Exploring research-based systems and strategies to use in your middle school or high school classroom when difficult classroom behaviors arise

Using a Class Dojo Reward System to reinforce and increase positive, desired behaviour in a fair and caring way toward all students.

Have a chatty class? Do your talkative students get louder and louder during small groups until it feels like chaos? Do they talk when you'r...

I have posted before about my "Secret Student" before but I am posting about it again to include in in What the Teacher Wants Behavior Management Linky Party! Get over there and get yourself some good ideas! These last few weeks have been hectic and crazy. The kids in my class have been real troopers through it all. We went from three first grades to two first grades after the first two days of school. Yeah, that was interesting to say the least and I think we are all finally getting into the groove of things! We added some more friends, moved some tables around and crammed ourselves in nice and cozy! I am always looking for ways to bribe promote good behavior. We give Eagle Feathers out at our school and in first grade we keep them in a shoe organizer labeled with their number. They kids had no idea that it was a shoe organizer. As I was helping someone tie their shoes the first day we had the shoe organizer up, I had a student who was absent (when I explained the system) come up and ask where they put their Eagle Feather. I kept saying "In the shoe organizer." They put it in their shoe. It stayed there a good part of the morning until I noticed. We trade our Eagle Feathers in for coupons we got here. The kids love the coupon system. I also have a "Secret Student." Each morning before the kids come in I fill out one of these by writing a student's name on the line: Then I stick it in a magnetic container and put it at the top of the board. There is also a little glitter in there for good measure. At the end of the day, I get it out and pull out the name. If that student had a good day, they get to keep the note to take home to mom and dad. They also get something out of my little prize box. If the student didn't have such a good day, I don't call them out. I just put it in my pocket and explain that whoever it was didn't have a very good day and maybe they will have a better day tomorrow. The kids LOVE the Secret Student. They always remind me at the end of the day. All I have to say throughout the day is "I need to check on my Secret Student." You can only imagine how that gets pencils moving, lines straighter, voices off.... If you want a free copy of the Star Student cards you can get it here! Update: If you need the version with "behaviour" (Aussie, UK, Canada version) click HERE! (Free on TpT) Hope everyone is having a great week! Stephany

Have a chatty class? Do your talkative students get louder and louder during small groups until it feels like chaos? Do they talk when you'r...

Teaching methods and strategies vary based on teacher, classroom, and any other factor you can think of. Positive behavior can be encouraged in your class..

This post shares some of the top ways teachers may be unknowingly "encouraging" student misbehavior with tips for dealing with misbehavior.

In the 18 years I’ve been teaching, I’ve tried all sorts of behavior management systems. I’ve had the kids pull cards. I’ve tried the marbles in a jar. One year I even gave my students tickets for good behavior and excellent participation. Another year, I awarded table points. I’ve even used an economy system where my kiddos earned money and then spent it all in a class store buying trinkets. I was always looking for that PERFECT SYSTEM! The one that would work like a charm with every single child. After years of research in my own classroom, you know what I finally discovered? I’ve finally realized that THE PERFECT CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT SYSTEM DOES NOT EXIST!!!!! What works one year and with one group of students, might not work the following. Another thing I’ve learned is that you need to find a system that WORKS.FOR.YOU. If you don’t have much time left at the end of the week to run a class store, then do it! Be honest with yourself and how much time you’re willing to invest. It’s important to choose a system that fits with your teaching style and with the needs of your students. […]

Individual behavior management with individual bingo boards to help students reach behavior goals in a fun and effective way.

Do you struggle with classroom management? Here are four strategies that you can add to your toolkit that will make it just a little bit more effective.

In the 18 years I’ve been teaching, I’ve tried all sorts of behavior management systems. I’ve had the kids pull cards. I’ve tried the marbles in a jar. One year I even gave my students tickets for good behavior and excellent participation. Another year, I awarded table points. I’ve even used an economy system where my kiddos earned money and then spent it all in a class store buying trinkets. I was always looking for that PERFECT SYSTEM! The one that would work like a charm with every single child. After years of research in my own classroom, you know what I finally discovered? I’ve finally realized that THE PERFECT CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT SYSTEM DOES NOT EXIST!!!!! What works one year and with one group of students, might not work the following. Another thing I’ve learned is that you need to find a system that WORKS.FOR.YOU. If you don’t have much time left at the end of the week to run a class store, then do it! Be honest with yourself and how much time you’re willing to invest. It’s important to choose a system that fits with your teaching style and with the needs of your students. […]

A tool to add to your classroom management plan for positive student behavior. It encourages student accountability and student self-reflection.

20 Positive Behavior Rewards That Aren’t Not Food Teaching a PBIS school, we focus on positivity and creating structures where student choices are celebrated. We love focusing on the gains st…

Bee Happy I use the finger icons as count down tokens and the reward visuals go in the choice list. There is also an editable version for you to make your own motivator pictures to match the sensor…

Hi there everyone! My name is Marine Freibrun. Elementary school teacher, mom, wife, and blogger! I am the author of Tales from a Very Busy Teacher. I am so honored and excited to be writing a guest p

Two years ago, my class was starting to get pretty squirrely….and it was the beginning of November. I knew I had to do something to stay sane until Thanksgiving break. So, I printed out a turkey and some feathers. The idea was that students had to earn a certain amount of feathers and ... Read more

Looking for a new and engaging classroom management system for your classroom? I love Secret Student because all of my students buy into this system...

Don’t get me wrong — I love candy. And, a jolly rancher, a tootsie roll, or a starburst can work wonders in the classroom for student motivation and enthusiasm. So can pizza parties, and cupcake days, and brunch, and…I’ve had so many types of food parties I can’t even keep track! Recently, however, I’ve been […]

Hi everyone! It's Naomi O'Brien from Read Like a Rock Star! I've noticed a lot of teachers heading back to school, and thought I'd share a few of the ideas I use to create a positive classroom culture. For years, my coworkers chalked my sweet and well behaved classes up to the "luck of the draw", but then they had to admit, it must have been something I was doing. We, the teachers, really are responsible for setting the tone in our classroom. Our children are always watching us and how we respond to situations teaches them a lot about how they should respond to us and each other. How I Create and Maintain a Positive Classroom Culture for K-2! I Tell them They Were Handpicked to be in My Class, but Shhhhhh, It's a Secret: On the first day of school, I always let my students know that I have a HUGE secret to share with them. The secret is that I asked for only the best students to be in my class. I let them know that I read information about them, talked to the principal and other teachers, and that I only allowed the best kids into my room. I tell them that this is a secret and that if the rest of the school knew, everyone would be trying to be in our class and then it would get too crowded and too crazy. I let them know they can tell their parents, but nobody else. During restorative conversations, I remind them that they are still the best, deserve to be in my class, and to never forget it. It's always really cute when we get a new student and my students are so excited to have someone new to share the secret with! I Let Them Take Over the Classroom: I give them a lot of opportunities to learn and share with each other. Sometimes it's hard to give up the reigns, but they learn to respect and listen to one another. Every now and then, I pretend to be the confused one, and have them help me learn a concept. They think it's hilarious and they come together for a good cause; to teach their teacher. I Take Time to Start Personal Conversations: Instead of walking around or sitting at my desk, I like to sit with my students and get to know them. I let them know I'm interested in who they are, not just what they can do. It's this relationship building that makes them naturally want to behave better for me. They know I care about them, and it makes them care about me too. I Give Them Plenty of Opportunities to Work Together: Team work makes the dream work! I make them discuss everything with each other, and collaborate often. Also, they are not allowed to tattle! Once they realize they need to work together without any help or conflict resolution from me, they learn to get along (slowly, but surely). I Don't Allow Tattling: I know I just mentioned that, but I wanted to bring it up again. Unless something serious happened, I ignore any and all tattles. Sometimes I say, "All you've done is let me know that you're a tattle-tale. Thank you." They learn very quickly that tattling won't get them very far and it forces them to talk to each other and work out their problems on their own. I always drive home the point that we have to look out for each other, not try to get each other in trouble. Instead of telling me that someone isn't working, they learn to nicely remind the friend to get back on task. This takes a few months to master, but it works out beautifully! I Teach Character Traits: I pick 6 traits that I think will help my students excel. I make sure to make time in our busy day to teach them about these traits; usually right after lunch/recess as a "cool down" activity. I chose Kindness, Ambition, Self-Confidence, Honesty, Thoughtfulness, and Respect last year. Think about the traits that are most important to you. Focus on the traits that you'd like to teach your students to possess. Find creative ways to encourage your students to take on these traits for themselves. I made badges for my students to earn to make sure they were aware of the traits and working on their own character. You can also post pictures of students that show a specific trait frequently in class, write positive notes about good or improved behavior you've noticed, practice acting the traits out in student led plays or skits, make class videos showing the traits, or read stories that exemplify characters that show good character traits. Make sure to point out the traits and have discussions about them. In order to create a positive classroom culture, you must truly be intentional about creating one. It's important to use your character trait vocabulary throughout the day too. I Teach the Art of Giving a Compliment: Compliment Plates were always a hit with my students! Give out plates, give out markers, have a good time! In the beginning of the year, with my first graders, we brainstormed nice compliments and I wrote them on the board for a writing support. They loved going around filling them out, and they loved reading what their friends had to say about them. This was always followed by "Thank you's" and "You're welcome's'" being called out across the room. Even hugs were often being given out for the kind words shared. I pick a Kid of the Day to be showered in compliments! I truly believe doing this daily is one of the most beneficial activities I have done for my students. I found that with my first graders, we had to first discuss how to give and receive a compliment. Outside of "You're my best friend", they really couldn't think of anything else to say. After a lot of discussions and practice, they were giving out compliments left and right, even when they thought I wasn't paying attention. I also had to teach them to accept the compliment with a "Thank you". Surprisingly, some of them would say something like, "No, I'm not pretty." and really had a hard time accepting nice things being said about them. We also had to discuss that simply saying, "I know I'm cute." wasn't acceptable either... I also have a Compliment Count on the board. It's quick and easy, and it gets their attention. (Side Benefit: It helps them count tally marks really well!) If ever anyone outside of our classroom gives us a compliment, they get a tally mark added to the Compliment Count. If the principal gives them a compliment, it counts for two tally marks! This promotes great behavior when they are walking in the hallways, at recess, at lunch, and at Specials. Whenever we reached 20 tally marks, they got some of my stash. I Make My Students Reflect on their Unsavory Behavior: When students act out it is important to give them consequences for their actions. I believe it is equally as important to follow up with the student through a reflection sheet. After the student has been given time to cool down, I take the time to fill this out with them, or have them fill it out themselves if they are able (only after a discussion to make sure they understand what they did wrong and what they can do differently in the future). My students so loved and responded to this that when they were sent to their seats or to a cool down area, some would ask, "Are we still going to talk about this later?" I think they appreciated being heard, forgiven, and accepted again. It's so easy to hold a grudge for the rest of the day, but we have to be the best example of forgiveness to that child and for the rest of the class to see. This is a resource that I made and used, but a quick TpT search will surely bring up a few freebies, if you don't have time to create one yourself! This is also great to make a copy of and keep data on students. It’s also a wonderful way to keep parents in the loop of what’s been going on in class. At Open House, I let my parents know that if they see one of these sheets it means their student has already had consequences, so they should just discuss their child’s plan to make better choices in the future. This helps to build a parent/teacher partnership. I Created An Outsider Looking In: Creating an outsider to notice your class is a great way to promote a positive classroom culture. In addition to our Compliment Count that I track on the board, I created an invisible fairy friend! Sylese, the kindness fairy, would stop by our classroom every once in a while leaving a note, treats, and glitter in her wake. She watches the class without them knowing because she's invisible. They never know when she's watching or when she's coming for a visit. You can have another teacher write the note so your students don't recognize your handwriting. This was basically another way for me to give them a compliment, make them feel proud of themselves, and strengthen our positive classroom culture. This was done once a month, or once every other month. I simply leave glitter on their desks, bring in a treat, like stickers, cookies, candy, a movie, popcorn, (really anything you’d like to reward them with) and post the note somewhere in the classroom. I would usually wait for them to find it, and act like I was just as surprised as they were. Whenever it had been a while, someone always says something like, “Guys, why do you think the fairy hasn’t been back? We need to do better!” You could use anything to keep an eye on your class that leaves notes and fun treats! I Focus on the Behavior I Like: While it can be so tempting to want to always address a disruptive child right every time at the exact moment of disruption, I've learned to ignore it and focus on the behavior I like. If I have 23 students and only 1 is acting out, I'd rather give my attention and energy to the 22 that are doing a great job. I'm sure they appreciate it too. I always let them know when they are doing something that makes me happy. Scratch-n-Stickers were always a quick and easy reward. I also made up some "Caught Ya" cards to reward this good behavior and would slip them onto their desks. They could turn these cards in to enter a weekly drawing. This was a great motivator, and usually got that one disruptive child to stop what they were doing. If not, I would pull them aside at a later time and address their behavior. Because of the way I handled those situations, even at 6 and 7 years old, the rest of my class learned to ignore those behaviors too. Some would even ask if they could help that student make good choices, which was just fine with me! When you've got students that care about themselves, each other, and you, you've got a well oiled machine that is bursting with positivity! I hope you enjoyed these ideas and are able to take some or all back into your classrooms this year. Believe me, you won't be disappointed. Grab this resource for your classroom from my TpT store! Don't forget to come back tomorrow, and for the rest of the month to check out all of the other amazing ideas offered from your friends at:

My plan always focuses on making choices. My classroom management verbage always focuses on choices. My rewards did not. So this year, I will be adding to my plan and I think it will help me make the slight degree of adjustment to make for a smooth landing and great school year!

I am always looking for new ways to tackle classroom management. What better way to get your students to buy into positive behavior than with some games?

Tutorial on how to effectively use Classdojo in your elementary classroom

A behavior notebook is a whole-class management technique for recording classroom misbehavior that integrates student reflection & ownership. It can quickly be implemented with any existing rules and discipline plan, and is used as an alternative to other methods such as a clip chart, card system, or writing names on the board. Each student …

Create An Incentive Program That Works For You AND Your Kids you'll want to stick to! Incentive programs are the perfect way to reward hard work! There

Hey, friends! I’m teaming up with my good friend Elyse from Proud to be Primary to bring you a whole slew of classroom management tips and tricks… plus, a bunch of classroom management freebies! This

I love Kindergarten. Everyday I find something new and exciting to support my thought that, "Kindergarten is for ME". Yesterday was not one ...

I have posted before about my "Secret Student" before but I am posting about it again to include in in What the Teacher Wants Behavior Management Linky Party! Get over there and get yourself some good ideas! These last few weeks have been hectic and crazy. The kids in my class have been real troopers through it all. We went from three first grades to two first grades after the first two days of school. Yeah, that was interesting to say the least and I think we are all finally getting into the groove of things! We added some more friends, moved some tables around and crammed ourselves in nice and cozy! I am always looking for ways to bribe promote good behavior. We give Eagle Feathers out at our school and in first grade we keep them in a shoe organizer labeled with their number. They kids had no idea that it was a shoe organizer. As I was helping someone tie their shoes the first day we had the shoe organizer up, I had a student who was absent (when I explained the system) come up and ask where they put their Eagle Feather. I kept saying "In the shoe organizer." They put it in their shoe. It stayed there a good part of the morning until I noticed. We trade our Eagle Feathers in for coupons we got here. The kids love the coupon system. I also have a "Secret Student." Each morning before the kids come in I fill out one of these by writing a student's name on the line: Then I stick it in a magnetic container and put it at the top of the board. There is also a little glitter in there for good measure. At the end of the day, I get it out and pull out the name. If that student had a good day, they get to keep the note to take home to mom and dad. They also get something out of my little prize box. If the student didn't have such a good day, I don't call them out. I just put it in my pocket and explain that whoever it was didn't have a very good day and maybe they will have a better day tomorrow. The kids LOVE the Secret Student. They always remind me at the end of the day. All I have to say throughout the day is "I need to check on my Secret Student." You can only imagine how that gets pencils moving, lines straighter, voices off.... If you want a free copy of the Star Student cards you can get it here! Update: If you need the version with "behaviour" (Aussie, UK, Canada version) click HERE! (Free on TpT) Hope everyone is having a great week! Stephany

FREE rewards that teachers can give their students that will not cost any money, while at the same time, promoting a fun and interactive classroom atmosphere.

Learn the basics about a house system as a classroom management system where students earn points for their houses through positive choices.

Whole class rewards are perfect to encourage classroom culture and a team approach to learning! I have the perfect (and super easy) printable to be used as a whole class reward system... STAR JAR!

Is it that time when your students suddenly forget the classroom expectations? Well, then it's time to try V.I.P student!

Using positive classroom management is important in establishing a safe environment in which students can learn, collaborate, and create.

It's time to revamp your strategies for behavior management! This post shares highly effective behavior management resources for...

Have you heard? There is going to be a wonderful Back to School Sale on Teachers Pay Teachers August 1st - 4th! I am offering a 20% discount off of every single item in my store, and you can use the code B1T1S to save an additional 10% for a total of 30% off! What a great opportunity to cross items off of your wishlist! Click here to visit my store, and happy shopping! If you'd prefer to earn points by shopping at my Teacher's Notebook store, you will find my items on sale there as well! Just click here to visit my store! Here are some of the items you'll find on sale: Mystery Readers Kit - A great (and easy) way to get parents and family members involved in your classroom! Daily Five Pocket Chart Set - A simple way to manage your daily five workstations! Thinking Maps for Writing: Circle Maps and Tree Maps for the School Year The CAFE Pensieve - Everything you need to set up your Reading Conference Notebook!

One of the happy truths about classroom management is that you can always press the restart button. You can always call a do-over. Any time you like. So as soon as you notice your students becoming less motivated and more prone to misbehavior, that’s ... Read more

Have you tried Brag Tags yet? I LOVE them. They are a great way to make kids feel special. They help to create a positive classroom environment. They can be used as a positive behavior system. I crea