As a kindergarten and preschool teacher, you have to develop creative ideas that motivate your students toward positive behavior. This task can sometimes become challenging because not all ideas work. Luckily, you can do a fun classroom activity that your students enjoy while also overcoming an issue.
The most common issue for teachers is managing students’ behavior, and focusing on giving positive feedback when students do good is the only effective way to fix bad behavior. However, you cannot be present in every situation to see what act of kindness or a brilliant idea your students came up with to acknowledge.
This is where brag tags come to the rescue. As a teacher, you don’t have time to address every student individually. Hence, brag tags help you do that by being excellent behavior and academic incentive for students.
So, What Are Brag Tags?
Brag tags are exciting incentives that encourage and promote good behavior or an act of kindness. These are 2×3 or 3×4 tags that can be hung around the neck. When students show good behavior, teachers can reward them with a brag tag with motivational quotes and exciting cartoon pictures. These brag tags for students allow them to feel proud of their behavior, and they can brag to other students about it.
How to Use Brag Tags in Classroom
Brag Tags in the classroom have to be earned rather than just given out. You can use these cartoony necklaces in a variety of ways to motivate your students. There are brag tags for rewarding positive behavior and good performance in class, like ‘creative thinker’ and ‘best behaving,’ and any action that you think is exemplary should reward a brag tag to that student.
1. Brag Tags Promote Positive Behavior
Brag tags can be a great way of promoting positive behavior in class. These tags can be earned through a set of activities you can plan, and the ones who do the best would be awarded. Start by asking your students to be nice and help each other. Observe the behavioral change for a week and then reward those who behaved the best in class.
2. Brag Tags for Being Creative
Every student is unique, and their approach to things might differ. If you have an introvert in class, don’t let that child be a victim of bullying. You can encourage that child by awarding a “creative thinker” brag tag. A brag tag like this would make this student not weird but a creative thinker in the eyes of their peers.
3. Brag Tags for Attendance
If you wish to ensure 100% attendance in class, you need to provide incentives. Brag tags for attendance are a great way to ensure your students always show up in class. When you reward punctual students, they are encouraged to be consistent with positive results. These tags can also generate a ripple effect where one student gets acknowledged and motivates others to do the same thing.
4. Brag Tags for Top Grades
Watching your students fall behind in grades can be heartbreaking for teachers. The hours of labor educators put into educating students seem to go to waste at the time of results. However, you can overcome this hurdle with brag tags. However, brag tags for academics would have a different structure. You should not award only one student out of many for good grades. Instead, have a scoring measure.
Make a list of grades from 1 to 10 and award different students according to this. It would motivate your top ten to perform better next time and the rest to achieve a realistic goal, of becoming a part of the top ten students.
5. Brag Tags for the First Day of School
Students are often shy and afraid on their first day of school. Leaving their home to enter a new environment can scare the best of us. Teachers need to create an environment where students feel welcomed and promote student interactions. Students don’t prefer interacting with others when they don’t have anything in common.
So, the best way to make everyone feel like they know each other is to make brag tags for the first day of school. This activity can be an excellent icebreaker session among students and help them relax and have fun.
6. Brag Tags for Kindness and Empathy
Encouraging kindness and empathy among students is essential for creating a positive classroom environment. You can introduce brag tags specifically for acts of kindness, such as helping a classmate, sharing, or showing empathy. Recognizing and rewarding these behaviors will reinforce positive social interactions and foster a caring community within the classroom.
7. Brag Tags for Responsibility
Teaching responsibility is an important aspect of character development in young children. You can create brag tags to acknowledge students who consistently demonstrate responsible behavior, such as taking care of classroom materials, following rules, or completing tasks on time. By rewarding responsible actions, you encourage students to take ownership of their actions and instill a sense of accountability.
8. Brag Tags for Teamwork
Collaboration and teamwork are crucial skills for children to develop. Brag tags can be used to recognize students who actively participate in group activities, contribute ideas, and support their peers. By promoting teamwork through brag tags, you foster a cooperative spirit and teach students the value of working together towards a common goal.
9. Brag Tags for Problem-Solving
Problem-solving skills are essential for academic and personal growth. You can introduce brag tags to celebrate students who demonstrate effective problem-solving strategies, such as thinking creatively, finding solutions independently, or persevering through challenges. Rewarding these skills encourages a growth mindset and empowers students to tackle problems with confidence.
10. Brag Tags for Character Traits
In addition to academic achievements, you can create brag tags that highlight specific character traits such as honesty, respect, perseverance, or generosity. These tags serve as a reminder for students to embody these positive qualities and can be awarded based on observations of their behavior and actions. By emphasizing character development through brag tags, you promote the holistic growth of each student.
11. Brag Tags for Personal Goals
Allowing students to set and work towards their personal goals is a powerful motivator. You can create brag tags that represent different goals, such as improving reading skills, mastering a math concept, or learning a new skill. Students can earn these tags when they make progress or achieve their goals, providing a sense of accomplishment and fostering a growth mindset.
12. Brag Tag Showcase
Consider setting up a dedicated space in the classroom to display the earned brag tags. This showcase can serve as a visual reminder of students’ achievements and create a sense of pride and motivation. You can use a bulletin board, a clothesline, or even a designated brag tag display board where students can hang their tags. Regularly update the showcase to celebrate new accomplishments and inspire others.
Remember to adapt and customize the use of brag tags based on the unique needs and dynamics of your classroom. By incorporating these additional ideas, you can create a comprehensive guide that provides teachers with a variety of options to implement brag tags effectively and promote positive behavior and academic growth in their students.
When Should I Award Brag Tags?
Awarding brag tags should be done in front of the class and on a specific day. For example, you can make Friday mornings the time for your bragging ceremony. Call the winners of the week in front and award them brag tags while others would cheer. This creates a sense of pride and accomplishment among students.
This grand recognition would motivate others to earn a brag tag creating an active and energetic classroom. After the ceremony, your kids should be allowed to wear the tag for the entire week and take home as well. Make sure you invite the principal for the bragging ceremony because children love showing off.
How to Make A Brag Tag?
Brag tags are not as complicated as they might seem. You do make one through hand drawing or using online tools. A great way to design bag tags is through Canva. Simply go to the link, create your design, and have it printed on glossy paper.
You can use colorful bands or chains as necklaces for brag tags. Many instructors clip brag tags to the classroom soft-board, but that kills the purpose of it. These are supposed to be worn by the student who won it. Let’s dig deep into what you would need to make a wearable brag tag for your students.
List of Items
- Glossy paper
- Lamination sheet
- Scissors or a cutter
- Printer
- Heating machine
You can find most of the items like printers and heating machines in a local stationary shop. However, it is best to make the brag tag first and then go to a station shop for time efficiency.
Have a Design in Mind
Start by creating a design first. Use cartoons character of emoticons to make it relatable for children. The best practice is to ask your class about their favorite cartoon characters and then start designing. You can use online tools like Canva and Crello for vector designs. If you are not tech-savvy, then hand-drawn characters aren’t a bad option either. You should name the brag tag as creative as possible during this process to avoid any alteration after printing.
Cut the Right Size Paper
The ideal size for brag tags is 2×3 for comfortable wearing around the neck. However, you can make them small or larger. Once you cut the paper to your desired size, it’s time to pint your design. You can go to your local stationery for it or use a colored printer at home to save costs.
Laminate the Card You Designed
The next step is to apply a lamination sheet on the brag tag to ensure the brag tags last. Simply cover your brag tag with a lamination sheet and cut out a size-relevant piece. Staple the open ends of the lamination and visit your local stationery shop for heat treatment. A heating machine would remove all the air between the lamination and the card, making your brag tags look shiny and attractive. Once the healing process is done, make a hole with a punching machine for a brag tag necklace.
Necklaces for Brag Tags
There are plenty of options to go for as a necklace for brag tags. From chains to ribbons and all the way to colorful straps, the only limitation is your creativity. Make sure to make your brag tags as colorful as possible because children love them.
Ending Note
In conclusion, incorporating brag tags into your classroom can be a powerful tool for motivating and reinforcing positive behavior and academic growth in your students. These small, colorful tokens of recognition have the ability to create a sense of pride, accomplishment, and healthy competition among students. By using brag tags, teachers can effectively acknowledge and celebrate a wide range of achievements, from acts of kindness and creativity to academic success and personal growth.
Brag tags serve as tangible reminders of students’ efforts and accomplishments, providing them with a sense of ownership and pride in their actions. They also create a positive classroom culture where students support and cheer for one another’s successes. Through the regular recognition of students’ achievements during a designated ceremony, teachers can foster a sense of community and encourage students to consistently strive for excellence.
It is important to remember that the use of brag tags should be inclusive and equitable, ensuring that every student has the opportunity to earn and showcase their tags. Recognizing a variety of behaviors, skills, and character traits promotes the holistic development of each student and encourages them to embrace their unique strengths.
As educators, our goal is to create a positive and engaging learning environment where students feel valued and motivated to reach their full potential. Brag tags provide a fun and effective way to achieve this goal by offering personalized recognition and encouragement. By implementing brag tags in your classroom, you can empower your students, foster a sense of achievement, and cultivate a culture of positivity, kindness, and growth.
So, let the power of brag tags inspire and uplift your students as they embark on their educational journey, one small tag at a time.
