Do Your Students Forget to Put Their Name on Their Papers? Try this

This has proven to be an effective method to have students put their names and dates on their papers.  Before taking up papers each time say, “Class, put a smiley face beside your name, and put a star beside your date.”  Students all want a smiley face and a star at the top of their papers, so they will all put their names and dates on their papers.  You will no longer have to tell students to put their names and dates on their papers in a frustrated monotone voice because they will do this.  When students get accustomed to putting smiley faces and stars, you can change what you ask them to put beside their name and date and associate it with something they are learning.  For example, have students put parallel lines beside their name and perpendicular lines beside their date if your class is studying geometry.