Whole Class Behavior Plan

Join Teachers.Net

Chatboards

Recent Groups

Classroom Mgmt

MEMBERS

25 Members

+ Join Group

Pinned Posts

ALLAll Teachers

Teachers.Net LIVE CHAT Support group - Tues eve!

Featured Jobs

Full-timeMontessori Teacher

Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada

TemporaryTeachers, rural schools

Peace River North School District

Full-timeHead Teacher: 2nd/3rd Grades – Mills College Children’s School

Mills College

Teaching Jobs on Teachers.Net

Featured Job special only $39!

https://teachers.net/jobs

Become a Teachers.Net sponsor!

Classroom Management Chatboard

Whole Class Behavior Plan

by Melissa

Jul 22, 2013

I teach kindergarten and believe the whole positive reinforcement train of thought but do sometimes think that consequences are necessary. I used to use a color chart that hung in my classroom where every child had a clothespin with their name on it and there are 6 color options. Everyone starts on Good Day Green and can move up to outstanding orange and perfect purple for making good choices. They could move down to warning white, yikes yellow or rough day red if they make choices that are not so good. The movement of clips was constant so children were not stuck on the lower colors. I really found it to be beneficial but was told by administration that it was not to be used anymore because it put behaviors on display. They felt as soon as someone walked in the room they would know the "bad" kids. Does anyone have any suggestions for a behavior plan that would be comparable but not put the kids "on display". Please keep in mind there is only one of me and usually 22 or more kindergart...See More

Comment

(1)

report post

Vet Teacher On 7/22/13, Melissa wrote:

I was a psychology major long ago. If this system was truly beneficial in the sense of modifying their behavior, then at some point - the clips and colors would barely be necessary. Behavior modification isn't wanted as a temporary thing - its goal is to have the children get to a point where - for the most poin...See MoreOn 7/22/13, Melissa wrote:

I was a psychology major long ago. If this system was truly beneficial in the sense of modifying their behavior, then at some point - the clips and colors would barely be necessary. Behavior modification isn't wanted as a temporary thing - its goal is to have the children get to a point where - for the most point - their behavior is within the accepted parameters. Of course there are exceptions when Tommy trips and thinks Jimmy did it and Tommy yells at Jimmy but - behavior modification means to modify their behavior - through a system - that puts them on a fairly even behavioral keel.

Does yours do that? It sounds as if it doesn't if the clips are moving up and down through the day and - through the year. You say the movement of clips is 'constant'. To me that sounds as if all the clips are doing is recording their behavior - not modifying it. A real working and effective system of behavior modification - or behavior control - shouldn't result in 'constant' movement of the clips - a truly effective system doesn't result in 'constant' behavioral changes.

Do you move the clips or do they? It also sounds to me like the system you have now is a fair bit of work.

Grading kids - giving them As, Bs, etc. is now by law a private matter. No one is allowed to see a child's grades but the family - unless the family gives written permission. An individual test score is not private but the privacy of all report card information is protected by law.

The color clips likely make your administration uncomfortable for that reason even if they're saying something else. Giving a child a 'red' is a kind of grade, a behavioral grade. The color clips risk a privacy issue. No school needs another lawsuit.

I use my disappointment as a consequence. My parents used it with me and it was very effective. What did your parents do? I doubt they had color clips. I wanted my parents' approval - most K kids badly want their teacher's approval.

Are you the only K teacher in your building? What do other K teachers in your community do? Every community and every school is different. My voice tells my kids as a class or tells individual kids that their behavior is not acceptable. I redirect them with my voice and words. I'd be surprised to meet K kids (do you teach in a very tough school?) who would not respond to your disappointment and disapproval as a consequence. I'd be surprised if color clips mean more to children than you do.

I'm not a teacher who thinks the color clips demeans or embarrasses the kids so much. I think it demeans me and my relationship with the class. Kids can tell from my face and its expression (which I sometimes exaggerate when I teach K) if their behavior is meeting the needs of our class. We need a certain amount of order in a classroom - we're a group of people and we don't want things to be unsafe or too unorderly.

That you have 22 plus kids to me would mean all the more that you don't have extra time and that you need to respond to things as they happen. I do and I do that with my voice and my face and the words I use. I don't suppose it's a system but it's a very effective tool and not one that makes any parents or principals uncomfortable and but for isolated incidents like Tommy tripping over Jimmy's bookbag and getting mad etc. it's a method that works to put them on a fairly even keel.

Maybe it's a bit like Ceasar Milan - you need to be the pack leader. I'd say stand tall, take charge with your voice, your stance, your facial expressions and keep them in line with those tools as well. Overall it's much more dignified for you and the kids both than the color clips.

But every school is different, every community is different. I'd say again your best and most pertinent advice comes from others in your building or community.

> I teach kindergarten and believe the whole positive > reinforcement train of thought but do sometimes think that > consequences are necessary. I used to use a color chart > that hung in my classroom where every child had a clothespin > with their name on it and there are 6 color options. > Everyone starts on Good Day Green and can move up to > outstanding orange and perfect purple for making good > choices. They could move down to warning white, yikes > yellow or rough day red if they make choices that are not so > good. The movement of clips was constant so children were > not stuck on the lower colors. I really found it to be > beneficial but was told by administration that it was not to > be used anymore because it put behaviors on display. They > felt as soon as someone walked in the room they would know > the "bad" kids. Does anyone have any suggestions for a > behavior plan that would be comparable but not put the kids > "on display". Please keep in mind there is only one of me > and usually 22 or more kindergartners. > Thanks!

Jul 23, 2013

report post