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I'm back and linking up (finally!) with Blog Hoppin' once again for Thursday's topic: Taming the Wild! These past couple days have been so busy since I was able to get into my room on Wednesday....I was bummed I couldn't snap any cute photos of my room since it's not in that stage yet...but I am super close! However, I have enjoyed peeking inside the rooms of everyone else!
Anyways, today I wanted to share with you the few things I do in my room and a couple new things I'm looking forward to trying out (photos coming later!).
#1 Clip Chart
I swear by this thing. I first started using the clip chart last year and wasn't quite sure how it was going to go. Then, out of nowhere...everyone was using it so it must have been worth it! But over the course of the year it was amazing to see how well this system worked with the kids (I mean, I've never seen children care so much about a clip before). At this point I'm sure everyone knows how it works but for those who don't, it's essentially a behavior management system that incorporates moving of student's clips up and down depending on certain behaviors. If you don't have one, I definitely recommend trying it this year!
To keep my kids accountable and an easy way to track behavior, especially for those parents who want a daily update about their kid, I made a 'Clip Slip' that goes home each day. As a part of their dismissal routine, my kids have to color in where they ended the day on and I check it before they get their things. Parents have to initial each night so I know they saw it. Worked perfectly last year :)
#2 Money Management
Another good tool for behavior management: money. This one was a little difficult for me to keep track of, personally, so I'm looking into how I can be more organized with it. How it works: students earn coins and dollars based on work/effort performance, positive behavior, etc. Money can also be taken away as a consequence for poor behavior, missing homework routinely, etc. The money earned throughout the month can be used in purchasing "rewards" at the class store. I typically have a parent volunteer run the store so I can be busy doing other things around the room.
One thing I am trying new this year is relying less on store items bought/donated by parents. The year started off great but then parents didn't want to donate as cool of toys the rest of the year (I can't really blame them). So, this year I am going to use rewards in the classroom as prize items they can purchase.
#3 Compliment!
The letters of compliment are spelled out on the board and each time the class gets a compliment from other teachers, positive behavior as a class at specials, etc. a letter is flipped over. The class votes on what reward they're working towards (adds the extra incentive) and when all the letters spell compliment they get their class reward. Works very well...
...aaaaand possibly in place of compliment this year I am considering on another idea I found from Pinterest. This incorporates the same concept as compliment but instead of spelling out the word, rewards are already printed and laminated and each time a compliment is earned, a student can color in the tile of a letter from whichever reward they want. The first reward completely spelled out is what the students earned.
...but I'm also trying something new this year. I saw a pin over the summer in which the teacher uses NOISE to control the voice level. NOISE is spelled on the board and each time the voice level gets too loud a letter is taken away. If all the letters are taken, then students have to work silently for the rest of the period, day, etc.
