Behavior Management {An Idea to Try Out Next Year}

Hey peeps... Stacy here from over at Funky Fresh Firsties with a short post today.  Can you believe that we are already half way done with February?  I am already counting down the days until summer {don't judge}.
I wanna chat today about behavior management in my first grade room.  I love that all teachers have a strength... it's really cool to watch that play out in a school setting.  I feel like my strength happens to be classroom management.  Some days teaching 1st grade feels a lot like herding cats... but it's nice to know that I am a good "herder" overall!  This is my 12th year and I have found that flexibility is key.  What worked last year might not be that great this year.  Last year I used Class Dojo and my kiddos ATE IT UP!  They would beg me to bring up the screen on the SMART board each day.  You can read more about Class Dojo from my guest post for Rachel Lynette at Minds in Bloom HERE.

This year though.. my firsties don't really dig it quite so much.  What has worked is a very visual behavior management tool that goes with us around the school and is also displayed  in the classroom!  

This is at the front of the classroom right next to the SMART board.  Each child has a magnet with their number on it {These come from Tea and Coffee... mine are lime and teal.}  This allows them to see exactly where they are for the day... and also allows for redemption.  I have found that redemption, or the idea that they can get back in my good graces, is a very powerful motivator this year.  I also make them move their magnets which also seems to be pretty powerful.  If they make it to the top of the chart... they are rewarded with 10 minutes of iPad time or computer time.  

When we travel in the hallways for our special classes or to/from lunch... we take our behavior stick that is painted with the same colors and each child has a clothespin with their name clipped.  I can quickly move them up or down depending on hallway behavior.  

 This also makes them accountable to other adults in the building (their lunch monitor, specials teacher, special education teacher, etc.).  To make the stick, you paint it with the colors you choose with acrylic paint and VOILA!  The green section in the middle should be the biggest section though!  I also separated my sections with mustache washi tape and sealed it with mod podge for extra durability.

I think the key is truly being flexible and finding what works for your kiddos.  I teach in a very disadvantaged area for sure and I think the key to my success with these children is that I am in... ALL the way in.  I know their family situations and it motivates me b/c of how I grew up.  I love these children and they know it.  I hug each and every one before I put them on the buses... regardless of what kind of day they had.  They also know that when they walk in the next day, they have a clean slate.

Lastly, and possibly most importantly, I do not yell.  Ever.  The logic behind that is... I know what many of them are going home to.  They are used to being yelled at.  Have they ever seen me upset?  Absolutely.  Do they know when I am disappointed?  Yes.  I tell them at the beginning of the year that we are a family and I truly mean it.  Each one of us plays a part and we all have a job to do.  We share each other's joy and pain.

I hope that you will have a great week with your kiddos.  I think Friday is supposed to be a full moon and Valentines Day {remember when I said herding cats earlier?}.  One last thing... I am going to be giving away a set of clothespins from Tea and Coffee to one of you!!!  Here's how to enter: leave a comment with your best behavior management tip.  I will let one of my little humans pick a name on Valentines Day!  Good luck!!!