Positive reinforcement is a great way to get students to get follow directions and get their work done. Giving positive reinforcement will give the students something to work towards and a reason to follow directions and get their work done.

For an individual student one positive reinforcement could be a homework pass. I would use a homework pass for each individual student. In order to get a homework pass a student would have to turn in all of their homework on time for one whole month. If the student can turn in all work for one whole month then they will get their homework pass. The homework pass can be used towards one assignment that the student didn't get done or is turning in late, can't be a large project. Another individual positive reinforcement would be to have a chart with green, yellow and red on it. Each student's name is on a dot and each day every student starts out in the green column. During the day students dots can be moved from green to yellow or to red and back, based on how they are following the rules of class. At the end of the day all student whose names are in the green column would receive $5 in classroom money. The students save their money and at the end of each month or quarter the get to buy from the class store.

For groups you can also do positive reinforcements. One positive reinforcement could be an extra recess. The class can earn an extra recess by filling up a jar with marbles. In order to earn marbles the class has to have a good report from their specialists which would be: P.E., Music, Art and Library. Once the jar is filled to the top then the whole class gets an extra recess. Another positive reinforcement is to have your classroom desks set up into pods. There would be 4-5 desks/students in each pod or group. Each group can earn points by being the quietest group or the quickest group to transition to the next activity. At the end of each week whichever pod has the highest amount of points gets to pick out of the treasure box. I would switch the students pods up often.

This is just a few ideas for individual and group positive reinforcement. There are so many ideas that you can choose from.