Stoplight Mgt.System

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Stoplight Mgt.System
By Debbie

I have used this system for 12 years now and love it. It is very successful in my 3rd grade class. My personal teaching style is to issue verbal warnings before going to the more official yellow. I like to give them the
curtesy of letting them know I have noticed their behavior and they need to change before making it formal. For most kids a verbal warning is all that is needed. If the student has had a daily chronic problem with a behavior (eg talking), I will tell the student I will give no more verbal warnings and will go straight to the yellow. My consequences are yellow-formal warning, no more chances;

red - loss of recess, or fun activity (party, video, etc.) - teacher's choice; blue-parent notification; any beyond blue will result in a trip to the office, and/or "time out" to another room(ie in school suspension). Of course with major infractions (fighting, etc.) all bets are off and colors are skipped. At the end of the month I have lunch with the kids who turned their card no more than once during the whole month. (We call it the "Green Club Lunch.) I think the success of this method will depend on your comfort with it. If it "isn't you", it will be hard to be consistent enought to make it work. I hope this helps. Good Luck!