"That was Easy!"

          Motivation is and always has been a major issue with my 4th grade students.  I have racked my brain for ways to help fuel the desire to read in my students, but have virtually come up with noting that has any staying power.  I have set up book clubs, literature circle groups, provided rewards and prizes, and spend hundreds of dollars ensuring that my classroom library always had the latest and greatest books, but the ones who love to read will and the ones that hate to read wont.  I took suggestions from my colleagues and tried having several conversations with the students about motivation and goals, but it didn't seem the matter....that is until I discovered the easy button!

          Believe it or not, I got this ingenious idea from my father, who has spent the past 30-some years working as a police officer.  I remember when I first started teaching he was determined to buy me an Easy Button for my classroom.  I thought it was so silly and didn't see how it could help in the classroom.  It honestly sat on the ledge of my white board, collecting dust, until about 2 months ago.  That is when I decided that I was going to use the Easy Button to motivate my students.

        Now, when students take an A.R. test and scores a 100% or 90% on the test, guess what?  They get to hit the Easy Button!  For weeks now, I have been hearing, "That was easy!" at least 15 times a day.  Even my most reluctant readers can't fight the temptation to hit the Easy Button!  Once the kids hear the mantra, "That was easy," the motivation for reading is ignited and spreads like wild fire.  Because the students know they can only hit the Easy Button if they pass the test, I have also seen students making more of an effort to use independent reading strategies to help self-monitor while reading independently.  Needless to say, I am pleasantly surprised by the power of the Easy Button!


Thanks for stopping by!

Jamie