Secret Student

Secret Student (from 'Dr. Mac's Amazing Behavior Management Advice Site' )

This technique is a great way to motivate kids to do their best (behaviorally and academically).  Before a class, an activity, a walk back to the room, whatever... draw a name from a pile of paper scraps containing all the student's names.  Keep this name a secret.  The students know (from you having told them) that this selected person will be watched to determine if they have behaved well and are deserving of the reward.  All students in your line or class hope that they have been selected, and then try their best to behave well.  Upon completion of the task, the name of the student is revealed and a prize given if deserved.  Be sure to compliment others who did really well (in comparison with their typical behavior).  A variation: If one of your "more difficult" kids does really well, you might pretend that the drawn name was his/hers (even though you drew another name).  It will help to promote more of this positive behavior in the future.

"Secret Student" procedure:

Clearly state a behavior that one would want to see or change.  For example, "I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for on-task behavior...working hard on the assignments that I give." Or, “I’m looking for quiet behavior...keeping our lips closed unless we have permission to talk.”
1.   State a time frame.  For example, “From now until the end of Morning Meeting”.
2.   Choose a popsicle stick at random from a jar.  Each student has his or her name written on a popsicle stick in that jar.  Place the stick in your pocket.
3.   Share the name of the “secret student” with the class after that given period of time.
4.   Ask the student if he/she displayed the behavior for the whole time period. 
5.   If that student demonstrated the targeted behavior the whole time period, say "Thank you" and everyone in the class receives a reward.  If the student did not follow through with the targeted behavior, give an encouraging statement like, “I know next time you’ll try a little harder!”  You might want to consider rewarding (or failing to reward) only the secret student.  You might also select three secret students, and award a point for each of the students who displayed the behavior consistently.  This variation takes the spotlight off any one particular pupil.  Each point contributes to the number of points needed for a whole-class reward, privilege, or trip.  
6.   The one thing that a teacher must be sensitive to is analyzing whether or not all the students are able to handle the peer pressure put upon them as the “Secret Student”.  If the name of a particularly sensitive student is in one's pocket, and that student does not meet the targeted behavior, you might change the name called to prevent damaging his/her self esteem or causing an avoidable disruption.  Select the name of a student who was on task.  Call the sensitive student's name when he/she has been successful.
7.   Finally, in order for this experiment to work well, the teacher must have a positive rapport with the students and needs to have at least the beginnings of a strong classroom community. 
Ideas for rewards- group games, extra recess, fun day (go shoeless day, backward shirt day etc.) chew gum.