Cool Classroom Management Tricks: Are You Using Them?9

Cool Classroom Management Tricks: Are You Using Them?9

Try
these fresh classroom management tips and tricks with your class - they
do work! Tell us about your experience with them in the comments, I
would love to hear your thoughts!
Classroom Coupons

Why not create coupons to give as rewards for good behavior, special
efforts, good work? Coupons could be for eating with the teacher, a
night off from homework, having lunch with another class, moving one's
desk to a preferred spot, etc. Coupons are a fun way to reward.

Compliment Box
Have a special box for just compliments. Encourage students to write a
compliment when they catch a classmate doing something nice. At the end
of each day, read each note aloud and then give the notes to each
student who was complimented. This tactic can build up students'
self-esteem. You might want to keep a list of those who receive notes in
order to make sure that each student gets a note from time to time.
Payday
To make this technique work, you must have a pocket folder for each
student. On the first day of a two-week period, students are given a set
of homemade money, cut and stapled in a durable envelope with their
names on the front. Students will, initially, write their names on the
back of the money. Set up a system of values.
Students can lose money for the following reasons:
S.R___ no pencil
S.R___ no homework
S.R___ chewing gum
S.R___ eating in class
S.R___ running in the hall
Students can earn money for the following reasons:
S.R___ a clean desk
S.R___ a good grade
S.R___ bringing homework
S.R___ being helpful
Adjust rules as you wish. Have an end-of-the-period sale. Provide small
items that the students can purchase such as stickers, books, pencils,
etc., or even a no-homework night.

Reward at No Cost
]If you do not want to always buy things as rewards, here are a few reward ideas that do not cost anything.
be first in line
draw on the board
use the computer
no-homework-night pass
go to the library
be the teacher helper
do work at the teacher's desk
move desk to another place
read to a younger class or student
have extra center time
operate the projector
go to another room for lunch
Zip the Lips
Make a large set of lips, complete with zipper. Cue in your students
that when you make a zip motion over the lips, the meaning is the
following: "Zip your lips." In other words, get quiet!
Fishing on Friday
Want to have good behavior during the week? One way to encourage
following rules is to have a special surprise. Obtain two small fish
bowls. Label the bowls, one bowl for the girls and one bowl for the
boys. At the end of the week, have a drawing for both the boys and
girls. Place the students' names in the appropriate bowl if a student
was good for the week and followed all the rules. Have some type of
special treat for the week's winner.
Smile Face Reminder
Sometimes it is hard to remember to smile. Make a large smiley face and
suspend it from the ceiling. When you notice it, it will be a great
reminder to stay positive.
Be Human
Students need to know that teachers are human, too. Everyone makes
mistakes, even the teacher. Sometimes it is effective to deliberately
make a mistake in order to let the students react and correct! When
using this approach, be careful that you do not let students get away
with being disrespectful. Students respect is a necessary component of
good teaching.
Silent Signals and Signs
Silent signaling to your class is always a plus. To silently signal to
students that they should stop talking, create a signal light. Put up
the red signal when they are too noisy and need to be quiet. Put up the
yellow signal when they can talk and share in low voices. Use the green
signal for saying talking is all right, if money is no problem, purchase
a small stoplight through a teacher supply company.

Other proven methods involve using hand signals. A thumbs up can mean
"excellent" or "I'm proud of you." Work with your students to develop
signs. This can be a fun way to talk about people who are deaf and how
they communicate with each other.