Behavior Mgmt - Secondary Level

What are your techniques?

Another business teacher mentioned she does "Last Name Bucks" in her classes.

Students get a certain dollar amount at the beginning of the quarter.

Then depending on the situation they lose money.

-Late to class w/o pass
-Want to leave the classroom (bathroom)
-Lost handout and would like a replacement

Then at the end of the quarter, if they have money left over, they can cash it in for points or misc merchandise.

I like the idea. It can be set up checkbook style so you are teaching responsibilty and practical experience.

Thoughts?

Your ideas for behavior mgmt?

Re: Behavior Mgmt - Secondary Level

It sounds fun but I would be hesitant to take money away for going to the bathroom, nurse, etc. (Although I know that some kids take advantage and just want to get out of class.)

Re: Behavior Mgmt - Secondary Level

I like your idea, very creative.

In my class, participation counts as 10% of the grade, so if a student acts up, talks out of turn, comes in late, etc...a point will come off of that part of their grade.

I'm always looking for new ideas though!

Re: Behavior Mgmt - Secondary Level

One thing that I found to be great (not sure if you can do this in business if you have computers in the room with you) is to set the classroom up in a "V" That way they are looking towards the board, but also can see each other for discussions and the teacher can walk to the back of the classroom.

I also sat the kids in alphabetical order - it helped me learn names fast and it keeps friends more or less apart.

If you see kids talking, just walk over towards them - it usually stops them.

Don't sweat the small stuff - I never really cared about quiet note passes - if they were completely noticable, I would just take it and throw it away without missing a beat.

Bonus points are a great idea. I knew someone who would give pluses and minuses and if you had more pluses at the quarter end, he added it to their quarter score (maybe it was 3 pluses = 1 point?)

Positive reinforcement!

I have to say that I'm missing HS now!!!

Re: Behavior Mgmt - Secondary Level

I really like the checkbook idea. However, I have to agree that I don't think I could take off points for using the bathroom or going to the nurse.

I give out 3 index cards with their name on it, and if they have to use the bathroom, they give me the card in exchange for the pass. After the 3 times though, then I could see charging them the points.

Re: Behavior Mgmt - Secondary Level

I think that's a cute idea--especially in a business class. I personally, would be very unlikely to use this practice, however.

1. Honestly, it's a little too cutesy for me.
2. I am not exactly the model of organization, and I would lose control of all of the checkbooks, "bucks," etc.
3. It seems very difficult to maintain consistency with this practice...again, I'm no Mrs. Organization. This would fall apart for me by November if I'm being generous!
4. Time consuming. You'd have to stop class and ask for the checkbook of every kid in every class that is using the bathroom or chewing gum or talking, etc? Couldn't that be a dozen times on some days?

Again, I like its practical use, but it wouldn't be my style.

I deal with discipline in a straightforward way. As a PP said, if you walk next to a student involved in a conversation or drawing or writing notes, it usually stops the behavior. Typically though, in my classrooms, there wasn't much room to manuever, so I would literally just stare into the eyes of a student "misbehaving." I would teach the class directly to that person. It got really uncomfortable for him/her within seconds and they soon stopped.

If I didn't like a student's behavior on a given day, I would talk to them after class. "What's going on?" Etc. The next step would be a disciplinary referral, call to the parents, or whatever.

As far as visits to the bathroom--I pick my battles. As long as a student isn't leaving 5x a period, who am I to say they don't have to go to the bathroom? If he/she is a "troublemaker," it's nice to get them out for a few minutes anyway!

Good luck!

Re: Behavior Mgmt - Secondary Level

Posted by Eireann

If I didn't like a student's behavior on a given day, I would talk to them after class. "What's going on?" Etc. The next step would be a disciplinary referral, call to the parents, or whatever.

As far as visits to the bathroom--I pick my battles. As long as a student isn't leaving 5x a period, who am I to say they don't have to go to the bathroom? If he/she is a "troublemaker," it's nice to get them out for a few minutes anyway!