🌈 Turning the Tide in My Classroom: Little Rewards, Big Smiles 🌟

Tuesday, July 22, 2025

 A few weeks ago, I walked into class feeling lost. πŸ˜” The learners were loud, disinterested, and honestly… I wasn’t sure what to do anymore. I kept asking myself, “How do I reach them? How do I make learning feel meaningful and joyful again?”

But today — I’m writing this with a full heart πŸ’– and a classroom that now echoes with genuine smiles πŸ˜„, not just noise.

Here’s what I did — and what truly worked πŸŽ‰:




🧠 English Class: Games + Goals = Magic!

🟒 Week 1 & 3: Kahoot Quizzes (Weekend Challenge)

Instead of playing in class, I assigned them Kahoot quizzes via the parents’ WhatsApp group πŸ“± every other weekend. They had two days to complete them — and could retry as many times as they wanted!

At first, the response was a little slow… but by Week 3, submissions started pouring in! It felt so rewarding to see their motivation growing 🌱.

🟑 Week 2 & 4: Spelling Star Competition

This one? A total hit! ✨

Before the competition, I gave them time for spelling revision — and to my surprise, they were seriously focused πŸ“˜✍️.

Of course… some tried to cheat during the competition πŸ˜…, but I addressed it directly and reminded them what real effort looks like.

πŸ… Tokens, Stickers & Certificates

For both activities, I rewarded the Top 5 with small tokens and showered the rest with lots of encouragement 🌟.

I also gave out certificates of achievement πŸ–¨️ to my mid-year exam top scorers — across English, PE & Music!


πŸ“š Exercise Books: From Forgotten to Fabulous!

Bigger stickers for Top 10 finishers.

🌈 Smaller ones for those who complete their work.

The result?

They submit their work on time, guard their books like treasures πŸ‘œ, and even request “cuter stickers” now! πŸ˜‚


🎀 Presenting with Pride

I created a Spelling Star Achievement Poster πŸͺ§ — so they could track progress themselves.

It’s also helped me manage the class better: I now call up group by group for presentations — and guess what? Even the usually shy or cheeky ones come forward willingly πŸ’ƒπŸ½πŸ•ΊπŸ½.

Even my special needs learners came forward to present. πŸ’— That moment made me pause. The courage, the willingness — it reminded me that when given the right space and support, every child can shine. ✨

πŸ“– I’ve also started doing short vocabulary reading before class (especially for Year 5). They now absorb new words and sentence structures more confidently!🧑 One-on-One vs Class Noise

When I do personalised reading and tutoring, things still get noisy.

Some students chat loudly or distract others — and yes, it does get on my nerves. 😩

It’s a work in progress… but I’m determined to keep improving. One step at a time.




🎁 More Awards I’m Planning

To keep that momentum going, I’m planning more certificates soon:

πŸ† “Neatest Work”

πŸ† “Slowly But Surely Progress”

πŸ† “Kind-Hearted Helper”

πŸ† “Best Exercise Book”

πŸ† “Beautiful Handwriting”

Got any other ideas? I’m all ears! πŸ₯°πŸ’¬


I never imagined those learners — the ones who used to roll their eyes, play around, or flat-out ignore me—would now look at me with hope, motivation, and trust.

Maybe all they needed was structure, support, and a few good stickers πŸ˜‚❤️.

Here’s to trying new things, failing, adjusting, and watching little hearts open up — one certificate at a time.

❤️ Teacher Asniem

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