Those who know me know that I am a huge fan of brag tags to promote and reward positive behavior in the classroom.  As we go back to school, the first few weeks are essential for building routines and expectations.  I am often asked, “How do you start the year with implementing brag tags?” so I am here today to give you my top 4 tips for getting started!

Before I go any further, if you are not familiar with brag tags, I wrote some extensive blog posts  that explain EVERYTHING you need to know about BRAG TAGS that you can read.  Just make sure you come back over here to catch my tips!

Starting the School Year with Brag Tags
No More Treasure Box
Brag Tags in the Classroom

It is important that you begin the year with a set of brag tags that are printed, laminated, and ready to go!  I think that the students need that visual of the brag tag collection that you have available to them to earn.  It gets them excited and they are able to see what kinds of things they want to work towards.  Having them printed and ready also gives you a peace of mind that this job isn't lurking over your to do list and the brag tags are ready to be implemented right away!

Figure out a place to store your brag tag necklaces.  I chose a bulletin board at the front of my classroom.  Another important tip with this is that each brag tag necklace should be hung individually so the necklace chains do not get tangled.  When you store them it is important for each necklace and display spot to be labeled with the student's name.  The name on the bulletin board gives them an assigned spot to always hang their necklace.  The name on the brag tag necklaces is helpful if a necklace is misplaced and somebody picks it up.  You can grab the necklace chains off Amazon for 33 cents each.  I use these mini name tag labels for the display and I simply write on the back of their Welcome Back brag tag for the necklace.

When you are showing your students the brag tags for the first time, go through the name of each brag tag and give them examples of what they can do to earn the tag.  If your brag tag collection is large, start with 5 brag tags and introduce 5 more the next day or however you want to do that for your classroom.  One important thing I always mention is that the teacher must notice the exceptional behavior, not the student themselves (or a friend).  This will prevent your students from coming up to you every minute of the day to point out a behavior for which they want their brag tag.

Establish a system.  Do you want your students to be able to wear these whenever they want?  Do you want them to take them home?  When do you want them to attach their brag tags to their necklaces after they've earned them?  Have you shown them how to open and close the necklace chain?  All of these are important questions that you must think about before jumping into using brag tags in the classroom.  If you have thought about these answers so that they are ready to go, the process will be smooth and successful!

Now…onto the FREEBIE!!!  I created some exclusive brag tags just for YOU!  These can not be found in my store and will only be available through this blog post and linky!  Simply click on the photo below for a direct link to some back to school brag tags that will get you started!  Included in this freebie are:  Creative Writer (boy & girl), Responsible Reader, I Show Quality Work, and Hard Worker Award.  ENJOY!