Positive recognition goes a long way
But it isn’t just the promise of a reward that is changing their behavior. “When students are rewarded for doing good, they are inspired to do more,” says Stephanie DiStasi, an eighth-grade counselor. “They feel that someone appreciates what they did.” And when students who struggle with discipline understand that good behavior will be recognized and rewarded, they begin to redirect their behavior as well. “I have seen kids be kinder to others,” says DiStasi.
Williams says the program has improved relationships between educators and students. Hearing only negative feedback causes students to disengage even further, but getting positive feedback—even for something as basic as showing up to class on time and prepared—allows them to feel successful.
This is only the second school year that Lincoln Middle School has been using Hero, and school leaders are trying to get more teachers to adopt the program in their classrooms. “Teachers who don’t use Hero at all find themselves sending more students to the office and struggling to keep kids on task, but among our top Hero users, I hardly ever see their students in my office because of something discipline related,” says Williams.
“By putting the positives first, we are reaping the benefits as a school,” he adds.
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