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Stage 3: Health System

The health system uses strikes as warnings for unwanted behavior. Each strike reduces health points, but there's no immediate consequence - strikes simply accumulate. The real consequence comes when a student reaches 0 health and becomes fallen, losing access to powers and purchases until they redeem themselves.

This creates a buffer system where students can receive multiple warnings before facing actual consequences, while still tracking and making visible patterns of behavior.

Enabling Health & Strikes

To activate Stage 3:

  1. Go to Class Settings → Features
  2. Enable "Health & Strikes"
  3. Save changes

All students will start with full health. Their current health will be displayed on their profile and on the class dashboard.

Giving Strikes as Warnings

Strikes serve as documented warnings for unwanted behavior. Students can accumulate multiple strikes before facing the real consequence of becoming fallen.

To give a strike:

  1. From the class dashboard, find the student
  2. Click the "Strike" button
  3. Choose from your pre-configured strikes, or scroll down to create a custom strike
  4. For custom strikes, set the health reduction (e.g., -2 Health) and add a description
  5. The strike is applied immediately

The student's health decreases, but they can continue participating normally until their health reaches 0. The strike is logged in the activity page for your records.

When to Give Strikes

Be clear and consistent about strike-worthy behaviors:

Common reasons:

  • Disruptive behavior
  • Not following directions
  • Disrespect to teacher or classmates
  • Off-task behavior after warnings
  • Missing homework (if this is your policy)
  • Inappropriate language
  • Not bringing materials

Important principles:

  • Strikes are warnings, not immediate consequences
  • Students can accumulate several strikes before becoming fallen
  • Be consistent across all students
  • Make sure students understand the rules
  • The real consequence is becoming fallen at 0 health
  • Use strikes to document patterns of behavior

Configuring Strikes

To customize the strikes available in your class:

  1. Go to Class Settings → Strikes
  2. Edit existing strike descriptions and health values
  3. Add new strikes by typing in the empty row at the bottom
  4. Set the health reduction for each strike (negative values)
  5. Click "Save Strikes"

Default strikes when you enable health:

  • "Disruptive behavior" - 3 Health
  • "Giving up" - 2 Health
  • "Being rude" - 4 Health
  • "Off-task" - 1 Health

Example strikes you might add:

  • "Forgot materials" - 1 Health
  • "Talking out of turn" - 2 Health
  • "Not following directions" - 3 Health
  • "Disrespect" - 4 Health
  • "Safety violation" - 5 Health

You can customize both the description and the health value for each strike to match your classroom management style.

Fallen Students: The Real Consequence

When a student reaches 0 health points after accumulating multiple strikes, they become Fallen. This is the actual consequence - not the individual strikes themselves.

What Happens When Fallen

  • Student's avatar becomes grayed out
  • They cannot use powers
  • They cannot purchase items (if Stage 5 is enabled)
  • They can still earn Experience and level up
  • They can see the class but can't fully participate

Visual Indicators

  • Fallen students have a special indicator on the dashboard
  • Their avatar may have a unique appearance
  • Other students can see who is fallen
  • This creates social motivation to avoid falling

Duration

Fallen students remain fallen until they complete the redemption process and you redeem them. You can either restore their full health, or restore to 1 health point to keep them on the edge.

The Redemption Process

  1. Student realizes they're fallen
  2. Student asks what they need to do to redeem
  3. Student completes redemption requirement
  4. You verify completion
  5. Click "Redeem" on student's profile
  6. Student's health is restored (to one point or full)
  7. Student can participate again

For the redemption, you can set a meaningful task that the student must complete to demonstrate reflection and commitment to improving behavior.

Making Redemption Meaningful

Good redemption tasks:

  • Reflect on what they did wrong
  • Plan how to behave differently
  • Make amends if needed
  • Demonstrate improved behavior
  • Meet privately with you to discuss

Avoid:

  • Meaningless busy work
  • Public humiliation
  • Excessive time requirements
  • Punishments unrelated to the behavior

Weekly Health Schedule

Prevent students from staying fallen too long:

  1. Go to Class Settings → Health Schedule
  2. Select how many day(s) to restore health each week

Why Use Weekly Restoration

  • Prevents students from being fallen for too long
  • Gives everyone a fresh start
  • Reduces the emotional weight of strikes
  • Keeps the game feeling positive
  • Ensures all students can participate

Balancing Rewards and Consequences

The health system is most effective when balanced:

The Golden Ratio

Give rewards 3-5 times more often than consequences:

  • For every 1 strike given, aim to give 3-5 Experience rewards
  • Keeps the focus on positive behavior
  • Prevents the game from feeling punitive
  • Maintains student motivation

Signs You're Over-Using Strikes

  • Multiple students are fallen at once
  • Students seem demoralized about the game
  • Health restoration happens more than strikes
  • You're giving more strikes than Experience
  • Students talk more about avoiding strikes than earning Experience

Signs You're Under-Using Strikes

  • Behavior hasn't improved
  • Students don't take strikes seriously
  • No students are ever fallen
  • Students misbehave without consequences
  • The health bar seems meaningless

Tips for Success

  1. Introduce gradually - Start with strikes but don't let anyone fall in the first week
  2. Explain clearly - Make sure students understand the system before implementing
  3. Stay positive - Focus more on rewards than strikes
  4. Be consistent - Apply rules fairly to all students
  5. Redemption matters - Make it meaningful but achievable
  6. Monitor the mood - If students seem demoralized, ease up
  7. Celebrate recoveries - Acknowledge when fallen students redeem themselves

Next Steps

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