Hodge Podge Post

Is anyone else having the struggle I am? Since coming back from Spring Break yesterday my kiddos have been wild. It's almost as if they have forgotten all the rules and procedures. Add to that the fact that a student who left in December came back today (such is life in a school with a transient population) and we have a field trip tomorrow and we are insane. This afternoon we took our quarterly district benchmark for ELA. Can I have another Spring Break please? (42 school days until summer!)

As a first year teacher I have tried so many different types of classroom management tricks and methods. I think every teacher at some point struggles with classroom management. I even have an entire pinboard devoted to this topic on Pinterest. My favorite, and what I'm sticking with now, is a clip chart. I originally saw this idea on Pinterest from the Clutter Free Classroom. 

I probably should have started with this idea at the beginning of the year, and I even had a clip chart created, but for some reason I didn't. Our school uses PBIS, which stands for Positive Behavior Intervention Supports, or in human language, is really emphasizing the positive behaviors we see and trying to ignore or downplay the negative behaviors. (Obviously if it is detrimental to the learning of other students or harmful we step in) My clip chart looks a bit different. I only have one negative consequence right now. All of my kiddos start out on the green level, which is Ready to Learn. They can move up or down. If they move down to yellow, then there is some sort of consequence, whether it be silent lunch, laps at recess, phone call home, or a referral. 

So, does it work?? For many of my students, they thrive on everyone knowing that they are doing a great job. They don't want anyone to know if they are in trouble. So, "clipping up" is a great motivatior for them. They want to reach the top of the chart and when that happens, I wear their clip around for the rest of the day. The thing that I have really learned with this is that it takes dedication on my part and just being consistent. I need to give less warnings and have them clip down quicker. I need to focus more on clipping up though as well. I wish my kiddos were intrinsically motivated, but honestly, how many adults really are? I know that I love being acknowledged by someone for my hard work! 

So, on one last note, Lindsey at My Life as a Third Grade Teacher is celebrating having 900 followers. (WOW!) Head over there to enter to win a $20 Target gift card. Or don't, less competition for me! :) 

I'm linking up with:

Go link up and check out her awesome task cards! 

Have a Wonderful Wednesday! We are going to the Morehead Planetarium. Pray we have a fun and educational trip! 

PS: Does anyone know how to make bloggy buttons work on WordPress?