Classroom Mangement
Classroom Management is an ever-changing concept that has to be adapted year to year based on the students that I have. This year I was introduced to Class Dojo which is an internet based point system. It allows students to earn points based on positive behaviors and lose points based on negative choices. I am able to use it on my desktop, I-Pad, and I-Phone, which all can project onto our Promethean Board. I have also found the chime that plays when a point has been added or removed from one or more students, to be a very effective "attention getter" for my students.
The way I have our Class Dojo set up lends itself to my classroom expectations. I have very simple and basic expectations that revolve around treating others and yourself with respect. This includes using positive words to peers, problem solving with peers instead of tattling, keeping hands, feet, and other objects to themselves, speaking when the time is appropriate, etc.
On the Class Dojo system, I can edit my class to meet the expectations I have for positive and negative behaviors.
For the positive behaviors, I can choose from: For the negative behaviors, I can choose from:
-Attendance - Off task
-Being on task - Not following directions
-Participating - Being disrespectful
-Helping others - Talking out of turn
-Returning their daily folders - Not having materials
-Teamwork - No homework
-Working Hard - Bullying
I also really like using this system because it will email parents weekly percentages of their child's behavior, both positive and negative. We usually stay in contact with those parents whose children tend to have negative behaviors, but I feel it is important for the parents of students who always exhibit positive behaviors to be updated as well. It is also just as important for the parents of students who exhibit negative behaviors to be updated when their child has made positive choices.
By using the point system, I can do a multitude of rewards and consequences. I can offer treasure box or other incentives when students acquire a certain number of points. At the same time, I can offer consequences for certain negative choices that a student may make. Overall though, I think it is important for students to see that they can make mistakes and then correct them. I think it is very difficult to show a student that if they make a bad choice in the morning and end up moving their clip to red before lunch, that they can still make good choices and have a good afternoon. With this system, you can motivate the students who make negative choices daily, that they aren't "bad" kids and praise them even for the positive choices they make, no matter how small or large.
The way I have our Class Dojo set up lends itself to my classroom expectations. I have very simple and basic expectations that revolve around treating others and yourself with respect. This includes using positive words to peers, problem solving with peers instead of tattling, keeping hands, feet, and other objects to themselves, speaking when the time is appropriate, etc.
On the Class Dojo system, I can edit my class to meet the expectations I have for positive and negative behaviors.
For the positive behaviors, I can choose from: For the negative behaviors, I can choose from:
-Attendance - Off task
-Being on task - Not following directions
-Participating - Being disrespectful
-Helping others - Talking out of turn
-Returning their daily folders - Not having materials
-Teamwork - No homework
-Working Hard - Bullying
I also really like using this system because it will email parents weekly percentages of their child's behavior, both positive and negative. We usually stay in contact with those parents whose children tend to have negative behaviors, but I feel it is important for the parents of students who always exhibit positive behaviors to be updated as well. It is also just as important for the parents of students who exhibit negative behaviors to be updated when their child has made positive choices.
By using the point system, I can do a multitude of rewards and consequences. I can offer treasure box or other incentives when students acquire a certain number of points. At the same time, I can offer consequences for certain negative choices that a student may make. Overall though, I think it is important for students to see that they can make mistakes and then correct them. I think it is very difficult to show a student that if they make a bad choice in the morning and end up moving their clip to red before lunch, that they can still make good choices and have a good afternoon. With this system, you can motivate the students who make negative choices daily, that they aren't "bad" kids and praise them even for the positive choices they make, no matter how small or large.