Hey teachers, I’m all about keeping things simple and effective, especially when it comes to behavior management systems in my classroom.
I strongly believe that teachers need three simple behavior management systems in place in order to have a smooth running classroom: an individual system, a small group system and a whole group behavior management system. How many of these systems do you already have in your classroom? And are your systems simple enough for you to stay consistent?
I have a whole group behavior management system that I use in my classroom that is simple, effective and doesn’t cost me much money at all! Behavior management shouldn’t have to.
Why You Need a Whole Group Behavior Management System
A whole group behavior management system is the key to teamwork in your classroom. This system gets the whole class on the same page, working together as a team with a shared mission.
A whole group behavior management system ensures that every single student is accountable for their actions and it rewards positive behavior as a class. It fosters unity and shared responsibility for everyone’s success.
Details of My Whole Group Behavior Management System
Like I said, I keep things simple. So, I use marbles and a marble jar. Marbles and a marble jar aren’t new or fancy, but the key here isn’t what is being used, it’s how it’s being used. There are 3 key components in play to make sure this system works: have clear expectations, be consistent and specific, and student buy-in.
Choosing marbles as a visual representation of progress provides students with a tangible and engaging way to see their collective success, turning the abstract concept of behavior expectations into a colorful, concrete reality in the marble jar.
Long story short: When 100% of my students are following expectations, they earn an incentive that they voted on (that costs me little to nothing).
Component 1: Have Clear Expectations
You can’t expect your students to follow expectations if you are not being clear about what the expectations are. All day every day, you need to tell your students the expectations and be crystal clear about them. Bonus points if you not only say this aloud, but also have a visual of it. You need to make sure they understand both the learning expectations and the behavior expectations. Here are some things to think through and communicate with your students:
Learning Expectations
What are they working on?
What supplies do they need out?
What do they do if they need help?
What do they do when they are done?
Behavior Expectations
What is the voice level?
What do they do if they are having a problem?
What are the bathroom expectations?
How do they show respect in the classroom?
By consistently reinforcing these expectations, you create a classroom environment where clear communication becomes the cornerstone of a shared and thriving learning experience.
Component 2: Be Consistent and Specific
I only give my students a marble when 100% of them are following expectations. YES 100%- and I explain to them what 100% means because I always make sure to be crystal clear.
I’m not gonna lie… this can be DIFFICULT when you have that one student. But I make sure to have my expectations high and I don’t budge. (Consistency).
There will be times, even if they are brief, that 100% of your students, including that one student will be following expectations. And when it happens, reward it and be specific about why they earned the reward. Most likely, the other students will be extremely proud of that one student and give him or her positive motivation for helping out the class.
If you have that one student, it might seem “unfair” to your other students because they are being held back in earning an incentive. And this is precisely why you need all 3 behavior management systems in place. Regardless of that one student, every student can still earn incentives from the individual behavior management system and the small group behavior management system.
You also need to be specific with the feedback that you are giving your students, so they understand what it is that they are doing that is right, and they can do it again in the future.
Change this:
“Good job everyone!” *drops marble into the jar*
To this:
“Wow! The class is earning this marble because 100% of students are working at a voice level 0. That is the expectation and every single one of you is following it. Nice job”
Component 3: Student Buy-In
The only way any behavior management system works is with student buy-in. Your students need to want to work towards the incentive. Emphasizing student buy-in is crucial as it transforms the behavior management system from a set of rules to a shared goal, fostering a sense of ownership and collaboration among students.
I create this by letting my students vote on what incentive they will earn when they earn X number of marbles. Read about how my students vote on a class reward here and here is a list of 21 free classroom incentives that students actually like.
My students vote on the incentive before they start earning the marbles for it, that way they know exactly what they are working towards.
How Many Marbles Should I Use?
This part is up to you. You’ll want to think about the dynamics in your class and how often your students will need to feel that win.
Personally, I start the school year with a goal of 10 marbles, so that my students feel that first win pretty quickly. Then, I up it to 25 for the rest of the school year. As I make that change, I am hyping them up and telling them that I am impressed with how well they have been able to follow expectations, so I have no doubts they will be able to earn 25.
If we return to the scenario with that one student, you might want to make the goal smaller. That way, the class can still feel these wins often regardless of one student spoiling it for them. And you are still not budging on the expectation of 100% of students.
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