The 8 Keys

Love - caring about the people and world around you.

Attitude - a way of thinking or feeling (outlook) that you bring to an activity.

Effort - working hard, trying to do your best.

Motivation - getting excited about setting and achieving goals.

Preparation - getting things ready ahead of time to make your task easier and more successful.

Cooperation - working together with others for a common purpose.

Discipline - following the rules and sticking to your goals.

Performance - actually doing the skill, activity or task.

What Students Are Saying

"I like that kids actually get noticed for doing good and not just bad." - Fifth grade student

"I like them because they motivate me to do my best. I also like how there is always a key of the week. Every week I try to do my best at the key of the week." - Fourth grade student

"I’m more ready for school." – Fifth grade student

"It makes me remember about all the things that I need to do." – Fourth grade student

"My favorite key is attitude, because with a positive attitude, it becomes easier to love, cooperate, prepare and all the things other keys represent." - Sixth grade student

"Preparation is my favorite Key because it helps me make sure I have my homework." – Fourth grade student

"They [The Keys] challenge you to be good." – Eighth grade student

[The Keys program] gives you an incentive to be your best. – Sixth grade student

"When I receive a key I feel like I have accomplished something that will benefit me later in life." – Seventh grade student

"When I’m not getting along with my sister, cooperation reminds me to work it out." – Sixth grade student

What Teachers Are Saying

"Any child that values keys – and most do – will figure out which actions will merit a key in my classroom."

“I enjoy looking for opportunities to notice the positive. It is so easy to hand out a key spontaneously than to fill out forms!”

“I enjoy the class keys because it acknowledges their behavior as a group. They have improved their behavior during the class and in the hallway because they know I am watching.”

“I have used it as a positive reinforcement tool for students that maybe aren’t always as kind and considerate as they should be. It does redirect negative behavior.”

“I think the students are more aware of their actions. They Keys program encourages and motivates students to try their hardest.”

“It helps build self-esteem and anyone can earn them. Your grades are not the determining factor. Students beam when they count their keys each month and realize that each key stands for something special they have done to earn those keys.”

"It is good to have something tangible to reward good behavior with...It is a more 'concrete' method of reinforcing what is expected than only verbal rewards or remarks on a report card."

“It often works to get work/projects done early and often helps students volunteer for jobs/other activities.”

“It’s an immediate reward for the children’s behavior. I like the variety of keys – all with different meanings. It’s a fun way to reward. [It] teaches them also to save their keys for a bigger prize.”

"Students are more motivated when completing class work and…the students are more caring towards one another."

"When I hand out keys for clean cubbies, suddenly, the others start looking neater. If I seem to be having an extra quiet class, a few keys passed out seems to stir the pot and participation. They also seem to improve memory.”

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The 8 Keys

What Students Are Saying

What Teachers Are Saying

"Students are more motivated when completing class work and…the students are more caring towards one another."