Character Based Awards for Students in the Classroom

In our classrooms, character development is just as crucial as academic growth. Traditionally, reward systems have a natural focus on students who excel academically. While it is important to recognize this hard work, countless young people often get left out because academics are not their strong suit. The reasons are diverse: perhaps it has been a rough time of year at home, an undiagnosed learning difference, or simply because their strengths lie in the visual arts, athletics, or critical thinking rather than standardized tests.

To broaden the spectrum and create a more inclusive and positive impact, I began implementing character-based awards in my classroom. This shift had a profound effect on student morale, achievement, and overall classroom culture, fostering a culture of character where every student had the opportunity to be seen and valued.

The Foundation: Moving Beyond Academics

The framework I used was inspired by the work of educational researcher Robert Marzano, who identified numerous positive character traits and behaviors. This provided a robust foundation for recognizing a wide array of personal qualities, forming the core of our new culture of character. Instead of only celebrating the highest test score, we could now honor the little girl who showed incredible empathy to new classmates, the middle school student who demonstrated perseverance in physical education, or the high school debater who exemplified critical thinking. We even created a special ACE Award for those who demonstrated all-around character excellence.

The goal was to make recognition an easy way to reinforce our school’s core values (values like respect, responsibility, and courage) daily. These character awards were not about being the smartest but about consistently doing the right thing. This system, which included a simple student of the week award, ensured that every child had the opportunity to be seen and celebrated for their unique contributions to our school community, making it a better place for all.

Implementation: Making Recognition Visible and Meaningful

I created a system of monthly awards centered on a different character trait each month, such as the character trait of the month being Trustworthiness or Kindness. To make this scalable and visually appealing, I designed templates in Google Slides. This allowed me to quickly generate a full-color version for a formal ceremony and a black and white version for easy printing.

Each character award certificate included editable fields for:

• Student name
• Teacher name
• Date line
• A brief description of the specific behavior being honored

I passed out these laminated certificates during quarterly “award ceremonies” intertwined with student goal-setting activities. Students could place them on their desks, lockers, or, if they were exceptionally proud, on their refrigerator at home. This visual celebration made the abstract concept of good character tangible and something to strive for.

To involve the whole class, we would nominate peers. This process taught students to identify good qualities in others, turning their classmates into role models. For little readers in 1st grade, this might mean a kindness award for sharing. In 3rd grade, it could be for demonstrating honesty. In social studies classes, students might be recognized for their respect while learning about Native Americans.

Application and Nuance: Ensuring Authentic Recognition

A critical aspect of this system was ensuring that awards were earned, not given away arbitrarily. The award criteria were clearly defined for students and staff members. It was vital that a character award was not a consolation prize for a bad day but a genuine acknowledgment of consistent good character.

For instance, the character trait of obedience is not inherently good or bad; it depends on context. We focused on the intent and impact of the action. This taught students nuanced critical thinking about what these traits truly mean in practice.

The best part was that this system was applicable to anyone. Student of the month awards weren’t just for the academic elite. The overall character award at the end of the year could go to a student who made the classroom a better place through their unwavering positivity and support for others, a quality that often goes formally unrecognized.

Expanding the Program: School-Wide and Community Involvement

The program’s success in my classroom led to discussions about school-wide implementation. Imagine the athletics department awarding a student for sportsmanship, the vocal music teacher honoring perseverance, or the graphic arts class recognizing creativity.

Many schools, following models from organizations like Character.org, already have a framework in place. A character education committee, comprising teachers, staff members, and even student leaders, could oversee the program. This committee could determine the year’s winner for major awards, perhaps even presented on behalf of the Character.org board or the school board.

This recognition shouldn’t stop with students. Faculty members and staff members are powerful role models. Implementing monthly character awards for teachers, perhaps nominated by their peers or students, reinforces that character development is a lifelong journey. A life skills educator might be recognized for compassion, while a physical science teacher is honored for fostering curiosity.

Furthermore, we can extend this to community service. Recognizing students who volunteer not only rewards their effort but also inspires others. A student in special education might be a relatable character for their perseverance, motivating others to overcome their own challenges.

Practical Tools and Strategies for Your Classroom

Getting started is easier than you might think. Using Google Slides or Canva, you can design a character award certificate with editable fields and text boxes to customize for each student. These digital tools are an easy way to create both a vibrant full-color version for ceremonies and a simpler black and white version for easy printing. The editable fields allow you to quickly insert the student name, teacher name, and a specific date line for any time of year. Here’s a simple process:

Choose Your Traits: Select a set of core values or positive character traits for your monthly character awards. Start with 5-10 to keep it manageable. You could align these with an existing character trait of the month program or select different character trait focuses each quarter. Involving staff members in this selection can ensure the traits resonate across the entire school community, from vocational education to general science classes.

Define the Criteria: For each trait, work with students to define what it looks like in action. This collaborative critical thinking exercise is a great way to ensure everyone understands the expectations. For trustworthiness, it might be “turning in lost items” or “keeping promises.” For a kindness award, criteria could include using kind words or including others at recess. This clarity makes the awards meaningful and prevents them from feeling arbitrary or like a popularity contest.

Create a Nomination System: This could be a simple slip of paper, a digital form, or a discussion during morning meetings. For young people, especially in 1st grade or 2nd grade, provide scaffolds like sentence starters or picture cues to help them articulate their thoughts. In middle school or high school settings, a digital form sent via a weekly newsletter can streamline the process. This allows peers to nominate each other, fostering a culture where students actively look for the good in others.

Celebrate Publicly: Announce winners in your weekly newsletter, on trustworthiness posters in the hallway, or during morning announcements. This public recognition is powerful and shows the entire school community that these personal qualities are valued. Consider having the athletics department or visual arts teacher announce a winner, demonstrating that good character is important in every domain, from physical education to graphic arts.

Involve Families: Send the certificate home with a note explaining why the student won. This reinforces the behavior and builds a strong school-home connection. For the end of the year character awards, this is a particularly poignant way to culminate a year of growth. Parents appreciate seeing their child’s non-academic achievements celebrated, and it helps extend character development beyond the school walls.

For self-reflection, students can use simple self-assessment surveys to gauge their own growth in different character traits. This metacognitive practice is valuable for their personal qualities and development. These surveys can be a fun way to kick off a new month or to reflect before a student of the month awards ceremony.

By reading the kind words of their peers and reflecting on their own actions, students solidify their understanding of what it means to be a person of good character, making the school and the wider world a better place.

The Lasting Impact

Implementing character-based awards was one of the most rewarding shifts in my teaching career. It was a fun way and a great way to differentiate instruction and meet the diverse needs of students. It acknowledged the whole child, not just their academic output.

Whether you teach 2nd grade, middle school, or higher education, the principles remain the same. Character education is not an add-on; it is woven into every subject, from physical therapy sessions to vocational education workshops.

As we look beyond the school year to summer vacation, we can send our students off not just with academic knowledge, but with reinforced core values that will guide them to become citizens of good character. By consistently recognizing effort, kindness, and resilience, we don’t just build better students; we help build a better place for everyone.

You will need to determine what your unique students will respond to best. It may take a round or two to perfect your system, but once you do, you will see a vast difference in the engagement, culture, and success of your classroom community. The end of the year character awards will then not just be about grades, but a true celebration of the incredible young people you have had the privilege to teach.

This article was originally published on July 21, 2021.