Behaviour 'boards' To Inspire...

[Guest]

Hi everyone,

 

I was wondering if anyone had some good ideas about managing behaviour in Reception. I know that well resourced areas and thoughtful planning of childrens interests will minimize behavioural problems but I really want to get the message right from day 1 in september.

 

I did see a post here a while ago which talked about using shiny things and CDs. I think the children built up a collection of shiny things with their good behaviour which they stuck on thier CDs on the wall...does this sound like im crazy? or does anyone know what im talking about?!!!

 

any other ideas would be fab...I really wanted something that would be interesting and a bit different that would inspire the children...

 

Many thanks

[Guest LornaW]

Hi Pineapple9

 

Ok let me be up front and open I really do not like any kind of behaviour board for any age but especially not for very young children. I would go as far as to say it is like a humiliation poster even if it is smiley faces etc there is always someone ahead and someone behind and while I know children need to learn about competition at this very early agge I do not see this as appropriate.

 

I have in my time worked in some very challenging areas and believe me with challenging children and thier parents - I was almost pinned to the wall in my office one by a very angry parent thanks goodness for the school secretary!!!

 

I have found that from day one you teach the children what is and what is not acceptable and what the consequenses will be if we don't keep to our rules. I have found that Conflict Resolution is the best way to be fair to all and the 6 steps involved mean no one over reacts without investigating - it is too easy to blow your top tell a child off and then find out that it was not as it seemed. For me this is when children feel they are unfairly treated and you then get children behaving as they think the adults expect them to behave be it good or bad.

 

I found this Betsy Evans work and very helpful http://www.kidsandconflict.com/ and also Alfie Kohn http://www.alfiekohn.org/index.php when developing an effective and fair system in school.

 

I have tried all sorts and for some years worked on the Jenny Mosely principles and golden time but found that this was not as effective as by Friday many children had forgotten why they had lost minutes which is why I looked for something that had an intrinsic motivation.

 

A long rambling answer and perhaps not what you are looking for but I just had to put acrtoss my view!

 

Good luck and I am sure with your enthusiasm you won't have many behaviour problems.

 

Lorna

[Guest]

I have been wondering about this too.

 

At the moment we have stickers, which I know some people don't like, but I find the children love them. We give them for all sorts: effort, kindness, helpfulness, doing something well - 'work' or behaviour, listening well, etc, and of course this all varies from one child to another. Most children love them on their sweatshirts, although a pair of twins I had last year liked to have their stickers for 'good work' on their work (where possible - obviously not all 'work' is on paper). They don't always get a sticker though (especially if they ask for one!) and I try to make a point of using verbal praise instead at times. If the class are praised as a whole (such as by the head for all walking in nicely from playtime), I use those opportunities to emphasise the value of being told you have done something well, and that they shoud be just as proud as had they been given a sticker.

 

Anyway, I guess I'm rambling as I don't know if there's another way I could or should be doing things. I suppose as we haven't (yet!) had any major problems, the system is working. If children aren't behaving as they should then they sit out for a few mins and then I talk to them about why they were there, but I don't have to do this very often.

 

Sorry for hijacking the original post x

[Guest]

Hi there

 

Would just like to stick my two penneth in! I am in agreement with Lorna W. I don't think they really work and in a school there is always inconsistencies across the classes about who gives a star for what - and it doesn't matter how many hours you spend in your staff meetings agreeing a policy!

 

As a consultant I visit many schools and my view has changed since I was a head of my own school. we used to have reward badges and golden time (pegs on the clouds and the sun). On reflection I don't think the system helps the children that need it the most.

 

One thing we did have that worked really well was a 'Pride Board'. It wasn't for good work or good behaviour necessarily but for something someone had done or said that made the class proud of them.

 

The problem with a behaviour reward system is that the 'good' children either get loads of stickers or none (because they are always good) and what a child who struggles gets a sticker for, a more well behaved child wouldn't. So you are confirming to children that there are different rules for different children.

 

when we started the Pride Board system the teacher used to decide. Then we opened it up for class discussion and nomination - this had to be handled sensitively but was a VERY powerful model for peers influencing their peers.

 

When you were it, you got a certificate and your 'adult' was invited in to Whoop in the corridor with your teacher. For those children who were always in trouble, or not academic, it was a great self esteem boost.

 

My favourite was a boy called Harry Swift in Year 2 who was on the Pride Board because his teacher (Miss Hunt) had tripped over her trainers in PE and fallen over (oh the shame!) The class were proud of him because he was the ONLY one who didn't laugh and went to help her up.

His certificate said 'Class 6 are proud of Harry Swift for being the only one not to laugh when Miss Hunt fell over in PE' Every adult who passed the board had a good old laugh though!

 

Oh and we used to put their photo by their certificate so even our non-readers could see who had made us proud - often helped to dismiss some of the 'reputations' that can be created!!

 

Hope this helps

 

 

Alistair

ABCDoes...

Blog - abcdoes.typepad.com

Web - abcdoes.com

[Rufus]

I am in agreement, I don't go for behaviour systems. I feel that these should be used in only a few situations.

I set my boundaries from day one. All children know that if they do something wrong there will be consequences.

For those that don't want to conform, immediately removing something that matters to them works wonders for me.

I also let my children know that I can't stand it when they lie to me. If they tell me the truth I always praise them for this even if I follow it by dishing out a punishment for previous behaviour. I will also follow this honesty up at the end of the day during reflection time and make sure all their peers know that they were brave enough to tell the truth.

[Inge]

Hi there

 

Would just like to stick my two penneth in! I am in agreement with Lorna W. I don't think they really work and in a school there is always inconsistencies across the classes about who gives a star for what - and it doesn't matter how many hours you spend in your staff meetings agreeing a policy!

 

The problem with a behaviour reward system is that the 'good' children either get loads of stickers or none (because they are always good) and what a child who struggles gets a sticker for, a more well behaved child wouldn't. So you are confirming to children that there are different rules for different children.

 

 

Alistair

ABCDoes...

Blog - abcdoes.typepad.com

Web - abcdoes.com

 

really must totally agree with this... I never used stickers and similar for one very personal reason.. my son.

 

he was one of those 'good' children who never got anything , he was always good so there was no improvement in behaviour to warrant one! I was called into school to discuss his behaviour.. he had become very disruptive and causing problems in class... not his usual self, all the usual anything changed at home, try to find a reason, after all school was still the same so it had to be outside! So I asked him.. and he told me he wanted a sticker and the only way to get one was to be 'naughty' and then when he stopped he got one.. and it worked.. so my 4yr old had worked all this out himself.. a bright spark he is.. took a while to teach him it was not the way to get the attention, and we eventually got it sorted with him.. back to a well behaved child at school... outside was something else.. but we always felt so long as he was Ok for others we were the ones he should/could play up with... boy did he..

 

so hence for me stickers were not the way to go.. we had rules and expectations, deal with each child individually and all staff had to be consistent.. that was the key for us.. and not to assume there will be issues before there are any... it may never happen...

 

Inge

[Guest]

One thing we did have that worked really well was a 'Pride Board'. It wasn't for good work or good behaviour necessarily but for something someone had done or said that made the class proud of them.

...

 

My favourite was a boy called Harry Swift in Year 2 who was on the Pride Board because his teacher (Miss Hunt) had tripped over her trainers in PE and fallen over (oh the shame!) The class were proud of him because he was the ONLY one who didn't laugh and went to help her up.

His certificate said 'Class 6 are proud of Harry Swift for being the only one not to laugh when Miss Hunt fell over in PE' Every adult who passed the board had a good old laugh though!

 

That's a lovely story and a lovely idea. I work as a supply teacher and this type of board is generally on display in the schools where bad behaviour isn't a major issue.

[Susan]

That's a lovely story and a lovely idea. I work as a supply teacher and this type of board is generally on display in the schools where bad behaviour isn't a major issue.

 

 

Proof of the pudding!

[Guest]

Thanks for all your replies, lots to think about here. I suppose I didnt really mean a behaviour board as such but more a way of celebrating the weird, wonderful and heart warming things that happen day to day, which could encompass so many things. I should have made that a bit clearer in my post.

 

The Pride Board sounds great- what lovely examples too. The Harry Swift story is great, and I can imagine the parents too! I had a little chuckle at the thought...

Edited August 19, 2010 by Guest

[Guest LornaW]

In one of the teachers tv videos for EYFs there is a celebration tree and children, parents teachers can all add a leaf to celebrate whatever it is they are rpoud of. a bit like alastairs board.

 

Inge I really do understand where you are coming from with your son. I have a son who had worked out not to work too hard or he had to do more practice pages in his maths book and he found that boring!!! Children are much more aware than we give them credit for.

 

For me as I said before intrinsic motivation is much more powerful than extrinsic motivation!

 

Lorna