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Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Behavior Management

What behavior management system do you use? 

There are so many, and I have used most of them at some point in my 12 years of teaching. When I moved down to first grade I wanted something simple, visual, and that could accent the positive.

I love the clip chart.
 
I first saw this at Rick Morris' site. I meant to glue it in rainbow order but notice I accidentally glued the orange and yellow in the wrong order. Ugh...that is what happens when you switch grade levels, move rooms and have to go through a retired teacher's stuff in one summer! 

Each student's name is written on a clothes pin. I move MANY more clips up than I do down. It is AMAZING how motivating it is. All you have to say is. "Wow, Sam is working so quietly, I am going to put his clip up." And wouldn't you know the room is suddenly silent. Or my favorite is, "John, you were such a good friend to help Ashley pick up her crayons. That deserves a clip up." Guess what I hear next? "Allison, do you need some help?"

If they reach Outstanding I put a sticker jewel on their clip. You would think I gave them an amazing prize! They drag their mom or dad in to show them! I keep track of who's clip gets moved so I can purposely look for that quiet student doing something well.
I had on child who was so motivated by this he went past Outstanding to we determined his clip would sit at the very top of the chart and he got a bigger jewel. One time he really deserved even higher so we clipped his clip on my shirt. They thought that was AWESOME!! First graders are so easy to please.

I do move clips down for things if needed. To be honest I run a tight ship so I don't have too many behavior problems but it helps me reinforce things like not blurting out constantly or making any kind of bad choice. The blue is just a warning and for most that is enough. If they correct the behavior or are good for a while I will move them back up. I think this is very important. It really helps for them to know they are in control of where their clip goes. 

Teacher's Choice means I decide the consequence. Usually it means missing some of recess to talk to me about their behavior.

The thing I love best though is that it keep ME accountable. It keep me from just being that teacher that gives warning after warning without doing anything.  It is also great for parents to have a good read on their kids day. I reset everyone back to green until after everyone has been picked up. That way if a parent wants to come in and see how their child did they can. I had one special sweetheart's mom check it EVERY day so we could work on his behavior together.

The Lesson Plan Diva is having a linky party so head over there to see other great behavior management ideas.





18 comments:

  1. Do you have a sheet that goes home daily with the students for parents to see what color they were on? If so, could you share with me?

    ashley.farless@gmail.com

    Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for sharing!!! I am working on making me one as we speak and have been gathering info! Do you have a parent note that you send home about this? And how do parents know what their child ended their day on.. do you have a chart or anything in their folder?

    Thanks!
    Elisabeth
    www.missdelk.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. I have a few other questions. How do you create this chart? Are you using construction paper and then laminating it? Also, how do you display it in your classroom?

    Thanks!
    Ashley
    ashley.farless@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. I use this as well and really enjoyed it. I just posted about sheets I send home daily on my blog at the link below, since I see some people commenting on that. They're towards the bottom of the post and labeled Conduct Calendar. I really like this system as well!

    http://livingawonderfulife.blogspot.com/2011/07/im-back.html

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  5. I do not send home a daily behavior sheet. I felt like that was a lot of work for not much need since my kids are generally good. A repeat offender's parents would eventually get an email from me.

    I made it with construction paper and laminated it. Yes, it is hanging in my classroom. I told parents all about it at Back to School night.

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  6. Jenn....thanks for sharing all your thoughts on this. I have wanted to do something different for a couple of years and my daughter's teacher did this chart this past year (I think that her colors were switched because pink was the desireable color)
    Do you find this easy to manage???????

    Lori
    http://mrsfaasfirstgrade.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  7. I hope this isn't a stupid question but how do parents get a good idea of how their child's day was if they end up on green or orange (or higher) but you had to move them down and then back up, down,up, etc. How do parents know that their child had issues requiring them to be moved down? I like the idea of a child being able to go back up though.

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  8. Thanks for sharing!! I've been using the cards (green, white, yellow and red) and they aren't working so well. I want to switch and try something different. After you laminate it do you put poster board or something behind it to make it stronger??? Or just laminating it does the job?? Thanks! :)


    Jen

    http://steinhauerstampede.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  9. Clutter-Free Classroom blogged about the clip chart and posted a website on her blog. If you go to the following website that she provided and download his clip chart ebook it gives charts and sheets that you can send home for parents. Here is the link Clutter-Free Classroom posted:



    http://www.newmanagement.com/products/clip_chart.html



    Hope this helps everyone!! :)



    Jen

    http://steinhauerstampede.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  10. This is just the type of fresh, new idea I needed! I like my behavior system, but am ready to try something else! Can't wait to make my own! Thank you, thank you! :)

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  11. I love this idea! I use a clip chart but it's only a one way deal, I'm going to revamp my chart and Accentuate the Positive!
    Linda
    A Teachers Touch

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  12. Lori- I do find it very easy to manage!

    t. ulch-Parents don't know if on 1 day a child dips down into the blue. My feeling is that a child deserves not to be told on for every mistake they make. It is between us. If it is a recurring problem or a serious infraction then I will talk to the parents.

    Jen-I just laminated and it held up great!

    Glad you all like it!

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  13. I have my clip chart printables available for free (from Scribd) on my blog. My colors are in reverse... I made parent contact RED and so on. You all can check it out! Hope you all love it as much as I do!

    http://teach-a-roo.blogspot.com/2011/06/clip-chart-one-of-my-new-favorite.html

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  14. I have used this too and really like it, but I have once problem. When my students get to teachers choice I have them stay in for recess. Do they then get to move back up to ready to learn or do they stay on teacher's choice? We have two recesses so if they spend the first one then I don't know whether I should move them back up or not. Thanks for your help.

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  15. Emily-Right after recess I tell them if I see they are making better choices this hour (half hour) then I will move them back up. They have to earn the move.

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  16. Thank you for sharing the behavior chart! I think it is a perfect way to keep both the teacher (as you mentioned) and students accountable for their behavior while being appropriate and visual for a first grader! :)

    ReplyDelete