Happy December, Y'all! This is Chandra from Teaching with Crayons and Curls! This year my firsties have LOVED LOVED LOVED spending the day with a stuffed animal. Our class uses a classroom economy similar to this one from True Life I'm a Teacher and they use their money to purchase coupons. The 'Furry Friend' (spending a day with a stuffed animal) coupon is one of their favorites, so I knew I had to use this to my advantage! Meet our class Behavior Buddies- Listening Lion, Happy Hippo and Positive Pig! Aren't they adorable!? Students earn these Behavior Buddies when they are showing positive behavior! I usually choose one student per day to spend the day with each stuffed animal. Usually, they are chosen at the end of the day and they get to spend the next school day with that Behavior Buddy. The furry friend stays with them throughout the day in OUR classroom. They don't go to recess, specials, or lunch. Just makes things a little easier (and cleaner!). We've been using them for a few weeks now, and my students have started nominating each other to spend the day with a Behavior Buddy! I mean, how adorable and KIND is that!? It all started with one sweet little firstie saying, "Mrs. Dills, I think Sarah should get Listening Lion because she has been such a great listener today!" Yep, I made a HUGE deal about that! When students earn a Behavior Buddy for showing positive behavior, I also want to make sure that this is communicated to their families! So, I created certificates that the student can bring home to show their family! It's a great way to build that positive school-to-home relationship! I ordered all of my furry friends off Amazon. But, you can grab stuffed animals anywhere! Wal-Mart, Target, and the Dollar Store. There are many different animal options in my pack! Since it's so close to Christmas, I thought it would be fun to introduce holiday themed Behavior Buddies. You can grab this pack for FREE in my Teachers Pay Teachers store! Just click here or on the image below! I hope these cute little friends help promote positive behavior in YOUR classroom!
