Badges!

Welcome to the Road to Success Blog!

I want to share a little more about the Badges students can earn for logging their reading time.

The thought behind the Badges was that children will spend HOURS on different websites and video games trying to reach certain levels and accomplishments.  Why not use this for something constructive?!  To be perfectly honest, I wasn't super sure about how much motivation they would really provide.  BOY WAS I WRONG!  Kids are going crazy for the badges.  Here is an example of part of an email I received from an RTS School Admin.

I have a 5th grader who wants to know why he has finished 5 books but hasn't received the "finisher" badge? He says it is supposed to be awarded after he's finished 2 books. He is also asking about an "American" badge that apparently one of his friends received but he didn't and wanted to know how he can earn it. 

I suppose I should be grateful that the digital badges are such motivators for these kids but instead I'm thinking: "Really, little 5th grader?? That's the biggest problem you have in your entire world right now?" 

I was curious as to how teachers would actually use the Badges and the points associated with them.  In speaking with a 6th grade teacher, she gave me a simple way.  She simply had the students pull up their badge page (they are a 1 to 1 school), however this could also be done by having student print the Badge page, and add up their points.  She then tossed out simple Halloween candy to those who had reached a certain number of points.  

This teacher also made a comment that has resonated with me over the past week.  She said, "My best readers aren't necessarily my best loggers, many of my lowest readers are my most consistent loggers.  This is so awesome as they, more than my highest readers, need the incentive and motivation.  The Badges seem to do it for them."

Print View of the Badges:

November Surprise Badges with suggested books for that day:

*Badge will pop up when time is logged for that day - if you were to log time today for November 5th you would receive the Badge.

November 5: Donut Day

                Bowling Alley Bandit by Laurie Keller

November 12: Chicken Soup for the Soul Day

                Chicken Soup for the Soul: Think Positive for Kids by Kevin Sorbo & Amy Newmark

November 14: Pickle Day

                Pickles to Pittsburgh The Sequel to Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett

November 28: Hanukkah

                Hanukkah Lights by David Martin