Here's another idea. Write down the number of minutes you can offer them to do a fun activity at the end of the period - say 5 or 10 minutes. If the class is working well keep that time up there. If the class is veering off track, cross out the number and deduct minutes. "We're going off track here and won't have as much time for the game. We can turn this around by......" Then when you start to see improvement, add minutes back.
Make sure they are successful the first time you introduce this. Give them a taste of it so they are motivated to earn it.
Having the reward (minutes) visible on the board is a great idea! I prefer it this way though: if they lose a minute, they don't get it back. Once it's gone, it's gone. Otherwise I feel that they will think it's ok to misbehave because they lose a minute now, but they can always get it back.
I've used this all the time! I gave them 5 minutes, and it was written as IIIII. 5 lines, and when they lost one, I would erase a line. Sometimes I would erase half. It got to the point where I would start walking towards the board and they would get their act together, and then not too long after I would just look at the board and they knew they were going to lose minutes if they kept it up.
This worked, because I think if they would have known they could win the minutes back, it would have been too much to deal with, and they would not have responded like that.
All these ideas are great for reinforcement and limiting the amount of time the students can waste so they see a consequence of their behavior! My only question on using points or minutes on the boards is what if you are not near the board? Keep it on a clipboard?
That's the only issue, that you have to go up to the board. It's not a bad idea to have to walk up and emphasize that they have just lost a point - you can do that non-verbally, just erasing a point. You don't even have to stop talking, just walk up. Although some might find it bothersome. If you want the points public, and have the students see it, you have to have it on the board.
You can keep it on a clipboard, and only announce it at the end of the class how much they earned. I have done it both ways, and worked either way. One of my classrooms was very small, it would have been difficult to walk up to front, around the students just to erase a point. This way at the end I could decide how they got.
All these ideas are great for reinforcement and limiting the amount of time the students can waste so they see a consequence of their behavior! My only question on using points or minutes on the boards is what if you are not near the board? Keep it on a clipboard?
IMO they need to see it! Once they get use to it, just walking up towards the board, or even looking at it is enough. I do that with positive rewards, I say something like. . ."I like how student x is doing. . ." I then immediately give that child a base. They all love it. Yes, sometimes, I'm doing extra walking, but hey, that's just more steps!
IMO they need to see it! Once they get use to it, just walking up towards the board, or even looking at it is enough. I do that with positive rewards, I say something like. . ."I like how student x is doing. . ." I then immediately give that child a base. They all love it. Yes, sometimes, I'm doing extra walking, but hey, that's just more steps!
For me, the problem was my main mode of classroom management was moving around the room. So it was hard for me to make it back up to the board all the time. But I think the students seeing progress would be helpful at any grade level?
The rule in my class is that the consequences are clearly laid out. In writing and reinforced all day. Arguing is not honored. I remind them that there will be no arguing as this was clear before they engaged in the behavior.
