Class Contract: At the beginning of every year, my students and I discuss the classroom behaviors that WE think are important for our classroom. We often discuss how it is our responsibility to make each other feel comfortable in our classroom. We stress that it is alright to make mistakes and take risks. It is also acceptable to disagree/correct others, as long as it is done with respect. Respect is taught and expected, each day!
Ticket drawing: In our classroom, when students are "caught" following our classroom expectations or acting as a positive role model, they will be awarded a ticket to put into our class bucket! On Friday, I will choose 3 lucky winners. I like this approach because students are recognized for the positive behaviors that they show daily. Also, each student has a chance to win on Fridays! Some of the "prizes" that students can win include: stealing the teacher's desk for the day, Dunkin Donuts delivery, lunch bunch in our classroom, special pens for the day, 5 minutes of free sharing time, etc.
Homework: I try my best to limit the amount of homework that I send home each night. In Math, students will be expected to complete 3-5 problems of the math homework (assigned in class). They will also be expected to read for 20 minutes every night. Please remember-- students should be reading something that they LOVE. This should, by no means, be a chore! If students do not complete homework at home, they will have an opportunity to start it during our morning work time, and they can finish it at recess (5 minutes, max).
Homework/Rule Violations--> Loss of Recess: I try my best not to keep students from their recess time. They need this time to run, play, and socialize with their friends. With that being said, if it is necessary, I will ask students to miss a small portion of their recess (5 minutes, max) if they did not complete homework or they are violating our classroom contract. This allows us to discuss the importance of being a respectful, responsible citizen in our classroom community. We value our classroom contract, as it promotes the best environment for LEARNING!
PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions & Support)
What is PBIS: PBIS focuses on school-wide discipline that include proactive strategies for defining, teaching, and supporting appropriate student behaviors to create positive school environments. Instead of each teacher having his/her own behavior plans, PBIS is a continuum of positive behavior support for all students within a school, which is implemented in areas including the classroom and non-classroom settings (such as hallways, buses, and restrooms).
Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is a proactive approach which allows all students in a school to achieve social, emotional and academic success. Attention is focused on creating and sustaining primary (school-wide), secondary (classroom), and tertiary (individual) systems. The basis for our classroom contract & tickets come from the school-wide PAWS expectations. Click on the links below to see the school-wide expectations.