This week, I started the “team points”. The way it works is there are six tables in the classroom. On chart paper, I wrote each table. During a transition time or if I see a table is the first one to have followed the instructions I gave, then they receive a tally next to their table number written on the chart paper. Once a table gets to five tallies, they get to choose a prize.

With the table configuration, I have been trying to promote an environment of teamwork and encouraging the students to work to help one another. One way I wanted to motivate them was using our spelling pretests. We always have a pretest the day before the spelling test and if students get everything correct on the pretest, they receive a “spelling vacation” and do not have to take the test the following day. I told the students if they got 8 vacations as a class, they would receive a class prize. During the pretest, I was circulating the room and noticed a piece of paper in one of the laps of my students  — the spelling list folded very small. My heart sank. Not only was this girl cheating, but she is someone who rarely gets in trouble, as sweet as can be, and most likely did not realize what she was doing was wrong. I didn’t want to draw attention to her so I did not confiscate the list right then and there, but positioned myself near her so she did not look at the list as much. Before recess, I asked her to come to me before she went outside. I was nervous! Part of me didn’t even want to address the situation, but the bigger part of me knew I had to teach her that doing so was not okay. I wanted to ensure I did so in a way that she knew I was not angry at her at all, but that cheating is not allowed. I told her that when we take our pretests, we need to do it by ourselves and with no help. I handed her test back to her and told her that’s why she can’t get a vacation because it’s not fair for the other students that did it on their own. She said she was sorry and I told her it was okay, but just not to do it again and I understand she wanted so badly to help out her classmates and be one to get one of the 8 spelling vacations. That was a hard thing to do, but I am glad I addressed it.