My Sticker Rule

Today was a tough day in the classroom. My students were more restless than usual. Chaos ruled, and my patience was tested. Normally, I use stickers as a reward system – a simple but effective way to encourage good behavior. The rule is straightforward: if everyone behaves well, everyone gets a sticker. If even a few misbehave, no one gets a sticker. It’s an all-or-nothing system meant to promote teamwork and collective responsibility (because I feel bad for those who wouldn’t get a sticker, mainly because they give me puppy eyes).

But today, I broke my own rule.

I watched as some students tried their best to stay focused and respectful, despite the noisy distractions around them. It felt unfair to lump them together with those who were causing disruptions. They deserved recognition for their efforts, and I realized that my “all-or-nothing” approach was inadvertently punishing the ones who did the right thing.

The New Approach 🙂

So, for the first time, I decided to reward only those who behaved well. I handed out stickers to those who earned them and withheld them from those who didn’t.

The Lesson Learned

This change sparked an important conversation about fairness and accountability. Those who didn’t receive stickers understood why – their behavior had consequences. Meanwhile, those who were rewarded felt seen and appreciated. It wasn’t about playing favorites; it was about being fair.

As a teacher, consistency is key. But so is adaptability. Today taught me that sometimes rules need to evolve to reflect the values we’re trying to teach. Fairness doesn’t always mean treating everyone the same; it means giving each student what they’ve earned.

Will I keep this new approach? Possibly. If it encourages better behavior and personal accountability, then maybe it’s time for the sticker rule to evolve.

Today, my students weren’t the only ones who learned something valuable – I did too. And sometimes, breaking your own rules is the best way to teach the lesson that really matters.