on the philosophy driving your LiveSchool program – why are you implementing a points and rewards system?

We connect our professional development around trauma informed practices, the impact of descriptive praise and our classroom management skills with the data we look at from LiveSchool to help teachers see the why behind it all. Seeing the impact their ratio data has on student outcomes has been really impactful. - Katie Elam, KIPP Nashville

LiveSchool's Insights is a great tool to highlight how consistent use of LiveSchool can create real, positive impacts for your students.

We use the Insights data a lot. We publish data every week to see who is using the platform with fidelity. We also set different focuses every single week that are aligned to our values and that help teachers know what they should be looking for when it comes to giving scholars points! - Ge’ron Tatum, Firstline Schools

The takeaways

  • Keep educators motivated by highlighting your main goals and vision for a school-wide culture system. 
  • Use LiveSchool’s Insights to give educators tangible evidence of the positive impacts of their work.

3. Optimize for team-wide decision making

As people, we feel more invested in programs we help create, so collaboration is key for gaining team buy-in.

Teachers pick what the students can buy, how much the items cost, and how they prefer to have the store run. They also have the ability to request that items and behaviors be added to the matrix. - Jan Burgess, Northgate Middle

Teachers handle the day-to-day logistics of LiveSchool in the classroom and have invaluable firsthand knowledge – their input not only shapes a more effective program, but also ensures their professional needs are met and supported.

Teachers really appreciate the autonomy LiveSchool gives them in identifying which skills they need kids to demonstrate in the classroom. They can choose a behavior they value in that moment and say ‘Today, guys, this is what I’m looking for. If you can do this for me, I can do this for you.’ - Reagan Allegri, Heritage Middle School

The takeaway

  • Collaboration gives everyone system ownership and creates a program that best reflects the needs of those using it.

Reward and celebrate teachers, too!

Let educators know their work is appreciated through exciting incentives and rewards! Recognition and compensation, whether it’s with material or experiential privileges, encourages team buy-in and boosts morale. Check out our Celebrate Teachers Toolkit for more tips on regularly sharing the love to your teachers!

We have a monthly prize for the teacher who has given the most points, and we make weekly announcements in our staff newsletter. - Melanie Mendez, St. Augustine Preparatory Academy
We award one half-day off every six weeks to the teacher who has the most LiveSchool usage. Second- and third-place teachers get extended lunch, and we provide lunch for the top six teachers. - Aja Alexander, Austin Middle School

The takeaway

  • Find creative and sustainable ways to show staff appreciation. 

In Short: Empower, Emphasize, Show Gratitude

Empower your colleagues with regular trainings and check-ins, emphasize the “why” behind your culture system, and show gratitude to teachers by celebrating their successes. A people-centered approach to team buy-in will help you build a successful school culture for both students and teachers.

Have a story about your team’s journey to total buy-in? Share it with us at @whyliveschool on twitter!

quote icon
Back
Let’s take this to your inbox
We’ll send you our monthly newsletter which is fully stocked with free resources like articles, videos, podcasts, reward ideas, and anything else we can think of to help you make your school awesome.

What does team buy-in look like?

In one-word: engagement. It’s your whole team engaged in your system and contributing to make it better. You’ll know you have it when you see consistency, creativity, and excitement in your staff when you’re talking about behavior and school culture. That energy then translates to your student body in the form of real-life growth and a tighter community.

What holds back buy-in? Most of the time it’s the friction inherent in change. Schools are dynamic spaces where tradition and change are in constant tension. Introducing any new change is hard, and it’s only natural that teams may be reluctant at first.

Here are top tips from LiveSchool educators around the country on how to shorten the fear of change, and build better buy-in.

1. Make time for comprehensive training

Nobody likes using a system they don’t feel empowered to use. Comprehensive and consistent training smooths potentially bumpy transitions into new systems by accelerating the learning curve and catching any “what ifs” before they happen.

Good training helps LiveSchool users easily navigate the nuts and bolts of the platform so they can focus on the important stuff: helping kids learn.

We did a slow roll out and completed our trainings in small tidbits instead of one large, long training. For example, we did our first training during the first few weeks of school, covering topics like prepping classes, showing students, giving points. We had our next training later, which highlighted neat features, rosters and prizes. We continued to do professional development sporadically throughout the first year, calling out new features or ways to use LiveSchool. This approach kept teachers from feeling overwhelmed with the new tool.” - Anna Austin, Cabarrus County Schools

The takeaways

  • Start with an initial training on the fundamentals.
  • Follow up with a second training to go into tips, tricks, and next-order highlights.
  • Sprinkle sporadic use-case PD throughout the year.

2. Use data to reinforce your school's “why”

Transitioning, and sticking, to any new system can be a challenge. LiveSchool is committed to being user-friendly, but a user-friendly platform can still be met with hesitation.

Focus on the philosophy driving your LiveSchool program – why are you implementing a points and rewards system?

We connect our professional development around trauma informed practices, the impact of descriptive praise and our classroom management skills with the data we look at from LiveSchool to help teachers see the why behind it all. Seeing the impact their ratio data has on student outcomes has been really impactful. - Katie Elam, KIPP Nashville

LiveSchool's Insights is a great tool to highlight how consistent use of LiveSchool can create real, positive impacts for your students.

We use the Insights data a lot. We publish data every week to see who is using the platform with fidelity. We also set different focuses every single week that are aligned to our values and that help teachers know what they should be looking for when it comes to giving scholars points! - Ge’ron Tatum, Firstline Schools

The takeaways

  • Keep educators motivated by highlighting your main goals and vision for a school-wide culture system. 
  • Use LiveSchool’s Insights to give educators tangible evidence of the positive impacts of their work.

3. Optimize for team-wide decision making

As people, we feel more invested in programs we help create, so collaboration is key for gaining team buy-in.

Teachers pick what the students can buy, how much the items cost, and how they prefer to have the store run. They also have the ability to request that items and behaviors be added to the matrix. - Jan Burgess, Northgate Middle

Teachers handle the day-to-day logistics of LiveSchool in the classroom and have invaluable firsthand knowledge – their input not only shapes a more effective program, but also ensures their professional needs are met and supported.

Teachers really appreciate the autonomy LiveSchool gives them in identifying which skills they need kids to demonstrate in the classroom. They can choose a behavior they value in that moment and say ‘Today, guys, this is what I’m looking for. If you can do this for me, I can do this for you.’ - Reagan Allegri, Heritage Middle School

The takeaway

  • Collaboration gives everyone system ownership and creates a program that best reflects the needs of those using it.

Reward and celebrate teachers, too!

Let educators know their work is appreciated through exciting incentives and rewards! Recognition and compensation, whether it’s with material or experiential privileges, encourages team buy-in and boosts morale. Check out our Celebrate Teachers Toolkit for more tips on regularly sharing the love to your teachers!

We have a monthly prize for the teacher who has given the most points, and we make weekly announcements in our staff newsletter. - Melanie Mendez, St. Augustine Preparatory Academy
We award one half-day off every six weeks to the teacher who has the most LiveSchool usage. Second- and third-place teachers get extended lunch, and we provide lunch for the top six teachers. - Aja Alexander, Austin Middle School

The takeaway

  • Find creative and sustainable ways to show staff appreciation. 

In Short: Empower, Emphasize, Show Gratitude

Empower your colleagues with regular trainings and check-ins, emphasize the “why” behind your culture system, and show gratitude to teachers by celebrating their successes. A people-centered approach to team buy-in will help you build a successful school culture for both students and teachers.

Have a story about your team’s journey to total buy-in? Share it with us at @whyliveschool on twitter!

Creating Momentum for Your School Culture: 3 Fun Tips from the Pros

Ready to step up your school culture? Get the guidance you need from the pros!
By 
The Liveschool Team
 | 
November 18, 2021

What does team buy-in look like?

In one-word: engagement. It’s your whole team engaged in your system and contributing to make it better. You’ll know you have it when you see consistency, creativity, and excitement in your staff when you’re talking about behavior and school culture. That energy then translates to your student body in the form of real-life growth and a tighter community.

What holds back buy-in? Most of the time it’s the friction inherent in change. Schools are dynamic spaces where tradition and change are in constant tension. Introducing any new change is hard, and it’s only natural that teams may be reluctant at first.

Here are top tips from LiveSchool educators around the country on how to shorten the fear of change, and build better buy-in.

1. Make time for comprehensive training

Nobody likes using a system they don’t feel empowered to use. Comprehensive and consistent training smooths potentially bumpy transitions into new systems by accelerating the learning curve and catching any “what ifs” before they happen.

Good training helps LiveSchool users easily navigate the nuts and bolts of the platform so they can focus on the important stuff: helping kids learn.

We did a slow roll out and completed our trainings in small tidbits instead of one large, long training. For example, we did our first training during the first few weeks of school, covering topics like prepping classes, showing students, giving points. We had our next training later, which highlighted neat features, rosters and prizes. We continued to do professional development sporadically throughout the first year, calling out new features or ways to use LiveSchool. This approach kept teachers from feeling overwhelmed with the new tool.” - Anna Austin, Cabarrus County Schools

The takeaways

  • Start with an initial training on the fundamentals.
  • Follow up with a second training to go into tips, tricks, and next-order highlights.
  • Sprinkle sporadic use-case PD throughout the year.

2. Use data to reinforce your school's “why”

Transitioning, and sticking, to any new system can be a challenge. LiveSchool is committed to being user-friendly, but a user-friendly platform can still be met with hesitation.

Focus on the philosophy driving your LiveSchool program – why are you implementing a points and rewards system?

We connect our professional development around trauma informed practices, the impact of descriptive praise and our classroom management skills with the data we look at from LiveSchool to help teachers see the why behind it all. Seeing the impact their ratio data has on student outcomes has been really impactful. - Katie Elam, KIPP Nashville

LiveSchool's Insights is a great tool to highlight how consistent use of LiveSchool can create real, positive impacts for your students.

We use the Insights data a lot. We publish data every week to see who is using the platform with fidelity. We also set different focuses every single week that are aligned to our values and that help teachers know what they should be looking for when it comes to giving scholars points! - Ge’ron Tatum, Firstline Schools

The takeaways

  • Keep educators motivated by highlighting your main goals and vision for a school-wide culture system. 
  • Use LiveSchool’s Insights to give educators tangible evidence of the positive impacts of their work.

3. Optimize for team-wide decision making

As people, we feel more invested in programs we help create, so collaboration is key for gaining team buy-in.

Teachers pick what the students can buy, how much the items cost, and how they prefer to have the store run. They also have the ability to request that items and behaviors be added to the matrix. - Jan Burgess, Northgate Middle

Teachers handle the day-to-day logistics of LiveSchool in the classroom and have invaluable firsthand knowledge – their input not only shapes a more effective program, but also ensures their professional needs are met and supported.

Teachers really appreciate the autonomy LiveSchool gives them in identifying which skills they need kids to demonstrate in the classroom. They can choose a behavior they value in that moment and say ‘Today, guys, this is what I’m looking for. If you can do this for me, I can do this for you.’ - Reagan Allegri, Heritage Middle School

The takeaway

  • Collaboration gives everyone system ownership and creates a program that best reflects the needs of those using it.

Reward and celebrate teachers, too!

Let educators know their work is appreciated through exciting incentives and rewards! Recognition and compensation, whether it’s with material or experiential privileges, encourages team buy-in and boosts morale. Check out our Celebrate Teachers Toolkit for more tips on regularly sharing the love to your teachers!

We have a monthly prize for the teacher who has given the most points, and we make weekly announcements in our staff newsletter. - Melanie Mendez, St. Augustine Preparatory Academy
We award one half-day off every six weeks to the teacher who has the most LiveSchool usage. Second- and third-place teachers get extended lunch, and we provide lunch for the top six teachers. - Aja Alexander, Austin Middle School

The takeaway

  • Find creative and sustainable ways to show staff appreciation. 

In Short: Empower, Emphasize, Show Gratitude

Empower your colleagues with regular trainings and check-ins, emphasize the “why” behind your culture system, and show gratitude to teachers by celebrating their successes. A people-centered approach to team buy-in will help you build a successful school culture for both students and teachers.

Have a story about your team’s journey to total buy-in? Share it with us at @whyliveschool on twitter!

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Let’s take this to your inbox
We’ll send you our monthly newsletter which is fully stocked with free resources like articles, videos, podcasts, reward ideas, and anything else we can think of to help you make your school awesome.

About the Presenter

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About the Event

What does team buy-in look like?

In one-word: engagement. It’s your whole team engaged in your system and contributing to make it better. You’ll know you have it when you see consistency, creativity, and excitement in your staff when you’re talking about behavior and school culture. That energy then translates to your student body in the form of real-life growth and a tighter community.

What holds back buy-in? Most of the time it’s the friction inherent in change. Schools are dynamic spaces where tradition and change are in constant tension. Introducing any new change is hard, and it’s only natural that teams may be reluctant at first.

Here are top tips from LiveSchool educators around the country on how to shorten the fear of change, and build better buy-in.

1. Make time for comprehensive training

Nobody likes using a system they don’t feel empowered to use. Comprehensive and consistent training smooths potentially bumpy transitions into new systems by accelerating the learning curve and catching any “what ifs” before they happen.

Good training helps LiveSchool users easily navigate the nuts and bolts of the platform so they can focus on the important stuff: helping kids learn.

We did a slow roll out and completed our trainings in small tidbits instead of one large, long training. For example, we did our first training during the first few weeks of school, covering topics like prepping classes, showing students, giving points. We had our next training later, which highlighted neat features, rosters and prizes. We continued to do professional development sporadically throughout the first year, calling out new features or ways to use LiveSchool. This approach kept teachers from feeling overwhelmed with the new tool.” - Anna Austin, Cabarrus County Schools

The takeaways

  • Start with an initial training on the fundamentals.
  • Follow up with a second training to go into tips, tricks, and next-order highlights.
  • Sprinkle sporadic use-case PD throughout the year.

2. Use data to reinforce your school's “why”

Transitioning, and sticking, to any new system can be a challenge. LiveSchool is committed to being user-friendly, but a user-friendly platform can still be met with hesitation.

Focus on the philosophy driving your LiveSchool program – why are you implementing a points and rewards system?

We connect our professional development around trauma informed practices, the impact of descriptive praise and our classroom management skills with the data we look at from LiveSchool to help teachers see the why behind it all. Seeing the impact their ratio data has on student outcomes has been really impactful. - Katie Elam, KIPP Nashville

LiveSchool's Insights is a great tool to highlight how consistent use of LiveSchool can create real, positive impacts for your students.

We use the Insights data a lot. We publish data every week to see who is using the platform with fidelity. We also set different focuses every single week that are aligned to our values and that help teachers know what they should be looking for when it comes to giving scholars points! - Ge’ron Tatum, Firstline Schools

The takeaways

  • Keep educators motivated by highlighting your main goals and vision for a school-wide culture system. 
  • Use LiveSchool’s Insights to give educators tangible evidence of the positive impacts of their work.

3. Optimize for team-wide decision making

As people, we feel more invested in programs we help create, so collaboration is key for gaining team buy-in.

Teachers pick what the students can buy, how much the items cost, and how they prefer to have the store run. They also have the ability to request that items and behaviors be added to the matrix. - Jan Burgess, Northgate Middle

Teachers handle the day-to-day logistics of LiveSchool in the classroom and have invaluable firsthand knowledge – their input not only shapes a more effective program, but also ensures their professional needs are met and supported.

Teachers really appreciate the autonomy LiveSchool gives them in identifying which skills they need kids to demonstrate in the classroom. They can choose a behavior they value in that moment and say ‘Today, guys, this is what I’m looking for. If you can do this for me, I can do this for you.’ - Reagan Allegri, Heritage Middle School

The takeaway

  • Collaboration gives everyone system ownership and creates a program that best reflects the needs of those using it.

Reward and celebrate teachers, too!

Let educators know their work is appreciated through exciting incentives and rewards! Recognition and compensation, whether it’s with material or experiential privileges, encourages team buy-in and boosts morale. Check out our Celebrate Teachers Toolkit for more tips on regularly sharing the love to your teachers!

We have a monthly prize for the teacher who has given the most points, and we make weekly announcements in our staff newsletter. - Melanie Mendez, St. Augustine Preparatory Academy
We award one half-day off every six weeks to the teacher who has the most LiveSchool usage. Second- and third-place teachers get extended lunch, and we provide lunch for the top six teachers. - Aja Alexander, Austin Middle School

The takeaway

  • Find creative and sustainable ways to show staff appreciation. 

In Short: Empower, Emphasize, Show Gratitude

Empower your colleagues with regular trainings and check-ins, emphasize the “why” behind your culture system, and show gratitude to teachers by celebrating their successes. A people-centered approach to team buy-in will help you build a successful school culture for both students and teachers.

Have a story about your team’s journey to total buy-in? Share it with us at @whyliveschool on twitter!

Register Now

About the Event

What does team buy-in look like?

In one-word: engagement. It’s your whole team engaged in your system and contributing to make it better. You’ll know you have it when you see consistency, creativity, and excitement in your staff when you’re talking about behavior and school culture. That energy then translates to your student body in the form of real-life growth and a tighter community.

What holds back buy-in? Most of the time it’s the friction inherent in change. Schools are dynamic spaces where tradition and change are in constant tension. Introducing any new change is hard, and it’s only natural that teams may be reluctant at first.

Here are top tips from LiveSchool educators around the country on how to shorten the fear of change, and build better buy-in.

1. Make time for comprehensive training

Nobody likes using a system they don’t feel empowered to use. Comprehensive and consistent training smooths potentially bumpy transitions into new systems by accelerating the learning curve and catching any “what ifs” before they happen.

Good training helps LiveSchool users easily navigate the nuts and bolts of the platform so they can focus on the important stuff: helping kids learn.

We did a slow roll out and completed our trainings in small tidbits instead of one large, long training. For example, we did our first training during the first few weeks of school, covering topics like prepping classes, showing students, giving points. We had our next training later, which highlighted neat features, rosters and prizes. We continued to do professional development sporadically throughout the first year, calling out new features or ways to use LiveSchool. This approach kept teachers from feeling overwhelmed with the new tool.” - Anna Austin, Cabarrus County Schools

The takeaways

  • Start with an initial training on the fundamentals.
  • Follow up with a second training to go into tips, tricks, and next-order highlights.
  • Sprinkle sporadic use-case PD throughout the year.

2. Use data to reinforce your school's “why”

Transitioning, and sticking, to any new system can be a challenge. LiveSchool is committed to being user-friendly, but a user-friendly platform can still be met with hesitation.

Focus on the philosophy driving your LiveSchool program – why are you implementing a points and rewards system?

We connect our professional development around trauma informed practices, the impact of descriptive praise and our classroom management skills with the data we look at from LiveSchool to help teachers see the why behind it all. Seeing the impact their ratio data has on student outcomes has been really impactful. - Katie Elam, KIPP Nashville

LiveSchool's Insights is a great tool to highlight how consistent use of LiveSchool can create real, positive impacts for your students.

We use the Insights data a lot. We publish data every week to see who is using the platform with fidelity. We also set different focuses every single week that are aligned to our values and that help teachers know what they should be looking for when it comes to giving scholars points! - Ge’ron Tatum, Firstline Schools

The takeaways

  • Keep educators motivated by highlighting your main goals and vision for a school-wide culture system. 
  • Use LiveSchool’s Insights to give educators tangible evidence of the positive impacts of their work.

3. Optimize for team-wide decision making

As people, we feel more invested in programs we help create, so collaboration is key for gaining team buy-in.

Teachers pick what the students can buy, how much the items cost, and how they prefer to have the store run. They also have the ability to request that items and behaviors be added to the matrix. - Jan Burgess, Northgate Middle

Teachers handle the day-to-day logistics of LiveSchool in the classroom and have invaluable firsthand knowledge – their input not only shapes a more effective program, but also ensures their professional needs are met and supported.

Teachers really appreciate the autonomy LiveSchool gives them in identifying which skills they need kids to demonstrate in the classroom. They can choose a behavior they value in that moment and say ‘Today, guys, this is what I’m looking for. If you can do this for me, I can do this for you.’ - Reagan Allegri, Heritage Middle School

The takeaway

  • Collaboration gives everyone system ownership and creates a program that best reflects the needs of those using it.

Reward and celebrate teachers, too!

Let educators know their work is appreciated through exciting incentives and rewards! Recognition and compensation, whether it’s with material or experiential privileges, encourages team buy-in and boosts morale. Check out our Celebrate Teachers Toolkit for more tips on regularly sharing the love to your teachers!

We have a monthly prize for the teacher who has given the most points, and we make weekly announcements in our staff newsletter. - Melanie Mendez, St. Augustine Preparatory Academy
We award one half-day off every six weeks to the teacher who has the most LiveSchool usage. Second- and third-place teachers get extended lunch, and we provide lunch for the top six teachers. - Aja Alexander, Austin Middle School

The takeaway

  • Find creative and sustainable ways to show staff appreciation. 

In Short: Empower, Emphasize, Show Gratitude

Empower your colleagues with regular trainings and check-ins, emphasize the “why” behind your culture system, and show gratitude to teachers by celebrating their successes. A people-centered approach to team buy-in will help you build a successful school culture for both students and teachers.

Have a story about your team’s journey to total buy-in? Share it with us at @whyliveschool on twitter!

Arrow left
Back
Let’s take this to your inbox
We’ll send you our monthly newsletter which is fully stocked with free resources like articles, videos, podcasts, reward ideas, and anything else we can think of to help you make your school awesome.

How do you take a behavior management strategy and elevate it into school culture? You need more than just a set of standards… you need team buy-in.

What does team buy-in look like?

In one-word: engagement. It’s your whole team engaged in your system and contributing to make it better. You’ll know you have it when you see consistency, creativity, and excitement in your staff when you’re talking about behavior and school culture. That energy then translates to your student body in the form of real-life growth and a tighter community.

What holds back buy-in? Most of the time it’s the friction inherent in change. Schools are dynamic spaces where tradition and change are in constant tension. Introducing any new change is hard, and it’s only natural that teams may be reluctant at first.

Here are top tips from LiveSchool educators around the country on how to shorten the fear of change, and build better buy-in.

1. Make time for comprehensive training

Nobody likes using a system they don’t feel empowered to use. Comprehensive and consistent training smooths potentially bumpy transitions into new systems by accelerating the learning curve and catching any “what ifs” before they happen.

Good training helps LiveSchool users easily navigate the nuts and bolts of the platform so they can focus on the important stuff: helping kids learn.

We did a slow roll out and completed our trainings in small tidbits instead of one large, long training. For example, we did our first training during the first few weeks of school, covering topics like prepping classes, showing students, giving points. We had our next training later, which highlighted neat features, rosters and prizes. We continued to do professional development sporadically throughout the first year, calling out new features or ways to use LiveSchool. This approach kept teachers from feeling overwhelmed with the new tool.” - Anna Austin, Cabarrus County Schools

The takeaways

  • Start with an initial training on the fundamentals.
  • Follow up with a second training to go into tips, tricks, and next-order highlights.
  • Sprinkle sporadic use-case PD throughout the year.

2. Use data to reinforce your school's “why”

Transitioning, and sticking, to any new system can be a challenge. LiveSchool is committed to being user-friendly, but a user-friendly platform can still be met with hesitation.

Focus on the philosophy driving your LiveSchool program – why are you implementing a points and rewards system?

We connect our professional development around trauma informed practices, the impact of descriptive praise and our classroom management skills with the data we look at from LiveSchool to help teachers see the why behind it all. Seeing the impact their ratio data has on student outcomes has been really impactful. - Katie Elam, KIPP Nashville

LiveSchool's Insights is a great tool to highlight how consistent use of LiveSchool can create real, positive impacts for your students.

We use the Insights data a lot. We publish data every week to see who is using the platform with fidelity. We also set different focuses every single week that are aligned to our values and that help teachers know what they should be looking for when it comes to giving scholars points! - Ge’ron Tatum, Firstline Schools

The takeaways

  • Keep educators motivated by highlighting your main goals and vision for a school-wide culture system. 
  • Use LiveSchool’s Insights to give educators tangible evidence of the positive impacts of their work.

3. Optimize for team-wide decision making

As people, we feel more invested in programs we help create, so collaboration is key for gaining team buy-in.

Teachers pick what the students can buy, how much the items cost, and how they prefer to have the store run. They also have the ability to request that items and behaviors be added to the matrix. - Jan Burgess, Northgate Middle

Teachers handle the day-to-day logistics of LiveSchool in the classroom and have invaluable firsthand knowledge – their input not only shapes a more effective program, but also ensures their professional needs are met and supported.

Teachers really appreciate the autonomy LiveSchool gives them in identifying which skills they need kids to demonstrate in the classroom. They can choose a behavior they value in that moment and say ‘Today, guys, this is what I’m looking for. If you can do this for me, I can do this for you.’ - Reagan Allegri, Heritage Middle School

The takeaway

  • Collaboration gives everyone system ownership and creates a program that best reflects the needs of those using it.

Reward and celebrate teachers, too!

Let educators know their work is appreciated through exciting incentives and rewards! Recognition and compensation, whether it’s with material or experiential privileges, encourages team buy-in and boosts morale. Check out our Celebrate Teachers Toolkit for more tips on regularly sharing the love to your teachers!

We have a monthly prize for the teacher who has given the most points, and we make weekly announcements in our staff newsletter. - Melanie Mendez, St. Augustine Preparatory Academy
We award one half-day off every six weeks to the teacher who has the most LiveSchool usage. Second- and third-place teachers get extended lunch, and we provide lunch for the top six teachers. - Aja Alexander, Austin Middle School

The takeaway

  • Find creative and sustainable ways to show staff appreciation. 

In Short: Empower, Emphasize, Show Gratitude

Empower your colleagues with regular trainings and check-ins, emphasize the “why” behind your culture system, and show gratitude to teachers by celebrating their successes. A people-centered approach to team buy-in will help you build a successful school culture for both students and teachers.

Have a story about your team’s journey to total buy-in? Share it with us at @whyliveschool on twitter!

All Reward Ideas for Students

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Stairway Messages
Grades 9-12
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Final Fridays
Grades K-8
School
Event
Low Cost/DIY
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Grades K-5
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Grades 6-12
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Grades 3-12
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Grades 6-12
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Music Fest
Grades 9-12
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Event
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Grades 6-12
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Event
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Early Lunch Dismissal
Grades 9-12
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Firebird of the Month
Grades K-12
Student
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Low Cost/DIY
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Grades 3-12
Class/House
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Low Cost/DIY
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STEM Field Day
Grades K-8
School
Event
Low Cost/DIY
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Donate $1
Grades 3-12
Student
Privilege
Low Cost/DIY
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Grades K-12
Student
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TikTok with the Teacher
Grades 6-12
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Fake The Funk
Grades 9-12
School
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Positive Note or Call Home
Grades K-12
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Grades 3-8
Student
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Student Spotlight Board
Grades K-5
Student
Privilege
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Tech Time
Grades 3-12
Student
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Podcast
Grades 3-12
Student
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Principal for a Day
Grades K-8
Student
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Morning Meeting Leader
Grades 3-8
Student
Privilege
Free
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Virtual Talent Show. 🎤
Grades 3-12
Class/House
Event
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Camp Read Away
Grades K-8
Class/House
Event
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Grades K-5
Student
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Video Game Rewards
Grades 3-12
Student
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Low Cost/DIY
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Board Game Party
Grades 3-12
Class/House
Privilege
Low Cost/DIY
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🎁
Snowball Fights (& Popsicles!)
Grades K-8
Class/House
Event
Low Cost/DIY
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Sweatshirt
Grades K-12
Student
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Grades 3-12
Student
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Design the Bulletin Board
Grades K-12
Class/House
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All Event Ideas for Schools

All Free Reward Ideas for Schools

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Brain Break
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Camp Read Away
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Art Contest
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Operate Equipment.
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Vote
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Class Book
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Hallway High-Five
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Partner Work
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Parking Spots
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Teacher Serenade
🎉
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Podcast

All Reward Ideas for High School Students

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Hat Pass
Grades 6-12
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Art Contest
Grades 3-12
Class/House
Event
Free
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Emcee the Announcements
Grades 6-12
Student
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The A-List
Grades 6-12
School
Event
Low Cost/DIY
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Dance Party
Grades K-12
Student
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Extra Computer Games
Grades 3-12
Student
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Wristband
Grades K-12
Student
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Social Media Reporter
Grades 3-12
Student
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School Spirit Day
Grades K-12
School
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Game Week
Grades 9-12
School
Event
Low Cost/DIY
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Create the Seating Chart
Grades 6-12
Student
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Teacher Serenade
Grades K-12
Student
Privilege
Free
🎉
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🎁
Snack Pack
Grades K-12
Student
Tangible
Low Cost/DIY
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Picnic Lunch
Grades K-12
Class/House
Privilege
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
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Classroom DJ
Grades K-12
Student
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Snacks
Grades K-12
Student
Tangible
Low Cost/DIY

All Reward Ideas for Middle School Students

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Create the Seating Chart
Grades 6-12
Student
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Assist the Custodian.
Grades 6-8
Student
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Free
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Teacher for the Day
Grades 6-12
Student
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Technology
Grades 6-12
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Passing Period Music
Grades 3-12
Student
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Silly School Leader
Grades 6-12
Student
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Hat Pass
Grades 6-12
Student
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Podcast
Grades 3-12
Student
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Career Day
Grades 3-12
School
Event
Low Cost/DIY
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Pie a Teacher
Grades K-12
Student
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Social Media Reporter
Grades 3-12
Student
Privilege
Free
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Principal for a Day
Grades K-8
Student
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Free
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School Supplies & Merch
Grades K-12
Student
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Toys
Grades K-8
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Grades 6-12
Class/House
Event
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Hallway High-Five
Grades K-12
Student
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Grades K-12
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Grades K-12
Student
Tangible
Deluxe
💰
🎨
Passing Period Music
Grades 3-12
Student
Privilege
Free
💰
🎨
Picnic Lunch
Grades K-12
Class/House
Privilege
Low Cost/DIY
💰
🎨
Partner Work
Grades 3-12
Student
Privilege
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Follow a Friend
Grades 6-8
Student
Privilege
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Operate Equipment.
Grades 9-12
Student
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Line Leader
Grades K-5
Student
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Stuffed Animal in Class
Grades K-5
Student
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Show & Tell
Grades K-8
Student
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Cut the Principal’s Tie
Student
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Class Book
Grades K-5
Student
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Early Lunch Dismissal
Grades 9-12
Student
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Grades 6-12
Class/House
Privilege
Deluxe
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Class Pet
Grades K-12
Student
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Snack Pack
Grades K-12
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Virtual Talent Show. 🎤
Grades 3-12
Class/House
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Teacher Q&A
Grades K-12
Class/House
Privilege
Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Extra Computer Games
Grades 3-12
Student
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Free
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Brain Break
Grades K-12
Student
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👑
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Classroom DJ
Grades K-12
Student
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Show & Tell
Grades K-8
Student
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Morning Meeting Leader
Grades 3-8
Student
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Host a Virtual Party. 🎶
Grades 6-12
Class/House
Event
Free
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👑
🎁
Donate $1
Grades 3-12
Student
Privilege
Low Cost/DIY
🎉
👑
🎁
Podcast
Grades 3-12
Student
Privilege
Free
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🎁
Positive Note or Call Home
Grades K-12
Student
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Free
🎉
👑
🎁
Virtual Field Trip
Grades K-12
Class/House
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🎁
Digital Escape Rooms
Grades 6-12
Class/House
Privilege
Deluxe
🎉
👑
🎁
Certificate of Achievement
Grades K-12
Student
Privilege
Free
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Social Media Reporter
Grades 3-12
Student
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🎉
👑
🎁
Stickers
Grades K-5
Student
Tangible
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Want more ideas?

Rewards that Rock 🎸 has 100+ rewards, incentives, and event ideas to build your school culture.
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Learn more about the author, 
The Liveschool Team
 

Creating Momentum for Your School Culture: 3 Fun Tips from the Pros

Ready to step up your school culture? Get the guidance you need from the pros!
By 
The Liveschool Team
 | 
November 18, 2021
Arrow left
Back
Let’s take this to your inbox
We’ll send you our monthly newsletter which is fully stocked with free resources like articles, videos, podcasts, reward ideas, and anything else we can think of to help you make your school awesome.

How do you take a behavior management strategy and elevate it into school culture? You need more than just a set of standards… you need team buy-in.

What does team buy-in look like?

In one-word: engagement. It’s your whole team engaged in your system and contributing to make it better. You’ll know you have it when you see consistency, creativity, and excitement in your staff when you’re talking about behavior and school culture. That energy then translates to your student body in the form of real-life growth and a tighter community.

What holds back buy-in? Most of the time it’s the friction inherent in change. Schools are dynamic spaces where tradition and change are in constant tension. Introducing any new change is hard, and it’s only natural that teams may be reluctant at first.

Here are top tips from LiveSchool educators around the country on how to shorten the fear of change, and build better buy-in.

1. Make time for comprehensive training

Nobody likes using a system they don’t feel empowered to use. Comprehensive and consistent training smooths potentially bumpy transitions into new systems by accelerating the learning curve and catching any “what ifs” before they happen.

Good training helps LiveSchool users easily navigate the nuts and bolts of the platform so they can focus on the important stuff: helping kids learn.

We did a slow roll out and completed our trainings in small tidbits instead of one large, long training. For example, we did our first training during the first few weeks of school, covering topics like prepping classes, showing students, giving points. We had our next training later, which highlighted neat features, rosters and prizes. We continued to do professional development sporadically throughout the first year, calling out new features or ways to use LiveSchool. This approach kept teachers from feeling overwhelmed with the new tool.” - Anna Austin, Cabarrus County Schools

The takeaways

  • Start with an initial training on the fundamentals.
  • Follow up with a second training to go into tips, tricks, and next-order highlights.
  • Sprinkle sporadic use-case PD throughout the year.

2. Use data to reinforce your school's “why”

Transitioning, and sticking, to any new system can be a challenge. LiveSchool is committed to being user-friendly, but a user-friendly platform can still be met with hesitation.

Focus on the philosophy driving your LiveSchool program – why are you implementing a points and rewards system?

We connect our professional development around trauma informed practices, the impact of descriptive praise and our classroom management skills with the data we look at from LiveSchool to help teachers see the why behind it all. Seeing the impact their ratio data has on student outcomes has been really impactful. - Katie Elam, KIPP Nashville

LiveSchool's Insights is a great tool to highlight how consistent use of LiveSchool can create real, positive impacts for your students.

We use the Insights data a lot. We publish data every week to see who is using the platform with fidelity. We also set different focuses every single week that are aligned to our values and that help teachers know what they should be looking for when it comes to giving scholars points! - Ge’ron Tatum, Firstline Schools

The takeaways

  • Keep educators motivated by highlighting your main goals and vision for a school-wide culture system. 
  • Use LiveSchool’s Insights to give educators tangible evidence of the positive impacts of their work.

3. Optimize for team-wide decision making

As people, we feel more invested in programs we help create, so collaboration is key for gaining team buy-in.

Teachers pick what the students can buy, how much the items cost, and how they prefer to have the store run. They also have the ability to request that items and behaviors be added to the matrix. - Jan Burgess, Northgate Middle

Teachers handle the day-to-day logistics of LiveSchool in the classroom and have invaluable firsthand knowledge – their input not only shapes a more effective program, but also ensures their professional needs are met and supported.

Teachers really appreciate the autonomy LiveSchool gives them in identifying which skills they need kids to demonstrate in the classroom. They can choose a behavior they value in that moment and say ‘Today, guys, this is what I’m looking for. If you can do this for me, I can do this for you.’ - Reagan Allegri, Heritage Middle School

The takeaway

  • Collaboration gives everyone system ownership and creates a program that best reflects the needs of those using it.

Reward and celebrate teachers, too!

Let educators know their work is appreciated through exciting incentives and rewards! Recognition and compensation, whether it’s with material or experiential privileges, encourages team buy-in and boosts morale. Check out our Celebrate Teachers Toolkit for more tips on regularly sharing the love to your teachers!

We have a monthly prize for the teacher who has given the most points, and we make weekly announcements in our staff newsletter. - Melanie Mendez, St. Augustine Preparatory Academy
We award one half-day off every six weeks to the teacher who has the most LiveSchool usage. Second- and third-place teachers get extended lunch, and we provide lunch for the top six teachers. - Aja Alexander, Austin Middle School

The takeaway

  • Find creative and sustainable ways to show staff appreciation. 

In Short: Empower, Emphasize, Show Gratitude

Empower your colleagues with regular trainings and check-ins, emphasize the “why” behind your culture system, and show gratitude to teachers by celebrating their successes. A people-centered approach to team buy-in will help you build a successful school culture for both students and teachers.

Have a story about your team’s journey to total buy-in? Share it with us at @whyliveschool on twitter!

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