I know star charts can be controversial, but here’s why mine has worked for me for 17 years ⭐ My chart only goes up—never down. Each child has a clothespin, and when they reach the star, they get to pick an eraser for their backpack and start over. It’s a cycle, not a race, and every student gets a chance. At the beginning of the year, this gives 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds the extrinsic motivation they need. It allows me to constantly point out and praise the good things—being kind, helping a frien