Positive Reinforcement Makes Everyone Happy!

Hello Everyone,
As the first few days of school are behind us and my students and I settle into our classroom procedures and routines, we have been working towards EARNING a great prize. Cookies! I mean what better treat than cookies right?!

I use the card and stick method for student individual behavior tracking. It is very simple and to the point. When students are following the rules, they have a green card. When they have difficulties following the rules, they have to change their card. I use yellow, orange, red, and blue cards. We rarely see red (note home) and blue (visit the principal) cards!! Thank goodness! Yellow cards are warnings and orange cards mean loss of recess. I never take the entire recess away because I feel that the kiddies need a break, fresh air, social time with friends, and well, let's face it, they definitely need to RUN! 


What is most important is that the rules are clearly indicated. I have four. If we have too many rules, the students get confused and forget. I also display the consequences and the rewards. I give them ALL the information they need in order to have a positive and successful day. No surprises!


What I like about this method is that it is visual. I also like to use the sticks because even if a student has had a difficult morning, they can still receive positive reinforcement and maybe even get a prize. I'm all about "turning it around" and making it right. If a child is able to change their negative behavior and let go of a negative situation, I am happy. Moving on and continuing to have a good day is very important. And don't be worried about social stigmas when students have a yellow or orange card. We discuss the importance of "worrying about ourselves." I also find that when the students are responsible for changing their card, they then are also taking responsibility for their behaviour. 

When the students have five sticks (colored popsicle sticks), they receive a prize. One of my little rambunctious second graders earned a prize, just the other day. He chose a mini note pad. He wrote  "This is the best day" in his note pad and carried it everywhere. Little monkey melted my heart! 

I also like to use a class behavior chart in conjunction with the individual behaviour modification programs. Last year, my classroom attendant came up with a great way to encourage the students to work well together, and chat less when working. We created a puzzle and wrote a class reward underneath the pieces.


 Each time we have a good period we take off a puzzle piece and, slowly but surely, the students discover what the reward is! Once all the puzzle pieces have been removed, we have our special prize. Sometimes it's a movie, or extra recess time. In this case, it's a cookie party! Yay! 

I created a few variations of the puzzle.



 You can grab a free copy of my Positive Reinforcement Puzzles HERE!
You can also grab a free copy of my rules, consequences, and rewards HERE!

Until next time...
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September Currently


Hey Everyone!
Just thought I'd pop in and link up with Farley over at  Oh' Boy Fourth Grade and join in on all the currently fun!

Here we go...


Yes, I like one direction! I mean I wouldn't go to their concert or anything but I sing along when their tunes play on the radio! 

We have only had one day of school, and my kiddies are the sweetest. It's going to be a great year!

I love feeling productive! But now it's time to have some fun!

Been training hard these last couple of months and I want to achieve my goals!


Until next time...
3

Classroom Reveal!

Hello Everyone! 

I am finally, officially, back at work and I'm soooo excited!
I met the kiddies on Friday and they are absolutely A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! I didn't expect anything less!
 I love the students at our school. They are awesome!

I am super excited because I am teaching a 3/4 split and a grade 2. I have a wonderful student teacher, who helped me A LOT, and cannot wait to get started on all the learning and fun! My team is also really pumped and we are working together to plan and stay on track. It's going to be a GREAT year!

As I mentioned in a previous post, I have the privilege of teaching in TWO classrooms this year. I was able to set up an empty "storage room" into a classroom for my second graders. 

Here are some pictures of my homeroom class. I was going for and enchanted forest look! I may still add a few finishing touches, like a stone wall and some forest creatures, but the bulk of it is done and I couldn't be happier with the end result. The kiddies were happy too! I looped with some of my students from last year and when we entered the classroom on Friday, one of my "loopers" exclaimed: "Wow! This place looks even better than last year!" 

Let me give you the grand tour...
The following are some larger shots of the whole room.





My classroom attendant made a beautiful papier mache reading cave for our class last year. In fact, some students helped her and signed their names! On the first day of school, one of those students (who is no longer in my class) asked me if the new students liked the reading cave. It was so sweet to see that making others happy put a smile on his face. 


My classroom rules are straight forward and simple. No need to have 100! Raise your hand, Stay seated, Respect, Smile & do your best...


Our behavior wall! I will be writing another post shortly about our behavior plan and all the wonderful things we do to promote positive reinforcement in our classroom.





Schedules and Math walls...


My Vintage Word Wall. I love it!


Mr. Le Branch!


I am a label and basket lover!



Our main bulletin board. I always save this one to display student work. This one is ready for my Students in Disguise Craftivity!


My student name plates and locker tags. 


I am happy, happy, happy! Most importantly, the kiddies are happy!

Here is a little sneak peek at my other room. It's circus themed. We did the best we could with what we had! Take not that there are winter boots and snow suits hidden all around the room. As I mentioned, it's a storage room too!


I love the colors and the IKEA circus tent! Once a agin, I've left the big red bulletin board for student work. This week we will be working on my Back to School Interactive Read Aloud and my "Back" to School Craftivity. The abstract art was already in place. It's a collaborative project that the whole school created last year with a visiting artist! 

 Until next time...






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