How To Use Smelly Markers As A Sensational Incentive

Scentos Smelly Markers are Magical!!!  If you want to motivate students to work faster, to write neater or do their personal best, dangle the carrot of the smelly marker when they finish.  For some reason students are willing to work for that scented happy face or star drawn on their paper when they are finished.

Here Is How I Do It
Once I have explained the assignment and send my students back to their tables. I retrieve a Scento's Smelly Marker from my desk.  Each day I change the incentive.  Of course I'm always looking fore everything but my students don't know that.  Once students are seated I tell them what I am looking for.  It may be I am only marking the first 10 students who are done, or perhaps only those who have the neatest handwriting, or they must have ALL of their math problems correct on the first try.  This helps to eliminate those who are trying to be the first ones done.  Little do they know everyone gets something on their paper with the marker.  I want all students to feel successful.  Even if they are the last to finish.  Just last week I had a student who was so proud to get that star becasue he finally finished a paper.  Something he never does.  He kept showing everyone his paper and saying "I finished it!"  I don't think finishing would have meant as much without that big smelly star.

Another trick I use is the quiet game.  If they are quietly working I will put a tally mark on their paper with the marker in the corner.  If they make it to five they can draw their own star with the marker when they have finished.  If it is a short assignment I may just put 3 dots on their paper, you get the idea.  Either way, they are working hard for the opportunity to use those markers.

I like to change up the the color-flavor-smell of the marker I use as each student has their favorite,  including this teacher.  I love the raspberry and the black licorice.

Using the Scentos markers is such a quick motivational tool to use in my classroom, that when I forget my students actually remind me.  If you haven't tried it I suggest you do.  You can find them almost anyplace, Walmart, Target, Michaels, Grab a pack or two and have fun.  If you have other ways you use them in your room, leave them in the comments below.  I know there are a bunch of great ideas out there, these are just a few ways I use them on a daily basis.

Also be sure to follow Scentos on Facebook and Instagram, they do lots of giveaways and share some great ideas of how to use all of their products.

Have a great weekend.