Thursday, August 18, 2011

clip chart cuties.

I am psyched that we're moving away from the card system this year.  You know the one...construction paper strips in a pocket and once the kid gets away with enough warnings {which varies based on whose class you're in} then they have to pull the green card out and they're on yellow...to red to blue to whatever you choose.  5 greens in a week = treasure box.  You know the drill.  We've had the same system forever and it's worked well but I was ready for a break.  And yay yay, it's my favorite day becaaaaaause we're switching!

Our school has adopted the clip chart system instead.  And while I'm not saying you're a horrible teacher if you still use the color cards {hello, I used it the past 7 years} this one has way more benefits.  For example, you know that precious little lovie in your class whose name you can't remember for the first two weeks of school because you never have to redirect her?  Well, with this system, she gets to move, too.  UP.  Up for good behavior, down for not so good.  And wait for it...you can move more than once!  Mind boggling.

Ok, so maybe I exaggerate a little but I really do think there's more freedom with this system.  Kids are more motivated to do better because they can advance back and fix their mistakes and the kids who never get in trouble don't have to wait for Friday afternoon to be rewarded!  It's also a headache reliever for people like me who get sick of Treasure Box Friday Afternoons {you know, when parents pop in, extra announcements are being made, the office calls for early dismissal, assemblies are scheduled and the apocolypse takes place}.

We have some freedom within our own classrooms to praise and punish as we wish.  I've chosen the classic 9 step program for my little learn-a-holics:

Pink: Superstar
earns a cape or crown {I love a sentence strip crown any day!}
*also received a jewel on their clip to make it extra blingy* 
Red: Fabulous
earns lunch or reading time with a friend
Orange: Rockin
earns treasure box
Yellow: Good
earns candy jar or gumball
Green: Ready to learn
earns a sticker or tattoo if moving back up
Light Blue: Warning
earns the chance to fix-it 
Dark Blue: Cool Down
earns a few minutes in the cool down corner
Purple: Parent Contact
earns an email or phone call home
Black: Office Referral
earns a trip to see the principal

I also backed each one with cute scrapbook paper in the appropriate color.  {red has sparkly apples and orange has slick pencils...those are my favorites!}  Now that I've had this in place for a while, here's an update: I hung them vertically in that order near the bathroom by stapling just the middle and leaving the edges free.  My kids needed some help {even with a stool} once they got up above Fabulous but they loved needing to ask me "Can you move me up to Superstar?!"  I also made a hall of fame in the hallway so when the students got 5 jewels on their clip they got to move it out there and start a new one!

Get your own adorable grahics {here}.

And get your own 9 step-program {here} complete with 2 sample parent letters.

12 comments:

  1. These are really cute! Thanks so much for sharing!

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  2. Love this! I think I may change my chart tomorrow on my last workday! Thank you for sharing! :)
    Cheryl
    Crayons and Curls

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  3. I'm making a chart out of thick flat cardboard--12" by 36 by 1/2". I am gluing 2-3 sheets of cardboard together, making the bottom layer just slightly smaller so that there is room to actually clip the clothes pins on the chart. Then I will glue construction paper &/or tissue paper onto each section. Then I will use picture hangers or magnets to hang it up in my classroom...I plan on using the colors of the rainbow and starting at the bottom with Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet. I am so used to "Red" being the sad or bad card, it will be hard for me to switch to red being on the top. So instead it will be on the bottom with blue and purple being my highest colors. I think I will remember this better..

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  4. Very cute! I have been making ribbons with cute toppers to hang common core standard posters/class rules. Maybe they would work for this, too! I can make them custom for just about any classroom theme. They are on my sidebar at http://whatsthebuzzinfirst.blogspot.com I would love for you to come check them out!

    Jaime

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  5. Awesome! Love this idea! I am a first year kindergarten teacher and have been desperately trying to find a good discipline system that is NOT the traditional color card system.
    Thanks!!

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  6. My behavior chart is a little like this. They all start on a smiley face and then can go up to a smiley face with stars or down to a straight line face, a frowny face, or an "uh-oh" face. Yours is so cute though I might have to change! I punched a hole in the top and hung it on my pocket chart stand with a shower curtain hanger.

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  7. I'm a little confused about how they are being rewarded. They wear a crown? What about consequence? No recess lost time?

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  8. This is super cute!!!! I love the concept of being rewarded also. I have used a clip system the last two years but there wasn't an area to go up...love it!!!

    Miss. Foehser

    http://leapingthroughkindergarten.blogspot.com/

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  9. I am going to try the clip chart this year. Is there any way you could share the parent letter that you share with your parents about this system? Thanks. I love your blog!!!

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    Replies
    1. Absolutely! It's in a packet with other my-school-related items so let me make a separate one tonight and I'll add it tomorrow! :) P.S. Become an official follower {on the left} and you won't miss a thing!

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    2. Ok! It's up! :) You can go to the original site or my homepage. Either way it'll get you to my TPT store where it's included in the packet. Great idea...and thanks for reading!! :)

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  10. love the clip art!! Thank you :)

    marislappe.blogspot.com

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Thanks for the comments! {like virtual hugs}

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