Back to School Linky-Behavior Management, new clip chart & a Freebie!!

Greetings!! 

I have definitely been outta the blogging world for TOO LONG. BUT....I was busy interviewing, cleaning up the flooded basement, and MOST importantly...taking care of my cutie patootie. He is cruising around furniture now and ON THE GO. I am exhausted, but it is so much fun!


AND....new school! I am ELATED to have accepted a teaching position so close to my hometown...about 20 minutes away!  SO..new school means new classroom!! It is a nice room and my super OCD is kicking in mind is going a million miles an hour with ideas of how to manage and set it up.

 Luckily, Mrs. D, over at Mrs. D's Corner, and Mrs. V over at Mrs. V's Busy Bees are hosting a ten week (yes I said 10 people!!) linky party. 

Each week focuses on a different part of our wonderful career we call teaching.

Alright...let's get down to the nitty gritty:

Strong behavior management is ESSENTIAL in order for your students to learn and feel safe inside your little space. (Maybe yours is a big space!) I have tried several different things over the years....I mean I used a music box as a management tool with one class!! (A story for a different time!) and have finally settled into a few behavior management strategies that work best in my classroom. Let's get started.

My teaching life changed as I know it the instant I learned about the clip chart. I mean the MINUTE. I switched to it mid year as soon as I figured out how to implement it. I have never turned back. #bestbehaviortooleverIswear  

The past three school years I have used a very basic version that I crafted one late Saturday night in the teacher's lounge. (Like I said...I wanted it the minute I found out about it!) Here is my "basic" version.

Stanley makes his debut on the blog. :)

What I LOVE about the clip chart is it doesn't just call out negative behaviors like some other color change systems do, but it also calls attention to positive behaviors! Quick explanation: All students start (I mean they put on their marvelous name marker...or a clothespin...yup that will be your big purchase for this system!!) on Green-Ready to Learn each morning. (Clean slate for all every day!!) If they make good choices they clip up. Bad choices=clip down. I have a symbol I do with my kids to tell them to clip up or down, that way it is private and doesn't disrupt the rest of the class. The "clip" action is two fingers making scissors motion and then I either point up or down. The kids love this little "secret" language we speak! :) In most clip charts there are 7 sections. Clicking HERE will take you to the official clip chart website where you can download a free booklet on how it works!

Blue-Outstanding-This kiddo had a GREAT day and they get a marker dot. (Some teachers use stickers...I just could NOT get them to stick!) Once they get 5 dots, it is off to the next color clip for them!! I do ROY G BIV. Once they have made it through the rainbow, we get a glitter clip. Then, we are back at a red clip, but I have a bin in my cupboard labeled "Design Clips". The kiddos choose something red and I hot glue it to their new, fashionable, envious clip. (Seriously...this is HUGE to my 2nd graders!)

Pink-Great Job-They have made great choices...great day!

Purple-Good Job-It was a pretty good day. :)

Green-Ready to Learn-Our starting point for the day. Even if a kiddo ended up on Red, they get a fresh start. Phew!

Yellow-Think About It-This is just a warning section. They can still clip up from this place!

Orange-Teacher's Choice-a consequence that fits the crime...just be sure to be consistent. If always making bad choices Johnny has to write an apology letter to the Spanish teacher for stealing her puppet (true story) then so does little Miss Jane, even though it is her first offense. If  a student clips down to Orange, they do not get to clip up from there.

Red-Parent Contact...just what it says. That kiddo had a tough day! If a student clips down to red, they cannot clip up.

This year I have developed OCD a love for all things bird and chevron, so I created my own, new clip chart. (Bye bye basic.) Check it out here, or by clicking on the picture below. 

I use the clip chart as an individual management tool. This next tip is a whole class motivator!

Behavior BINGO. Yes..you heard me right. I play an ongoing bingo game with my class depending on whole group behavior. My class is playing bingo to win a prize we voted on earlier. (Usually gum day, hat day, eat lunch in classroom, etc.) Here is how it works:

It is basically a 100's chart. I print out a second copy of the chart, cut it up, laminate it and put it into one of my cute little buckets. (I have two buckets. One holds the numbers we have not pulled out and colored in yet, the other one holds the used numbers.)

So the picture above isn't GREAT...but there is my bingo board in the lower left side, with one of my buckets visible. If my class has made a great choice (walking quietly in the hallway, working hard during Daily 5, etc...) I will say, "Wow! We have had a great morning. I am going to pull five (up to you!) bingo chips!" I will then take out 5, color those squares in, and then put those five tiles into the "used numbers" bucket. 

We get the prize when we have a row filled. (That takes ten numbers in a row, so you will only need to think of a few prizes for the year! LOVE it.)

Click HERE or on the pic below to download a FREE copy of the Behavior Bingo chart.

I hope these tips can help you in your classroom this year!! 

Do you have any tried and true behavior management methods? Leave me a comment if you do!! 

Stay tuned for next week's Back 2 School post! 

Thanks for stopping by,