Some tips and tricks for classroom management to see behavior change in your classroom right away!
I got rid of my behavior chart… that’s right. I don’t use a behavior chart… at all! Classroom management isn’t easy, and each class comes with its own personalities, trauma, and unique attributes. In reading the research on behavior charts one of the questions I came across was “Who does the clip chart really benefit?”. After thinking about it I realized it didn’t benefit anyone in my classroom. Students can’t be embarrassed into having good behavior, and often they don’t help students make good choices, they punish them for making bad ones. Imagine if you were in a student’s shoes, would it feel good to lose control and make a bad choice? How would it feel to be made an example of in front of the whole class? This also ruins your relationship with the child. Instead of building trust, it teaches them that if they make a mistake they will be punished. Nobody needs this type of anxiety!
So what do I use for behavior management instead?
I use positive re-enforcement to encourage good behaviors from my students. When you praise students who are doing the right thing, many other students will immediately follow suit. Honestly what students want most of the time is your attention, and if they are not getting positive attention, that’s when you might see troublesome behaviors. My students and I set goals as individuals and as a class, and I always have multiple ways of rewarding students. This looks like:
- raffle tickets for role model students
- prize bin
- erasers from target – you know those awesome 60 packs for $1
- lunch with the teacher
- book giveaway
- whole-class incentives such as movie day, pj day, stinky feet day (no shoes), extra recess, no homework, STEAM activity
We use Fix-it Plans and Morning Check-Ins
Daily Check-Ins and Fix-It Plans have really helped my students monitor their feelings and track patterns in their emotions and behavior. Each morning my students will fill out the Check-In in their morning work folders, they indicate how they are feeling and set a goal for the day. Using these I was able to pinpoint some of the triggers my students had in the morning. One student found that he felt calm every morning when mom gives him hugs at the door and does the “kissing hand thing” (which is a super cute book if you haven’t seen it). Another student always seemed sad after spending the weekend with Grandma because she missed her afterward. These insights really helped me get to know my students, but also make plans for these emotions and triggers. I know what sorts of emotions my students were feeling, so I knew what types of strategies to teach them to work through these feelings. Fix-it Plans have saved my sanity for problem behaviors too. Students reflect on what happened in the situation and the emotions they were feeling. They make a plan for what to do differently next time. I send these fix-it plans home with students and ask parents to review them with their child. The ownership and responsibility is put on them!
I have a resource of these templates if you are interested.
The Biggest Thing That Changed My Classroom…
My attitude! It’s difficult to admit, but there was a period of time where I was not in the right headspace. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in tasks to be done that our patience goes to rock bottom. Taking a step back, doing some self-care, and pressing the restart button really helped me when I was in a funk. There are so many variables in our day as teachers, I always try to think about the circle of control which has things within our control and things outside of our control. I’ve learned that I can control my attitude and that how I act and react with my students can impact the day we are having. Having a behavior management plan, and goals for my students was imperative in helping me have a better day. If I’m grumpy, my patience is thinner, if I’m tired, I don’t give my best instruction. These are things I can control, they are in my circle! If you are feeling like your patience and workload are getting to be too much to carry, I invite you to take a step back and remember why you went into this profession.
- Are you someone who loves working with students?
- Do you like being creative?
- Is public speaking or lesson planning your thing?
- Do you like making a difference?
If you haven’t already, drop your name and email to get my teacher self care bingo freebie! One evening relaxing and doing self care can make a world of difference.
And on my bad days (yes they still happen every once and a while) I always say to myself…
“It’s just a bad day, not a bad life”
