Classroom Behavior Management Systems | Positive Reinforcement

[@kassandraverdugo3728]

You're amazing! You’re like the mentor teacher I never had. ❤

[@momjd9985]

Awesome management tips thank you. I think I’m going to use the calendar method. I hope I can stick with it, there isn’t enough time in the day lol. Right now I give students in a group dojo points for completing class work and participating, they earn free computer time by Friday who ever earned the most points.

[@christinepleiman3685]

Love the calendar, great way to communicate with my Title 1 kids parents!

[@marielafernandez7394]

How did you keep up with the logs? When did you do them?

[@sylviaarias1743]

Hi! Do you happen to have a sample letter or wording as to how you communicate the calendar to the parents? If you'd be willing to share I'd appreciate it. TIA

[@AlexaSmith]

thanks for the tips. i think positive reinforcement is really over used. it doesnt work for all kids and honestly most times it ends up being like dog training and makes it difficult for children to develop intrinsic motivation. if they dont care about the reinforcements then it doesnt really matter. it works for kids who would follow the rules anyways. idk i've been reading a lot of alfie kohn and other work discussing the negatives of reinforcement recently and its really clear that they only really work for certain kinds of kids. i still use it but it needs to be used in conjunction with other things. i've seen teachers truly treat their kids like dogs and the kids then refuse to do anything unless they are getting a little treat, they have no self confidence and absolutely no way of motivating themselves. its hard though because the way these schools work it makes it almost impossible to try and get away from the toxic positive reinforcement cycle. in the first example...doesn't the not having a smiley face end up being negative reinforcement?

[@BridgingLiteracy]

I never mentioned that it is the only form of reinforcement I use, but when positive reinforcement is done right.. it is effective. Having discussions, building relationships, making phone calls, taking away privileges and giving natural consequences are all part of a larger system for behavior management. My classrooms were not built on sunshine and rainbows but it was built on respect, community, listening to each other, and understanding our differences. I never said we had to be best friends with each other but it was always understood that needed to respect one another. Behavior management is complex and multidimensional. I never intended the video to be communicated as the end-all-be-all. Thanks you for your input.

[@jordynrandall3689]

What did you do when kids lost their calendar, didn’t bring it back to school, etc?

[@BridgingLiteracy]

I never had major issues with kids not bringing their calendars back. I had more “no signed” calendars than missing…. And I know this is my personal philosophy but I did not have consequences if that happened. I kept a pack of the color wrist bands that you get at amusement parks and I would have a reminder on that to bring it back. Kids would wear it until they got home and then they could take it off. If they didn’t bring it back I gave them a new calendar and we started fresh with tracking their smiley faces.

[@jordynrandall3689]

I suppose it would be a consequence in itself if they lost it and they had to start over on their smiles! I just work at a school where it’s difficult to get things back. But I’d love to try this!