The good behavior game: 1969-2002.

Douma et al. (2006) looked back at every Good Behavior Game paper from 1969 to 2002.

They told the story of how teachers used teams, points, and small prizes to cut disruption.

The review covered kids of all ages, with and without labels, in regular and special classes.

Across 33 years the same simple rules kept working.

Classes split into two teams, watched each other, and lost points for breaking posted rules.

After a few weeks most rooms needed only the game to stay calm.

Gulboy et al. (2025) extends the story. They ran an ABAB study in an inclusive middle-school room and still saw big drops for both general-ed and special-ed students.

Hursh et al. (1974) is a direct predecessor. That team showed that rules plus group points beat rules alone, setting the stage for the full Good Behavior Game package.

Vargo et al. (2019) looks like a contradiction at first. They let kids pick their contingency and most chose independent points over team play. Yet disruption still fell, showing the peer piece is helpful, not magic.

You do not need extra staff or tech. Pick two balanced teams, post three clear rules, and award points every 15 minutes. Swap prizes for simple privileges like extra computer time. The 50-year track record says it will still work on Monday.