Rules
Every, effective, classroom must have a system with clear rules, consequences, and rewards so that students will know what is expected of them, what to expect if they chose to engage in inappropriate classroom behaviors, and what rewards await them for being an example for others to follow.
I have chosen the following list as my future classroom rules:
1. Show Respect for Others and Their Property
2. Be Prepared for Class and Learning
3. Listen and Follow Directions
4. Keep Your Hands and Feet to Yourself
5. Allow Others to Work
(All rules are subject to change, without notification, as need arises.)
Consequences
Once rules are established in the classroom, there must be a set of consequences for breaking them. Otherwise, the students will feel the rules are unnecessary. I have chosen to implement the rainbow/clothes pin (clip) behavior chart that includes a logical consequence progression. The following is a list of the consequences in consecutive order of infraction:
- Student will recieve a look or gesture to acknowledge that they are off task or misbehaving.
- Students will be given a verbal warning that includes expectations for correction.
- Student will be asked to move their clip down, one color, to yellow.
- Student will be asked to move their clip down, one color, to orange. Student will be reminded that if they clip down again, a note will be sent home to their parents.
- Student will be asked to move their clip down, one color, to red. A note will be sent home to the student's parents regarding their behavior. The students will be warned that the next infraction will send them to the principal's office.
- Student's parents will be notified.
- Student will be sent to the principal's office.
To document the progression of consequences, the student will move their clip. While the student is in the process of moving their clip, I will document the details of their behavior on a daily behavioral chart for my own records and to present to you, the parents, or the school in case of inquiry or the student dropping to red. At the end of each day, I will file the daily behavioral chart for future reference at parent teacher conferences. The rainbow/clothes pin (clip) chart is not only for consequences, though. It doubles as a reward system.
Rewards!
When students are “caught being good,” they will be called upon to move their clip up the chart, earning rewards for various colors. I will also implement a “brag” award. The whole class will earn a point when someone outside of the classroom, such as staff, other teachers, the principal, or other students compliment the class on their behavior in the hall, lunch room, playground, etc. Once the class earns ten points, they will receive a reward as a class The following is a list of rewards that will be implemented in our classroom:
- Student will be praised for good/model behavior and asked to "clip up" from green (neutral) to blue.
- Student will be praised for good/model behavior and asked to "clip up" from blue to purple. If the student remains on purple, as the end of class, the student will recieve a star sticker on their clip.
- At the end of the week, every student that has a star sticker on their clip will be able to "Pick a Prize" from the prize box (pencils, erasers, trinkets, single-serve candies).
- After a student recieves 5 star stickers, the teacher will send home a note complimenting the student's good behavior at school.
- After a student recieves 20 star stickers, the teacher will personally call the student's parents to compliment their behavior at school.
- When teachers, staff, the principal, or others compliment the students on good behavior, the teacher will stick a large star sticker on the wall in the classroom. When 10 stars are recieved, the students will earn extra recess time.
All rewards and behaviors that gained rewards will be noted on the student’s daily, behavioral chart and filed by the teacher for future reference at parent/teacher conferences or in case of inquiry.