Transcript

This is the way that I manage my whole class sense of discipline, and also an individual's sense of discipline as well. And for me personally I need something that's very simple, that I know as a teacher I can be very consistent with and that I will not fall down on, because I think in terms of classroom management, the kids need to see it that way. It's simple, it's straightforward, they're able to understand it and the teacher will be consistent with it. So, since I began teaching I've always used a simple points system, I have a number line in the class that's visible to the kids, and I talked to the students on the first day of school about how when we work together in class, when we follow the class expectations which are pretty simple and laid out for the students, that we can earn points for the class, they can earn points individually, by doing the right thing, and they can also earn points collectively. And so some examples of behaviours that might earn points for the students at the beginning of school when I'm establishing routines would be things like transitions from the carpet to desks, if students go without getting completely off task, a certain amount of off task is what one would expect in first or second grade, but if they go in a reasonable way, that can earn say five points for the class. If they are working well in groups, that can earn points for the class. If we're walking semi-quietly down the hall, that could earn points for the class. And I would say one of the most powerful things is that individual behaviour can also earn points for the class. So if a student drops something and another student just picks it up and gives it to them, I might stop for a moment and say you just earned three points for the class, and that's a really, really engaging way to get students thinking about being kind to each other, being helpful, doing the right thing without having to be told; it's a very motivating thing for students. 

I can take points away as well, of course. So if students are not doing the right thing, not individually, but as a group. So if I send them from the carpet to their desks and a lot of meandering takes place or kids get really off task, I can say you didn't earn points that time, you actually lost points, and I can take away points. So, what we're actually building towards in terms of the points is our goal is always to get to 100 points. And what happens when the students get to 100 points varies year to year. When I used to teach fifth grade I would give students a ghost story and I would tell them the ghost story myself. In first and second grade, what they love more than anything is activity time, where they get to play in the classroom. So I tell the students on the first day of school that no matter what we're doing, when we get to 100 points, we stop, it could be in the middle of a math lesson, it could be in the hallway, it rarely is but it could be, we stop and they have activity time. 

And it is hugely motivating; when we get to 100 points they erupt into cheers and I allow that celebration because it's very exciting for them. And when they get to those 100 points, I take them and I put them in the bank, and when they accumulate 1000 points which takes most of the year, at the end of the year we have a pizza party. And in the pizza party we invite special guests, whoever they want to invite, family, favourite teachers from the school, always the principal and the assistant principal. And it's our year end celebration. So it gives a sense of community throughout the year, something that we're building towards every day. It's a huge positive reinforcement tool from me, and the thing that I like the most about it is that I'm not giving them something material for behaving or for doing the right thing, what I'm giving them is that good feeling that comes along with doing the right thing, and when they get to 100 points what they have earned is a collective experience that they really enjoy. And then the end I throw in the pizza party because I'd be doing that anyway. So currently the students are at 78 points, which is starting to get very close to 100 so I feel a sense of excitement building in the class, and they work very hard for those last points. Particularly when we get to 99, that one point becomes really hard to earn, and they work hard for it.