Positive ConsequenceStudents that stay on task, help their peers, follow directions, and all around be the best they can be have the chance to get the "Super Star Award". This prestigious award results in lunch with Ms. Wright, a treat, and a feature on the superstar bulletin board. Awards are a great way to recognize students for specific behaviors they exhibit and serve as a motivators to everyone to be on their best behavior.
Banking TimeThere is only one of me and many little minds in my classroom. To ensure I am keeping up with everyone in detail we "Bank on Time". Twice a week for fifteen to twenty minutes I meet with students individually to talk. The discussions are student lead and I am an active listener. Students are free to talk about any topic(s) of their choice during their time segment. This helps the two of us establish open communication and reassures the student I care about his or her interests. An important stipulation to banking time is it will never be taken away as a punishment to the student. I guarantee to meet with each every single one of my students at least once a week to talk about whatever they like. (Booker 2017a)
|
Morning MeetingMorning meetings are a great way to start off the school day and promote classroom community. Students gather in a circle for ten to twenty minutes before the day's instruction to participate in an interactive activity. A typical morning meeting consists of a greeting, personal share, a group activity, and a morning message for students to take with them for the remainder of the day.
Classroom ContractIn my classroom there are ground rules that I establish on my own at the beginning of the school year that apply to all students. Within the first few days of school the class creates their own classroom rules. The students work together to compile a list of rules that want in the classroom. Once the contract is done students sign it under the conditions that they will follow the rules and hold one another accountable for upholding the contract. We post the contract in front of the classroom for everyone to see. The students creating their own rules to follow helps build community and reminds them to be responsible for their actions.
|
Behavior InterventionsRudolf Dreikurs's (Australian psychiatrist and educator) four student goals for misbehaving are attention, power, revenge, and revenge (Booker 2017c). Our classroom discipline model aligns with this theory along with Maslow's hierarchy of needs. My automatic reaction to a student misbehaving is not to scold them for acting out. I identify the student's problem, allow him or her to explain their actions, create an alternative way for the student to respond next time the issue occurs, and foster a logical consequence immediately. I be in praising publicly and disciplining privately. In my classroom we are consistent with behavior reinforcements and often use reminders to stay on task. I use a combination of verbal, nonverbal, and proactive behavior intervention to manage my classroom.
|