Herding Kats in Kindergarten: Behavior Management Linky Party

I don't know about you, but I am always open to suggestions for behavior management! The Lesson Plan Diva is having a linky party to share ideas for Behavior Plans and Behavior Problems, so I thought I would share what works for me.

I am very low key about behavior - I never want someone to feel embarrassed because their bad choices are on display for everyone to see. This year I tried a clip chart with 6 levels - room to go up and down. I find however, that it has become more about moving down than moving up. Also, I have to actively think about going over and making the changes - which I forget to do until someone misbehaves - thus the mostly moving down lol. Even though it's only day 6, I think I'm going to scrap the clip chart - it's just not my style. I know tons of teachers use it successfully, but that's rule number one about behavior plans - what works for one student/teacher may not work for others!

Instead, I am going back to my 4,3,2,1 system. It works for me, and even though it's very simple, it might suit someone else as well! Students who only need 1 or 2 reminders about procedures each day are given 3's. If a student needs repeated reminders and was a distraction to learning they get a 2. Students who are so disruptive that I have to remove them from my room (rare!) get a 1. The students who are always doing the right thing or who myabe show extraordinary character (empathy, generosity etc) will get 4's (also rare, but oh so prized!)

I write the appropriate number down in each child's planner at the end of the day. This is not a visual system, so no one is embarrassed by having a reminder hung up for all to see. Instead I give them a verbal warning and if that is ignored then I inform them of their number change. For students on 3's, I write their number and a smiley face, students on 2's or 1's get their number and a brief explanation, as do students on 4's. This takes me maybe 15 minutes at the end of the day, while the class is cleaning up and getting backpacks. If a students receives a 3 or above 4 days out of 5 then he earns a trip to the treasure box on Fridays. I allow one day of "bad" behavior, because we all have an off day now and then. My treasure box prizes are Dollar Store purchases like balloons, lollipops, plastic animals, rings etc. Not expensive, but a big incentive for my kinders!

Finally, I found a great solution for my problem with punch cards. You know those great little cards that you hole punch to reward a student for good behavior? We use them for our school wide currency, but keeping up with them has always been a pain for me. I'm short on wall space, so it's hard to justify giving up what little space I have to hang a posterboard with library envelopes for the punch cards. I also don't want to put them in a binder - too out of sight, out of mind for me. However, regardless of where I keep them, I am really bad at remembering to punch them. And let's face it, punching a card an hour later for good behavior is not really a great motivator.

Enter my teaching-fairy-godmother with a simple but ingenious solution! She wears a lanyard around her neck with a Stop/Go sign. If the "stop" sign is facing out, it signals that her students may not disturb her except for emergencies (used during testing or small group instruction mostly). If the Go side is out then it's business as usual. Well, behind the sign she has a little stack of the punch cards hung on a ring attached to the lanyard! Now the cardes are always at hand for instant reinforcement of good behavior, no wall space is wasted and there's no chance to lose a card!