[callyq]

Hi everyone,
I need some feedback on my classroom management. For the past three years, I have used sticker charts as an individual behavior reward system and a marble jar as a whole class reward for third grade. The students would brainstorm some reward choices and vote to pick their reward. This system has worked well for awhile, however, this past year I had some trouble with students who were constantly distracting others and not getting their work done. After Christmas break, I implemented a new behavior system (I kept my old ones) . If a student was off task, his or her name went on the board as a warning. One check = 5 mins. silent snack (they LOATHE having silent snacks, especially the ones who can't stop talking!). two checks=10 mins. silent snack 3 checks= loss of recess and note to parents. This worked well for the last half of the year.

This year, we have a tough class coming up. (lots of behavior issues, bullying, just general nastiness toward each other- unfortunately,they have had a bad rap since first grade- I'm hoping to change this). I'm hoping over the summer the kids have grown out of this and maybe by switching the kids around (there are two third grade classrooms)might make for a better classroom dynamic. Does anyone have any suggestions of what I can do better? Should I leave the system the way it is or find something with more consequences? I really want to start the year off on the right foot, but I think I may need to improve this management system. Any advice would be appreciated!
Thanks!
Cally

[LovetoShare]

I want to start by saying that I agree, many students mature between 2nd and 3rd grade. You have the right attitude approaching this group. With this said here are a couple of things that I do.
Many teachers employ some sort of a card flip or clip moving system. It is similar to your name on the board. In my building we have a color card system where the students flip their card for inappropriate behavior. The first flip is a warning. The second is time-out (with a behavior report to write). The third is time-out in another classroom/Loss of recess (with a behavior plan to write). Our behavior system is schoolwide and therefore the consequences are "pre-determined". I think that it might be helpful to ask the students what consequences they should have for their behavior. This ensures that what they think is a consequence really is a negative consequence. Otherwise it is what we think would be a negative consequence might be a postivie consequence.
I have my students keep track of their card flips and they graph their behavior. This then allows students to make individual goals regarding their behavior. They report their color (from card) and reason in their planner at the end of the day.
Something that I used last year to cut down on the nastiness was a complaint and compliments bag. Each student could write their complaints (tattles, gripes, etc) or compliments (so and so was helpful when they did.....) and place them in the bag. This gave an opportunity for the student to write down what they might have said to the other person (stop looking at me!!!!). I read them at the end of the day (or so) and normally just threw them out. Sometimes someone shared that someone was bullying them and I was able to deal with it. The compliments get shared out loud every other day. They loved to hear when someone caught them doing a good thing.

Good Luck!

[funteacher7]

Lovetoshare- I love your idea on the complaints and compliments bag! I think i will do that in my room this year.

[ms. m]

I was in a rough class the past 2 years (my school does looping). I did a moving clothespins system (like the card system) to modify student behaviors. I also had a Fun Friday, which students would vote on an activity (on Monday morning as a class) and would work towards earning that activity at the end of the week (all homework turned in, no discipline referrals). Occasionally throughout the year, i would also write something on the board (RECESS, ICE CREAM PARTY, etc) and would erase a letter when I heard negativity or when the class was too loud. They could earn letters back with positive behavior. If they kept the word on the board for a predetermined amount of time, they won the award.

[Not4$]

I love the bag idea too. I'm doing a "Frog Theme" this year. I'm going to have a bag with a frog on it and call it "Leaps and Plunges". The leaps are the compliments and the plunges--well hopefully we won't have many of those! Positivie Thinking!

[AtTheGrove]

I have always worked with a rough crowd...(I prefer it)...and I have found they really enjoy a system in which they earn "dollars" and then once a month or so go to "The Store". They can also use the dollars to buy a pencil if they forgot one..etc. They also pay fines for inappropriate behavior...let me know if you have questions.

[Daisy16]

The store idea is a good one that I've used in 5th and 6th grades for the past 5 years. My only caution is that it can become costly - although I think moving to third will help my wallet because third graders seem to like more things. Those 6th graders were really picky!!!!

I'm actually thinking about doing the marble jar idea except with a small jar and popcorn kernels. When it's full we'll have popcorn and a movie. For individual problems I think I'm going back to names on the board with certain consequences.

LOVE the complaints and compliments bags -"Leaps and Plunges" is really cute.