Crown Culture - Build Confidence and Efficacy

Quindew is hyper-focused on building close reading skills and reading confidence. We use gamification best practices to motivate students to do their best. We use badges as one of our motivational strategies. Students earn the first badge, a fireball, after answering three questions correctly. If the streak continues, students can earn more badges. The highest badge a reader can earn is the crown. The excitement around earning a crown and the positive messaging around Quindew's badges has created a new term: Crown Culture. 

Simply, Crown Culture is a culture of positivity, celebration, and recognition around reading achievement. We didn't anticipate students and teachers getting so excited about the badges. But here we are, and we are embracing it. 

The purpose of this article is to explore the notion of Crown Culture and provide various ways teachers and schools can celebrate their students for doing great things.

5 Ways to Celebrate Students

1. Obviously, earning a crown or perfect score should be recognized. But there are so many other achievements that can be celebrated. 
2. Announce a "streak of the week!" This week, students who earn a mushroom are recognized. The next week could be the green dragon. If a streak a week is too much, consider a streak of the month, or identify a new streak every two weeks.
3. Students who meet their weekly challenge (goals) could be celebrated. Each week, students are asked to commit to getting better. If they meet their challenge, they are rewarded with blue diamonds. These diamonds can be used to buy new worlds and coaches, ultimately customizing their Quindew experience. What if students were added to a list or received stickers every time they meet their goals? 
4. Schools could celebrate students for showing growth from one Season to the next. At the end of each Season, Quindew produces a growth report (available through Clarity Data). Schools and teachers could honor students with a certificate or announce their names over the morning announcements. 
5. Students can be recognized for being on track or consistently completing 2-3 Quests a week.

We want to emphasize the importance of recognizing various achievements beyond just earning the highest scores. We suggest implementing different ways to celebrate students' progress and efforts.

Remember:

• Diversify your achievements and awards
• Celebrate streaks
• Acknowledge weekly challenges
• Prioritize goals
• Highlight growth
• Recognize effort

It is essential to acknowledge and celebrate students' efforts, progress, and commitment in various ways beyond traditional measures of success.