Classroom Management.
I know. I said it.
WAIT! DON’T LEAVE!
Classroom Management isn’t a BAD thing!
It’s how to create a CALM…so you can teach!
And isn’t THAT our GOAL?
There are a GAZILLION places to learn how to do
classroom management.
When I was beginning my career,
HARRY WONG
was the JEDI of Classroom Management!
It’s a good read for ALL of us!
After a trillion different management attempts,
retries,
changes,
changes again..
I think I have found what works
FOR ME!
And it HAS to WORK ..
FOR YOU!
What the teacher next door is using
maybe the best thing,
“since sliced bread”.
BUT
If it doesn’t work FOR YOU,
it’s USELESS!
So WHAT do I use?
Three step program.
(NO… not a 12 step program…ONLY 3)
As every primary teacher knows,
Consistency is the key to success.
Young kids like to know what is coming next.
They like to know ” IF THIS…THEN THAT!”
And they keep ME on my toes!
And pulling my hair out!
So I start my school year with group points.
It lasts about a month.
After they figure out which “friend” is going to be a problem in THIER group…
points don’t count.
I used to use “CLIP CHARTS”.
Great kids move up.
Those who need more “attention” moved down.
I had a great visual
of the “cans” and the “cannots”.
Not for me.
And so began ..
MY 3 STEPS to MY SANITY!
1. CLASS DOJO
2. GOLDEN TICKETS
3. BRAG TAGS
These 3 management strategies work for me.
If they help YOU…JUMP ON IN!
#1
CLASS DOJO!
* I am NOT receiving ANYTHING from DOJO…
I JUST LOVE IT!
Class DOJO has allowed me
to connect with
students
and PARENTS
quickly and effectively!
Isn’t that the point of classroom management?
To effectively
“manage” a situation
and correct it,
or support it,
immediately?
YES!
Dojo is an online program where each student has an avatar. They gain or lose points as they follow the positive or negative
attributes that YOU set up.
I had a BIG problem with tardies.
8-10 kids tardy…daily.
One of my positive attributes is
ATTENDANCE ON TIME.
Every student gets a point for being in their seat,
ready to work when the bell rings!
I am down to 2 tardies..average..daily.
FOR me? Success!!!
Dojo also sends an automatic email to parents on FRIDAY, detailing their child’s points for the week!
INSTANT PARENT NOTIFICATIONS
..and I didn’t have to do ANYTHING! 🙂
AND…
After parents have signed up for texts
THAT IS THE HARD PART…GETTING THEM TO SIGN UP
(I AM RELENTLESS…I BUG THEM OVER & OVER)
I can text them at a moments notice.
AND I DO!
I also do class messages and send pictures.
I am just learning DOJO, too.
#lifelessons #newtechtolearn
#2 Golden Tickets
THIS IS MY “GO TO” PROGRAM!
IT WORKS LIKE A CHARM!
Simple.
Run a copy of Tickets on YELLOW OR GOLD PAPER.
CUT UP into tickets.
Keep in a box.
Kids earn them for ANY positive interaction, action, or reaction.
Help a friend? TICKET!
Pick up the floor? Ticket!
Say kind words? Ticket!
A friend helped YOU? Give them a TICKET!
And so MY STUDENTS start looking
and listening
for ways to give positive feedback
tickets,
to each other.
They have to tell their classmate what
they SAW or HEARD
that earned their ticket!
SO engaging!
After they get their ticket,
they write their name on the back.
No…sticky fingers.
Twice a week we COUNT tickets.
If they have 10
they can choose
their reward!
I am NOT spending ANY $$$$$$
on rewards!
NO need to!
Here are there rewards…
Reward CHOICES:
Tech Time …15 minutes on the ipads!
They can choose whatever app they want!
Friendly Lunch..ALL TIME FAVORITE:
I purchased 8 plastic placemats – 4 sets of 2
They choose 1 friend to give a placemat to, and they sit next to each other at lunch in the cafeteria, and eat lunch with their placemat and their friend. AFTER lunch, they sanitize the placemat, and put it in the office so I can pick them up after lunch.
ROYALTY for A DAY..
Students can choose to WEAR A CROWN, and be KING____ or QUEEN _____ for a day. The crowns? BULLETIN BOARD borders I have
on hand. Measure, staple, VOILA..instant CROWN!
Wear it, take it home. I DO staple a golden ticket to the front. EVERYONE will ask WHY DID YOU GET THE CROWN?
They can explain about GOLDEN TICKETS.
Teacher chair:
They get one of my BIG SQUISHY chairs at their desk for a day. They will spin, moved, be tall, and LOVE their BIG chair.
SWIP SWAP:
Change desks with a partner FOR A DAY!
Use their books & stuff and THEY use YOURS!
Must clean each others desk
( put things back better than they were
when YOU got there..)
at the end of the day.
FREE Homework PASS!
NO homework for 1 night!
I write a note and put it in the HW folder so parent’s know.
FLUFFY FRIEND:
They can bring a stuffed animal to school for 1 day.
Sits on their desk, works in teh classroom, cannot go outside.
If kids don’t have one..they can choose 1 of mine.
LINE Jumper:
First graders LOVE to “cut in line”. The LINE JUMPER can cut in line ANYWHERE they want, for 1day. They MUST tell the person behind them…”Excuse me, I am a LINE JUMPER!”
(You can NEVER step in front of someone
without using the words EXCUSE ME
..and tell them WHY!)
#manners
Here we are in action.
LONG POST… sorry
#3
BRAG TAGS!
We LOVE BRAG TAGS!
Many THANKS to
We started using the LINK necklaces for Brag tags.
TOO HARD to OPEN for our little fingers.
#toomanyforteacher
BRAG TAG storage 🙂
Now we use RINGS instead of link chains.
At the end of the MONTH,
we take ALL of our Brag TAGS and BEADS
OFF of our RINGS
and string them on a STRING.
Make a BRAG TAG necklace to WEAR HOME!
Most kids say they save them
at home for the whole year!
Great HOME connection!
WHEW! Long post…SORRY.
I just want to give you all of the details so
YOU can choose
what works for YOU!
Here are some other posts I have on
classroom management:
Get YOUR Golden Tickets HERE:
For your time…
Here is a FREEBIE
from ME..to YOU!
So let me know…
What do YOU use for YOUR classroom MANAGEMENT?
Share your story in the comments.
I will choose 1 person this week
for a FREEBIE.
I will choose from my comments!
Leave me your email! 🙂
ENJOY!
