Setting classroom rules and procedures
at the start of the school year is the foundation of good classroom management.
When effective and consistently implemented, rules and procedures facilitate
teaching and support learning. When lacking or ineffective, large amounts of
time is wasted, student attention and interest wanes and teachers cannot
conduct their instruction (Emmer, Wevertson, and Worsham 2004 p. 17). Setting
meaningful rules and procedures which student agree on, clearly understand and
can easily execute, sets the stage for effective teaching and learning. What
follows, is the critical step of communicating to students that their behavior
and attitude towards rules and procedure has consequences. Marzano notes the importance
of acknowledging the adherence, and lack thereof, to rules and procedures, and warns
“rules and procedures for which there are no consequences – positive or
negative – do little to enhance learning” (p. 131). The following of rules
should therefore never be taken for granted, and both adherence and lack of
coherence should be routinely recognized.
Here are a few engaging ways I will
acknowledge adherence and lack of adherence to classroom rules and procedures.
1. VERBAL POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT:
I will use simple, effective verbal
positive reinforcement and use it often: “Thank you”, “That’s very helpful”,
“That’s very thoughtful of you”.
I can increase the effectiveness of this
step by reviewing the procedure when acknowledging the student: “Thank you
Jane. You really did a great job quietly putting away the books on the
appropriate shelf and not disturbing anyone in the process. This shows both me
and your peers respect.”
2. BLURT BEANS:
The aim of this strategy it to curb excessive
talking. Both adherence and lack of adherence to rules are recognized. The goal
is to fill up the jar in order to earn a tangible reward. As the jar fills, the
reward increases. Rewards are decided on with student input. How it works: At
the beginning of a mini lesson, group work or other activity, students are each
given a few beans, which they keep on their desks. Each time a student speaks
out of turn, or is chatty, one of his beans is dropped in the “Blurt Bean” jar.
At the end of the lesson, all ‘good beans’ are collected in the “Rewards Jar”,
and students excitedly watch the level of beans inch their way up towards the
rewards line. Students are incentivized as a whole class to play by the rules
so they may reach a reward together.
However, Blurt Beans can also be used to incentivize one individual student or a particular group of students who are having trouble keeping quiet. In this scenario, the jar is filled with beans only according to this student or group’s adherence to ‘no talking’ rules. However, the rewards from their ‘good beans’ jar are shared by the whole class. In this scenario, peer pressure to behave strongly influences one’s actions.
3. BEHAVIOR CLIP CHART
The aim of the behavior clip chart
is to allow students to self-monitor their behavior with the goal of motivating
them to adhere to, or improve their adherence to, rules and procedures. Watching
their behavior improve positively reinforces them. How it works:
Each student has a clip with his
name on it. Clips are moved up and down the chart to the action which best reflects
student behavior. Clip charts are a flexible and fun behavior management
strategy which can be tailored to a particular class or group of students, and
which reflect classroom rules and procedures. Actions can be regularly added or
modified to keep things new and interesting for students.
Examples for which student clips
are moved up the chart are:
- Working hard
- Helping a friend or the teacher
- Working hard
-Breaking into groups quietly
-Being respectful
-Completing work on time
- Lining up correctly
Examples of when clips are moved
down:
- Hitting
- Kicking
- Showing disrespect to a peer or
the teacher
The ultimate goal is to reach the
top of the chart. Those who land here by the end of the day earn a tangible
reward decided on previously with class input (sticker, coupon for the
cafeteria etc.).
The Behavior chart can also be used to motivate and acknowledge individual students, or to motivate and acknowledge
the whole class collectively. In this case only one “class” clip or "individual" clip is moved up
and down the chart.
4. SHOUT OUTS
The purpose of Shout Out awards is
to acknowledge and positivity reinforce good behavior. How it works: At the end
of the day, the teacher selects three students to give a SHOUT OUT to. I write
down an activity or action for which the student deserves a shout out. Example:
A) Claire is recognized for setting a good example by lining up neatly and
quietly after lunch. B) Tom is recognized for raising his hand to speak each
time he volunteered ideas today.
5. GOOD DEEDS JAR
The purpose of the good deeds jar is
to encourage and recognize positive deeds throughout the day and to reinforce
the Golden Rule (“do unto others…”).
How it works: I quietly drop a small,
soft pom pom in the jar each time I notice a student doing something mindful,
helpful or kind. This is a discreet action by me and is not meant to draw
attention. However, students are excited and motivated by watching the jar fill
up and understand what kind of actions help to achieve this. Once full, students
earn a class reward, such as extra recess time, extra choice time, or a class
picnic.
Examples of good deeds are:
-Helping others or the teacher
-Being respectful
-Thinking of others first
-Listening attentively
-Being quite while others are speaking
Example in action: A) Jane finishes
her work early. Without making a stir, she proceeds to help her peers with
their work.
B) At cleanup time, John brings not
only his own paint pan to the sink, but also those from his table.
*There’s a catch: only good deeds
that were executed on the volition of the student (without explicit direction
from the teacher) will be rewarded. The goal here is to get students to think
and act independently, proactively and conscientiously.
6. OFF-TRACK JAR
Similar to the Good Deeds Jar, the
Off-Track Jar strategy is used to acknowledge a lack of coherence to rules
and procedures. The goal is to regain student attention and check their
behavior. How it works: I drop coins or other metallic, hard pieces (screw
bits, marbles) into a tin or metal jar each time students are not listening,
distracting others, interrupting, not on task etc. The noise of the clinking
metal dropping into the metal tin jar will alert everyone and will communicate
to them that they or a peer is off-track. Example in action: A) during
transitions, students are moving about in non-directed, non-purposeful ways. B)
During group work, students are too chatty and off-task. When the jar is full,
the class loses a privilege, such as recess, choice time or rug reading time.
7. THINK SHEET
The aim of the Think Sheet it to have
students reflect on their bad behavior, on why they made that choice and how
their choice affected others. They are asked to come up with hypothetical
alternate actions they could have taken.
Example: Josh pushed and shoved a peer
during recess to get to the top of the slide first.
How it works: when a student breaks
class rules or commits an act, which negatively affects or hurts a peer, he is
handed the Think Sheet. He must reflect on his actions and fill out the sheet. Reflecting
on one’s behavior helps students contextualize their actions and think about
conflict resolution and problem solving, while coming up with alternative
actions encourages students to align themselves with class rules. The sheet is signed by the students and is
then brought home for a parent signature. Involving parents (Home Contingency)
can be a powerful tool to help reinforce class rules and procedures.
8. BEHAVIOR ALERT
Aim of the behavior alert sheet is to inform
parents when a student has repeatedly not adhered to rules that day. The goal
is to get parents involved in addressing the child’s misbehavior. How it works:
After several warnings, the student is handed the Behavior Alert Sheet. The student
reflects on how he misbehaved, fills in the appropriate box, signs it
and brings it home for a parent signature.
Consequences Flowchart
 |
| Flowchart showing positive and negative consequences of adhering and not adhering to classroom rules and procedures For a larger image click here |
-Marzano, Roberto
(2007). The Art and Science of Teaching: A Comprehensive Framework for
Effective Instruction. Virginia, USA: ASCD.-Evertson, C.
M., Emmer, E. T., & Worsham, M. E. (2003). Classroom management for
elementary teachers (6th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
-Thank
you image: https://t3.ftcdn.net/jpg/00/94/52/40/160_F_94524072_uPTfGmSIzdhqoj6yRXiOsthiS41uGPO0.jpg
-Behavior
Alert image: Retrieved August 2016 from http://floatingdowntheriverontheohio.blogspot.de/search/label/Behavior%20Management
-Think
Sheet image: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Think-Sheet-1072379
-Positive Reinforcementin
the Classroom. Clip chart and Shout Out images: Retrieved November 17, 2015
from http://www.theprimarypeach.com/2015/11/helpful-harvest-positive-reinforcement.html
-Miss
Giraffe, 25 Chatty Class Classroom
Management Strategies for Overly Talkative Students. Blurt Beans image, Retrieved October 21, 2016
from http://missgiraffesclass.blogspot.de/2016/10/25-chatty-class-classroom-management.html
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