So, I have posted several times now about my challenging class this year (6 behaviors, 10 lows...but I am really more concerned with the behaviors). So, today I tried a couple of new things in addition to what I already do: 1) I implemented the whisper bell, an idea I got from here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvo2BbQDsqk It´s helped improve the noise level. 2) I implemented star bucks: they can earn star bucks throughout the day which can be turned in and redeemed for a prize (sit on bean bag for a day, buy an iPad for the day-they work on iPad on a learning app when done with work). These helped and today was much better. It gave me hope for our future and success together as a class.
Thanks guys! Afternoons are proving to be a little rough, but today was another decent day. Displaying a virtual countdown clock as they work has greatly helped them to attempt to complete their work (it amazes me how many in this group just refuse to work-or just work at their leisure).
Some kids might need a little pressure to get started- I personally like deadlines because it adds incentive for me to get it started and finished. I have mostly motivated students and they honestly have told me how much they like having deadlines (like in 5 minutes you must have X,Y,Z finished). I love the incentives idea- you might want to make up a calendar of incentives (maybe switch it up every 2 weeks) so students can know what they're going to have to look forward to (they might become bored with the same incentives) and also ask for their input on incentives. :thumb:
I like the idea of the calendar with incentives. Thanks! I need all the ideas I can get for this group! Things are still improving, though not perfect. The morning was rough. It went back to kids talking on the carpet after I had counted down. Kids touching each other...kids doing all that and more as I look at them and tell them to stop...kids laughing as I tell them to stop... So, after recess I sat them down and said, ¨This stops right now. Long gone are your kinder days. Are you in a kinder classroom? No. You are now a big kid in elementary and you will start acting like one right now.¨ Seriously, after that discussion most of them straightened up their attitude. I told them I would expect that behavior in kinder, but not in elementary (kinder is a completely different section here because they start school at age 3...so it´s kinder 1, kinder 2, kinder 3...then they go to elementary). Not perfect, but not a complete mess...
Sometimes kids need a lecture like that- especially if nobody else tells them their behavior is inappropriate. One of my 5th graders last year was totally relying on her Mom to do everything for her- organize her binders and folders, organize when/how she studies, etc- and I called her out on it (in a nice way). I told her "Eventually your Mom won't be able to help you. like when you're in high school, so you need to start doing things for yourself." She did shape up after that, although I now see Mom being the one who feels the need to do everything for her daughter- but I'm not exactly in a position to tell her (the Mom) to stop. I try to draw on my experience of what society expects of me as an adult to show kids that when I tell them to do something it's because it is what will be expected of them as they get older. That way I come across as trying to prepare them for life and not that I'm trying to boss them around.
