I will beginning my second year using wbt but the problem I have is with the score board. I need some suggestions on rewards/penalties for my classes. Many of my students began to slack simply because they were not playing anything that got their attention.

Btym, not knowing what grade level. Here is how I solved the blues. I used a pocket chart and wrote some fun one minute parties on the back of index cards, put them in the chart for the leaders to choose when the scoreboard called for it. They did not know what they are earning and it kept things fresh.

Annette

This addresses one of my questions—how to use the scoreboard for a class that has no homework.

One WBT blog mentioned using stickers given to the winners of a team. These stickers can be used for ‘free’ points on a question on a test. The student puts the sticker by the question on which he or she want free points. I can't find the post, maybe someone will read this and do a better job of explaining.
For myself, I have found free time as an incentive gets out of hand so I don’t like using it at the middle school level. I once took a survey to find out from the students what they wanted as incentives. I stipulated that incentives had to follow school rules. The only one I remember they all liked was the free homework pass.

All this said, I haven’t used WBT but am very excited to give it a try. I cannot wait to see how others respond.

My kids like choosing their own seats for one day, although there is a caveat, they cannot disrupt the class or they get switched.

They like sit with a friend passes at lunch.

They like getting to suggest new One Second Parties and Mighty Groans.

Their favorite is the Instant Game. If they get ahead of my by two on the Scoreboard we stop class for five minutes and play a game. It is no problem. The questions I ask are from the notes I was about to give them, or a review of things I know they need to review.

Jeff I like the idea of the instant game. Are the review questions aligned with what you are teaching that moment? Or, are they something that you have available for a overall review of the concepts already taught throughout the year?

Thanks!
Heather Hansen
WBT Intern
2011/12

Either one, or better yet, both! There is not really a wrong way to produce your questions.

Here's a list we generated at the conference today (almost all of these are more or less):

Homework
Game time
Music time (play a song if they win)
Art
Computers
Changing seats/partners
Chat time
Cool books (like brain teasers, optical illusions)
Release time (this is mine, I checked with my Principal and can let them out 3 minutes early or 3 minutes late)
Jeopardy
Reading time