Classroom Ideas
The secret student classroom management strategy – also called the mystery student management strategy – has been around for some time. However, it’s seeing a resurgence in popularity that could be due to increased behavior disruptions teachers are seeing in our post-pandemic schools.
Are you interested in a simple yet incredibly effective management strategy that is easy to implement and exciting for your students? (Who wouldn’t be, right?) If so, read on to learn how to take advantage of the secret student strategy in your own classroom.
Here’s how the secret student strategy works
First, before class begins, randomly select a student from your roster who will be the day’s secret student.
For a little extra pizzazz, post the student’s name behind a “secret student” poster on your whiteboard (or tape the name flipped over on the board). The name is secret, after all, but classroom cues can let your students know that the game is afoot!
When your students enter the classroom, explain the rules: You selected one of them at random and you will be watching them over the course of the day for good behavior. If that student exhibits good behavior all day long, then the class gets a fun reward. If not, you’ll try again another day with a different person.
During the day, watch your student for whatever behaviors you want to see – generally, you’re looking for a student to be on-task, kind, helpful, and not disruptive. Feel free to customize your “look fors” depending on the specific behavior challenges in your classroom. It’s helpful to remind your students that anyone could be the secret student by saying things like, “Wow, the secret student is working hard right now.”
At the end of the day, it’s time for the big reveal. If your secret student was a superstar that day, reveal their name on the board with a flourish, announcing that this student earned the class a reward. If your selected student did not meet expectations, that’s okay, too. In this case, explain to your class, “Today’s secret student had a little bit of a difficult day today like we all sometimes do. That’s okay, and we’ll try again tomorrow with someone new.”
If your selected student did not earn the reward with good behavior, don’t reveal their name to the class. This strategy is about positive, not negative, reinforcement.
What kinds of prizes work well when kids succeed? Simple, cost-effective prizes, such as the below, will do the trick:
- A secret student certificate
- A phone call home
- A small item like a pencil, eraser, or sticker
- An extra hall pass
- A late assignment pass
- A special class role like getting to be line leader
- Extra credit
- Extra free play time or extra recess
- A canceled quiz
- A class treat (popcorn, small piece of candy)
Secret student tips
If you’re new to the secret student strategy, here are some tips for making your rollout as smooth as possible.
1. Make it not so random… at first
Consider hand-selecting your first few secret students (instead of doing a random drawing). You may want your first secret student to be someone you know will earn the reward on the first day so that you can build momentum and excitement for the strategy.
2. Expect the unexpected
Think outside the box and consider hand-selecting a student who is respectful but may not be the obvious choice for exhibiting good behavior. Maybe the student you select is really quiet or a bighearted goofball. Selecting this student – should they be successful at earning the class a reward – shows all students that good behavior is attainable.
3. Be flexible and make it work for you
One of the best aspects of this strategy is that it’s customizable to all grade levels. This works just as well in a secondary setting as in an elementary school classroom. Middle and high school teachers can even select one secret student per period to encourage good behavior.
If an entire day of good behavior is a high bar to set right off the bat, consider selecting secret students for just parts of the day. You might select a secret silent reader, test-taker, or line leader, for example.
4. Use the strategy on a sub day
Secret student is great for a day when you have a sub! Let your students know you have drawn a secret student for a day when they will be with a substitute teacher and that, if you get a good report from the sub, a reward will be waiting upon your return.
Why try the secret student strategy?
There are so many reasons to try the secret student strategy. Of course, it’s easy and it’s fun for both you and your students. But there are other advantages, too.
Too often, schools focus on negative reinforcement and punishment. Bad behavior results in privileges lost and often public embarrassment for the student who is being reprimanded. Secret student flips the script. Instead of punishing bad behavior, you now get to focus on rewarding good behavior.
Secret student as a strategy focuses on behavior, not academic achievement. Especially as students get older, academics become nearly the sole focus of teachers. This strategy serves to remind students that traits like good citizenship, kindness, and being helpful matter a lot, too.
Ultimately, it reminds teachers to look for the good in their students. Try this, and you’ll discover that you are suddenly seeing your students in a new light. You get to catch them doing something good, which is a win-win-win for you, your secret student, and the whole class.
