Classroom Management

I am so excited that my new blog is up and running.  I admit I am a bit technology challenged so I am truly learning as I go.  I have to give a HUGE thanks to my sweet friends Michelle, from Miss Nelson's Got the Camera and Allison, from Rockin' and Lovin' Learin'!!!!  They have helped me so much as I have begun to set up my Tpt account:  Learning by the Seashore and this blog.  I definitely know how my kiddos feel when they are struggling to learn something new.  It's really frustrating when it seems so easy for others, but yet you just can't get a grasp on it.  How many of you can relate?  I think the light bulb is coming on after today.  Allison was so patient with me when she explained things to me not once, but twice and sometimes more.  Her kiddos are lucky to have her as a teacher.

Anyways...it is getting really close to the end of my summer.  I have such mixed emotions when I think about how fast summer is going by.  I love being a stay at home mommy for a while.  My girls and I have been sleeping in and hanging out by the pool just about everyday.  It's nice not to have to pack lunches and do homework every night, but I sure do miss my routine and being with my school kiddos too.

As I have been creating things for the upcoming school year, I have been trying to decide what I want to do for my behavior system this year.  I had such a fantastic class last year.  I hope I get some wonderful new students this year.In the past I used a clip up and clip down system, and last year I used Class Dojo.  This is a great program that the kids really enjoyed.  They all have these cute little monster characters and their own log in.

They can change their character and chat with other kids in our class.  (I was going to include a screen shot of what it looks like, but I have already cleared out my students from last year.)  Even better, the parents get their own log in as well so they can see how their child is doing each day.  During the day students can earn points and lose points for specific reason.  Like, being on task, trying their very best, and being kind to others.  (I always let the kids help me decide which rules should be included on positive and negative reasons at the beginning of the year so they have a since of ownership of the rules.) Parents are able to see why their child is earning and/or losing points.   I hardly ever use the negative unless the student is just really having a hard time making good choices.  Mostly I find someone who is making good choices and tell them to go give themselves a point.  Once the others hear the ding sound they all try to make good choices so they can get a point too.  I like doing it this way because I hate to embarrass students by calling them out, and this is usually much more effective and generally gives me immediate results.  At the end of the week, the students get to go "shopping" with the points they have earned during the week.  Students can choose from going into the treasure chest, a pencil, sit where they want for the day, take off their shoes, lunch with me, etc.  They have to write their total points on a sticky note and then they subtract from their points as they spend them.  (Don't you love when you can sneak in extra math facts practice!)  I really like using this program, but the only problem is that when I am using my Smartboard  it can be a bit of a pain to have to switch over to Class Dojo.  Our school is also switching over from a PBS school to a Leader in Me school...so I'm wondering if this will still fit into this program.  I'd love to hear your thoughts and what you use for a behavior system in your class.  Thanks for stopping by.