Classroom management is one of the most challenging parts of teaching—I’ve been there, and I know how tempting it is to reach for rewards and incentives like prizes, stickers, or points to encourage good behavior. At first, it feels like it’s working: students respond to the rewards, and things seem to go smoother. But over time, I noticed this approach often led to more problems than solutions. It wasn’t helping my classroom management—it was actually undermining it. Let me share why that happens and how you can create a positive, motivated classroom environment without relying on rewards.

Rewards & Incentives Disrupt Lessons

Think about this: each time you stop a lesson to hand out a sticker or announce a reward, you’re shifting the focus away from learning and onto the reward system. I’ve been guilty of this myself, and I noticed that the more I paused to distribute rewards, the more distracted my students became. Instead of staying focused on the lesson, they were waiting for their sticker or thinking about why someone else got one instead of them.

By the end of the lesson, I often felt like I’d spent more time managing the rewards than teaching. And the longer the lesson went, the worse the behavior became. It turns out that rewards can create exactly the kind of management issues they’re supposed to solve: disengaged students and an off-track lesson.

Rewards & Incentives Get Students Off-Task

Let me paint a picture for you. I once tried using rewards to keep students on task. During the lesson, I’d announce who was earning points or a prize, thinking it would motivate the rest of the class. But instead, I saw students who were previously focused start glancing around, wondering when they’d get their turn. Others became distracted or even frustrated because they felt overlooked. It wasn’t helping—it was pulling their attention away from learning.

I remember one particularly tough moment when I realized I was the one disrupting their focus with all my reward announcements. What was meant to encourage them was actually causing more interruptions, and it taught me an important lesson: incentives don’t always help.

Rewards Create Inequity and Unsustainable Habits

Another thing I learned is that rewards can feel unfair. Have you noticed that the same students often get the rewards, while others—who might need the most support—get left out? It creates resentment and can even lead to acting out for attention. On the flip side, when we reward students for small improvements, like being quiet for a few minutes, they often fall back into old habits once the reward is gone. They’re not learning to internalize good behavior; they’re learning to perform for prizes.

I had a student, Jeremy, who struggled with blurting. I thought rewarding him for raising his hand would help. It worked a couple of times, but he quickly went back to blurting. I realized he wasn’t learning the why behind the behavior—he was just chasing the next reward.

What About Using Rewards Sparingly?

I’m not saying rewards are all bad. Using them occasionally to celebrate whole-class successes can be fun and build community. But relying on them as your main tool for classroom management can lead to long-term problems, like students becoming dependent on external motivation instead of developing internal drive.

Why Incentives Don’t Foster Intrinsic Motivation

Here’s the big issue: rewards don’t encourage intrinsic motivation. When students are focused on earning a prize, they’re not focused on the why behind their behavior. They aren’t learning to value doing the right thing because it feels good or because it helps the class run smoothly—they’re just thinking about what they’ll get.

Eventually, the novelty wears off. If there’s no reward, there’s no motivation. And when that happens, managing the classroom becomes even harder. This cycle can be exhausting for both teachers and students.

A Better Way: Clear Expectations and Intrinsic Motivation

So what works better? I’ve found that creating a positive classroom environment starts with clear expectations, consistent routines, and a focus on intrinsic motivation. Here’s what I do:

• Set Clear Expectations: Instead of using rewards, I focus on teaching routines and modeling desired behaviors. I practice these with my students so they know exactly what’s expected of them.

• Hold Students Accountable: Logical consequences and tools like Take A Break can help reinforce those expectations without disrupting the lesson.

• Encourage Intrinsic Motivation: I emphasize the joy of learning and personal growth. Praising effort, perseverance, and teamwork helps students feel proud of their behavior because they want to do well, not because they’re earning a reward.

Final Thoughts

I know how tough classroom management can be—I’ve been there. But I also know that rewards and incentives often create more problems than they solve. By focusing on clear expectations and intrinsic motivation, you can build a positive, well-managed classroom where students are engaged because they want to be, not because they’re chasing the next prize. Give it a try, and see how much more peaceful and productive your classroom can become!