My class is SOOOOOO bad for this

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Home : 2004 : September : 19

My class is SOOOOOO bad for this
By Kelly

I have never in my life seen the amount of talking in a class as I have in mine this year. I find it mind boggling and FRUSTRATING. I was using an amazing idea called yakkers at the beginning of the year (posted and in
the archives) but it didn't work. I think if I had started it now it would. So I had to change my approach. My theme is starts so that is what I am using but last year I used happy faces. If the whole group is good then I put up a star. If they are close I may put one up but not in the correct place . Then they have to work for it a lttle more. When they get five they earn a reward

time. I have curriculum based games and activities on what I call my "trust shelf" The only way to get to them is to show me I can trust you thru behaving appropriately. I make a huge deal of this because most of the games and activities are mine and I want them cared for. I just switched to the star plan on Friday but I was able to put up 2 and 1/2 stars. So far so good and big improvement was made. I am crossing my fingers for tomorrow. I do have an individual based classroom management theme as well. All have their name on a star at the bottom of a bulliten board as they are caught being good I move their name up. When they get to the top they get a letter to help them spell out the school wide motto. When it is spelled they earn a reward. So if I have asked for quiet and only 1 or 2 respond then I move their stars up. Sometimes I move them right to the top rather then have then take the four steps. Transitions are really bad so I tell them I am looking for the 3 people who can follow my instructions the quietest so I can move their stars up. The noise level is still unacceptable to me but it has come a long way. Just be consistent and reasonable and they will come around eventually.