Behavior Plan
My behavior plan is greatly influenced by The Nurtured Heart Approach. The system I have created spends very little time on misbehavior and allows me to compliment students who are doing well. Focusing my attention on bad behavior is often a reward for students who crave the attention (Charles 2010, p. 201). By redirecting my focus to good behaviors I can give students positive attention and instill confidence in every student.
Establishing Norms and Rules
I have created 3 simple but specific rules for our classroom and 2 norms.
When introducing these rules the first day, we will talk about what each of these rules look like and practice a few of them. The last two of these “rules” are less specific norms for my classroom. I will spend more time with students making sure they understand what it means to be a caring friend (sharing, not bullying, including each other, etc) and always doing their best (with their work, when following procedures, etc..). We will write these specific things on the classroom poster. Students will be allowed to ask questions about the rules to clarify understanding.
When introducing these rules the first day, we will talk about what each of these rules look like and practice a few of them. The last two of these “rules” are less specific norms for my classroom. I will spend more time with students making sure they understand what it means to be a caring friend (sharing, not bullying, including each other, etc) and always doing their best (with their work, when following procedures, etc..). We will write these specific things on the classroom poster. Students will be allowed to ask questions about the rules to clarify understanding.
When the Rules, Norms, and Procedures are followed...Superstars!
I will be going out of my way to commend students who do well. I will do this by rewarding good behavior rather than punishing bad behavior. Each student will have a card taped to their desk. Students can earn star stickers for following rules/norms, procedures, treating/ working with their friends well, by being proactive about staying engaged in learning, etc. I will compliment the student on whatever they are doing well, then either place the sticker on their card myself if I am near them, or have them come collect a sticker from me. I will not be taking stickers away once they are earned.
Stickers can be used to buy things from our class store. The class store will contain low priced items; pencils, crayons, and erasers, middle priced items; bookmarks, gel pens, mechanical pencils, small notepads, and higher priced items; books, coloring books, playdoh... The items in the store will be based off students interest and age appropriateness.
The class store will only be open on Fridays during recess time. Students may come back to the classroom after they eat their lunch purchased what they want, put it away, and then head out to recess.
Stickers can be used to buy things from our class store. The class store will contain low priced items; pencils, crayons, and erasers, middle priced items; bookmarks, gel pens, mechanical pencils, small notepads, and higher priced items; books, coloring books, playdoh... The items in the store will be based off students interest and age appropriateness.
The class store will only be open on Fridays during recess time. Students may come back to the classroom after they eat their lunch purchased what they want, put it away, and then head out to recess.
When the Rules, Norms, and Procedures aren't followed...Reset
I will not give attention to bad behavior. If a student is misbehaving I will use strategies suggested by Marzano in attempts to have students correct themselves.
- Asking students questions
- Pausing and waiting for attention
- Making eye contact with the misbehaving student
- Proximity. I will move by the student or group of students that is misbehaving.
If behaviors persist after this I will ask student to "reset".
If I have to ask student to reset more than twice for the same behavior in one day, they will have to fill out a Rule Reminder with me. This will be filled out during recess or while students are packing up at the end of the day. The Rule Reminder must be taken home to be signed by a parent.
If a student has to be reminded for a behavior another time, they will be given a Rule Reminder.
(Petterson, 2012)
- Asking students questions
- Pausing and waiting for attention
- Making eye contact with the misbehaving student
- Proximity. I will move by the student or group of students that is misbehaving.
If behaviors persist after this I will ask student to "reset".
If I have to ask student to reset more than twice for the same behavior in one day, they will have to fill out a Rule Reminder with me. This will be filled out during recess or while students are packing up at the end of the day. The Rule Reminder must be taken home to be signed by a parent.
If a student has to be reminded for a behavior another time, they will be given a Rule Reminder.
(Petterson, 2012)
Rule Reminder FormI will fill Rule Reminders out with students, unless their choices have landed them in the principles office, in which case it will be filled out with the principle.
After they are filled out, set home, signed, and returned, each Reminder will be filed away for my reference. If a student struggles with similar behaviors throughout the year, old Rule Reminders will be used to create a new plan to manage the behavior. adapted from (Grossman, 2008) |
Student Time vs Teacher Time
This system is meant to encourage student cooperation and positive classroom behavior as a class.
I will be two jars on my desk; one labeled "Teachers Time" and the other "Student's Time". The idea being that students can earn free time by listening, following procedures, and good behavior; when they are not doing these things, they are wasting my time and therefore I will need to dip into their free time. When I see the whole class doing something well, or even a smaller group of students doing well, I will reward them by taking a "time chip" out of my jar and put it into the students. However, if students are not listening, following procedures, and are displaying bad behaviors, I will simply say "you are wasting my time" and take a chip from their jar. I may take more than one if students are taking to long to correct behavior.
Students who have to use the bathroom during instruction will have to take a chip from the "Students" jar and move it to mine. Yes, this does take away from the whole classroom rather than the student using the bathroom, but when a student is gone during instruction it hinders the class. I really want to discourage using the bathroom during instruction. Students with special circumstances will be excluded from this.
When students have earned all the chips and I have none, the students will be allowed to vote, on pre-approved, activities to have as a reward. Some possibilities are a pizza lunch, a movie, pancake breakfast, etc. If all the chips are in my jar, students will receive an extra homework assignment.
("Warm fuzzy jar," 2012)
I will be two jars on my desk; one labeled "Teachers Time" and the other "Student's Time". The idea being that students can earn free time by listening, following procedures, and good behavior; when they are not doing these things, they are wasting my time and therefore I will need to dip into their free time. When I see the whole class doing something well, or even a smaller group of students doing well, I will reward them by taking a "time chip" out of my jar and put it into the students. However, if students are not listening, following procedures, and are displaying bad behaviors, I will simply say "you are wasting my time" and take a chip from their jar. I may take more than one if students are taking to long to correct behavior.
Students who have to use the bathroom during instruction will have to take a chip from the "Students" jar and move it to mine. Yes, this does take away from the whole classroom rather than the student using the bathroom, but when a student is gone during instruction it hinders the class. I really want to discourage using the bathroom during instruction. Students with special circumstances will be excluded from this.
When students have earned all the chips and I have none, the students will be allowed to vote, on pre-approved, activities to have as a reward. Some possibilities are a pizza lunch, a movie, pancake breakfast, etc. If all the chips are in my jar, students will receive an extra homework assignment.
("Warm fuzzy jar," 2012)