Ok, first of all, it’s my birthday. Yes, I know. I am one year older and probably not any wiser. Happy Bird-day to me.
Second of all: school stuff. You know how some groups of kids are lovely and make you want to go to work, excited with the idea of sharing new things with them? And some groupsof kids are terrifically naughty and make you want to drink copious amounts of adult beverages or hide in bed, pretending to be a blanket. That’s the class I had this year: naughties. Some were nice, but most were naughty. So this guest post from Jackie at Third Grade’s a Charm is right up my alley!
Hey Guys! I’m Jackie from Third Grade’s a Charm, and I’m so, so happy to be here guest blogging for Chrissy! I’d love for you to come over and check out my blog, so consider this your personal invitation!
When I started teaching (and even before) I was probably most worried about classroom management. I’m really a very soft-spoken person, and I wasn’t sure how that would translate into a management style. However, I’ve been really pleased (and even a little surprised) at how well that aspect of my teaching has gone. My students’ behavior is always one of the things I’m most proud of! When I taught kindergarten, I saw parents and grandparents daily. They could see with a glance how their child’s day went (behavior wise), and I could easily communicate with them if I had any concerns!
In third grade, it wasn’t that way. We were in a different building, and that principal did not allow parents to come inside to wait for their children and pick them up. It made ending the day a bit quicker, but it made communicating with parents and families harder. Pros and cons, right? So I had to come up with some sort of solution…and that’s what I have to tell you about today!
I’m sure you’ve all seen the behavior clip charts all over the great blogs we follow. The thing that I love most about the clip chart is that it isn’t all about the negative! Kids have a chance to move up with their good, responsible choices! Of course there will be days when some of our kiddos make poor choices. But you can allow them to turn that all around and move back up the chart if they begin making smarter decisions! My biggest concern with using the clip chart was communicating with the kids’ families. How can I let them know about their child’s day?
This was my solution – a behavior bookmark. The front is printed with a table for the child to record his or her ending color for the day. There is also a column for daily teacher initials and parent initials. The back can be printed with a reminder of what each color represents.
A second option for using these bookmarks is to use them as a running record of students’ behavior. On Monday morning, after the parents have seen and initialed the bookmark from the previous week, hole punch the corner. You can keep the weekly records on a binder ring for each student (or just for those with unique behavior concerns). This could be useful for parent conferences if you have had ongoing behavior problems with any students.
I was in the market for a new clip chart to go with my new retro theme this year, so I created and uploaded a “Groovy Guys & Gals Behavior Clip Chart” It has the clip chart signs, parent notes, good choices (and poor choices) notes, an absentee clip holder (to make attendance a little quicker in the morning too) and bookmarks. So if you’re in the market for a new “retro” clip chart head on over to my TN shop or my TPT store!
Thanks again for having me as a guest blogger, Chrissy! And remember, you’re all invited to my blog! Stop by for a visit (and hopefully you’ll stay)! 🙂
Don't feel bad Chrissy, I had the naughties this year too! I had 49 all together, and MAYBE 10 were little angels 🙂 I used the clip chart too, and really liked it, but some of them even had to have their own folder to be signed EVERY DAY by teacher and parent! Hopefully we both have more lovelies this year!
Okay guys…I just realized I had not yet uploaded my clip chart to TN or TPT! It's been finished for a couple of weeks, but my husband has been on vacation so I haven't been blogging or adding to my store…oops! It is on there now…sorry if you looked and couldn't find it!! FYI…it's a tiny bit cheaper in my TN shop!
Don't feel bad Chrissy, I had the naughties this year too! I had 49 all together, and MAYBE 10 were little angels 🙂 I used the clip chart too, and really liked it, but some of them even had to have their own folder to be signed EVERY DAY by teacher and parent! Hopefully we both have more lovelies this year!
Fourth Grade Fanatics
Okay guys…I just realized I had not yet uploaded my clip chart to TN or TPT! It's been finished for a couple of weeks, but my husband has been on vacation so I haven't been blogging or adding to my store…oops! It is on there now…sorry if you looked and couldn't find it!! FYI…it's a tiny bit cheaper in my TN shop!
Clip Chart at TN
Hope you all enjoyed my post!!
Jackie
Third Grade's A Charm
Oh..and don't forget to grab your freebie above! Just click on the second picture of the bookmark!
Jackie
Third Grade's A Charm
Happy Birthday Chrissy!
And great post Jackie 🙂
Journey of a Substitute Teacher
Endless Pinabilities!