Variation of the Good Behavior Game: Additional Suggestions

Variation of the "Good Behavior Game"

Additional Suggestions and Considerations

1. Alter the make-up of the teams every few weeks so that no oneteam can dominate the "Best Team of the Week" award.
   
   
2. Use this variation of the "Good Behavior Game" for class periods inwhich disruptive behavior has been a problem. Begin with a fewclass periods initially, and as the program meets with success, youcan gradually increase the number of periods through the entireday.
   
   
3. In order to avoid any potential concerns from parents or studentsregarding the team concept, the rewards employed for the weeklydrawing should be events, objects, and activities that are not usually available to the students. In other words, do not takesomething that they already have on a noncontingent basis andbegin using it as an incentive.
   
   
4. Explain to the parents at a parent/teacher conference or meetingat the beginning of this program that the team concept encouragesboth cooperation and competition. Since most of the prizes (exceptthe weekly prize) can be earned by each team irrespective of theother teams' performance, the game encourages cooperationwithin the group. Team members do compete among themselves for theweekly prize.
   
   
5. If one child seems to inhibit a team from reaching the standard ona consistent basis, implement the variation of the "Good BehaviorGame" with the other classmates and set up an individualizedprogram for that child. In that manner the team members will notbe consistently penalized for having the child who is frequentlydisruptive in their group. This child may form his or her own teamand another strategy may be employed.
   
   
6. If you wish to minimize the competitive aspect of having a weeklywinning team, you can also set up a weekly criterion for the teamsto meet to become eligible for the lottery pick. This allows everyteam to be eligible to win the weekly prize as well, as long at thatteam achieves the number of points needed. One team can beselected randomly from the eligible teams for the "big prize" inorder to keep the cost of this program manageable. Random drawings would not give preference to any one eligible team, and allteams would be motivated to try their best to achieve the behavioral standard.
   
   
7. If this technique is successful, continue with the strategy. If not, try another strategy.