Contributor:
Sarah Wallis
I have made a Tree of Achievement for each classroom that I have taught in, and they have brought an amazing boost in self-esteem to the children involved.
The idea is that the teacher makes a display with a bare tree on a hillside or in a field, with a basket of brightly coloured leaves below it.
Every time a child works hard or shows kindness, their name and what they have done is written on a leaf and put up in the tree.
The tree will often have a sign beneath it to inform visitors as to the purpose of the display, such as ‘5r’s Tree of Achievement’.
The children really enjoy getting a leaf on the tree, and it encourages positive behaviour.
A visitor has suggested the following adaptation… Have a certain number of leaves that need to be put on a tree in order to earn a reward.
In order to ensure that only the students who deserve the reward earn it, there can be a requirement of this % of the leaves, or a certain number of the leaves need to be earned by each student to participate in the reward.
You can distinguish with names on the leaves… or you can make it where each student is represented by a certain colour. You can also adapt this idea by changing the object that they are earning… use leaves in the autumn… flowers in the spring… or animals… or whatever.
Jo has used this idea in her classroom and shared a photo of it:
