Hope for tomorrow ~

I am often reminding my students to think carefully about their decisions as each decision has consequences - good and bad! This works particularly well with managing classroom behaviour.

In an effort to assist my students to make good choices in the classroom we have a behaviour chart that encourages students to work towards making great behaviour choices. This chart works really well as students are required to physically move their peg up or down the chart. Students have a specially marked peg with their name on it and they get to move their peg up or down the chart depending on the choices they make throughout the day or week. Demonstrating good choices and considerate behaviour allows students to move their peg up the chart while inappropriate or unthoughtful behaviour choices requires the student to move their peg down the chart.

At the beginning of the week every child begins on the read to learn card in the middle of the chart and if they have had to move it down, may move it back up to this card the next day so that each child has a fresh start every day - they learn from yesterday and try again next time. There is always hope for tomorrow. If the peg has moved upwards then students keep on moving their peg until the end of the week and do not need to go back to ready to learn each day. However if they fail to make good choices then their peg may get moved back. If students reach the top of the chart by the end of the week, an 'Outstanding Behaviour' note is sent home to parents to notify them of their child's efforts. Children may choose from various rewards for their effort. Notes are also sent home should a student find themselves at the bottom of the chart. It is not often that I need to send a note home for inappropriate behaviour and if it has happened it is very rare to have to do so again. Once is enough! Children love making great choices and encouragement to do so makes all the difference.