Behavior Management By Amy Lee

Being a special education teacher with emotionally disturbed students I found a simple method to handle classroom behavior. I take one behavior students need to work on such as being on task, quiet, respect, etc. Our school does character education so I could choose one of the six pillars of character (citizenship, fairness, trustworthiness, etc.) The past two years I used a paper chain attached to the cork board at the top of the chalkboard. I give students one chain link. I write the behavior I am observing on the board. Then I set a kitchen timer and place it in my desk drawer. I can hear it when it goes off but it doesn't distract anyone as it ticks. When it goes off I look to see if students are displaying the behavior. If they are I place a tally mark on the board representing a link to the chain. Then I set the timer again. At first I set it for no longer than 10 minutes. After the first few days then I set it for longer periods of time. Also, I set it at random so students don't know when it will go off. At the end of class I choose a student to staple the links earned to the chain. When it reaches the floor or what ever mark you set then students earn a class reward they chose. I usually give them a menu at the beginning and the item which receives the most votes is the class reward. Sometimes students don't want to vote for it at the beginning so I allow them to vote for it after the chain is halfway to the goal.

Now the problem you may have is the student who is not displaying the appropriate behavior when the timer goes off. I tell students they are allowed a certain number of strikes before they will be excluded from the activity. I keep an index card where I write that student's name along with a tally mark for a strike. I don't let them know how many strikes they have but I do conference with a student to let him or her know they are in danger of not earning the activity. I used 6 to 8 strikes.

I keep a chart of day and behavior observed. You may want to keep a class chart so students can see how they are doing. You may want to treat them to an award for a good week or bi-weekly. Depending on the length of the chain will determine how long it takes to earn the award. My chains were 7 feet long and it took my sixth, seventh, and eighth graders no longer than a month and half to earn a reward. They usually wanted food such as an ice cream party to make sundaes, movie with popcorn, pizza, etc. I paid for it myself since my numbers are low but there was money available for these activities.

This year I am using the theme of frogs and I am teaching 3 grade levels. On one of the boards on pro-teacher there was the idea of using lily pads and a frog. I am going to attach lily pads down the chalk board and move the frog to the lily pads. I can't remember who posted the idea but she called F.R.O.G. (For Reaching Our Goals). You could do the same with a theme of bears and honey pots, flowers and bees or butterflies, monkey and palm tree, etc.

Sorry for the long message. Good luck and have a great year.