Privileges & Consequences: A Classroom Management Gem

My second year of teaching fifth grade was THE worst. I screamed. A LOT. My class was unruly I had no idea how to fit everything in and it seemed like everyday I was just trying to avoid complete and utter collapse. For example, all in that year: a kid held a pair of scissors up to another kid's throat, most of my supplies were stolen, a girl told me her friend brought a gun to school, I had to call CPS, and my best friend was the counselor because of all the girl drama I had going on. That, however, was my last year as a screamer. I might raise my voice in excitement, but screaming, for me, is a thing of the past. Luckily, I had a fantastic teacher a couple doors down and I came in on my break (we were year-round) to observe her and pick her brain. The best thing I learned from that was the privilege and consequence charts. Observe.

Day one, you introduce the privileges and consequences. She said the key was to make sure to made them something that you would be willing to enforce when it came to the consequences and make sure you do it the same way every time. So just cause the kid is perfect the other 179 days of the year, if he/she shouts out or talks above a whisper, he/she still goes on the consequence chart. I'll use my privileges and consequences:

Privileges
Level 1 (aka Single A - because I <3 baseball mine was all baseball themed): Everyone asks for everything. The only thing they can do on their own is breathe. Now, this might seem annoying, but you're training them so they don't do things like get up while you're talking. They stay here for 10 days or 2 weeks of school.

Level 2 (aka Double A): Students can use the following WITHOUT asking as long as the teacher is NOT teaching a lesson or giving directions:

• Classroom library
• Paper towel and facial tissue
• Pencil Sharpener
• Waste basket

Level 3 (Triple A): All of the previous privileges PLUS:

• Supply cart
• Paper

Level 4 (Major League): All of the previous PLUS:

• Hole punch
• Stapler
• Tape
• Water fountain

Level 5 (All-star): All previous PLUS:

• Restroom
• Games (when work is finished)

Now, you can adapt this based on what your students value. However, restroom is usually best as the top privilege because most kids covet that. The agreement is that they may use these privileges AS LONG AS YOU ARE NOT GIVING DIRECTIONS OR TEACHING A LESSON. That's important and you tell them that if they abuse the privileges, they lose them. Nowadays, I level the kids up by class because I only see them once a week. Back in the day, each kid moved up (and down) independently. You could also move them as a table if you wanted. The deal is, the kids spend two weeks at each level, once a kid gets through a week without getting past level one or two (depending on the teacher) of the consequence chart, that kid moves up.

It's a system though, and you need the consequences as much as the privileges.

Consequences

Level 1: Warning

We all make mistakes, forget, get excited, shout out, whatever. Even the most angelic kid will have a bad day. That's why level one is a warning.

Level 2: Now they get a time out based on their age. However, when I was in the classroom, they lost one day of recess and moved down one level on the privilege chart.

Level 3: Lose the rest of the week's recess (so if it's Wednesday after recess they lose Thursday & Friday; Wednesday before recess, you lose all three remaining days) and move down on the privilege chart. So if a kid makes it to Thursday, he/she only loses Friday. Now, if a kid got to level 3 on a Friday afternoon (when kids tend to be squirrely - he/she would lose the WHOLE next week, Monday-Friday). This helped me because I didn't have to worry about which kids still owed me time. Everyone either had a week's worth or none at all come Monday morning. As a specialist, level 3 is that the kids sits out for the whole class period.

Level 4: Contact home and another drop on the privilege chart. Notice I say "contact," not call. Most of my parents that awful year did not have working numbers, so a note would go home with the kid. If it didn't come back signed, the kid lost recess until it came back. If that meant the rest of the year, so be it. You keep it and it's a record that you contacted home. This way, when the parent is wondering why her kid isn't doing so well, you can bring out all the level 4 notices that were signed. Calling is best and you should log that in your parent contact log, but if you can't, this is a good alternative. Paper trails are important and cover you as a teacher. Now that I'm a specialist, level 4 is a referral, cause, come on, 4 consequence chart moves in 50 minutes? Really?

Level 5: Any additional measures as necessary

This is the level that strikes fear into the hearts of kids. It's mysterious and foreboding. You can make up whatever you want on this level. Parent conference, referral, lost computer privileges, whatever. If a kid makes it to this level, he/she is at your mercy. 

When a kid gets on the consequence chart, I have it on my whiteboard and he/she just writes his/her initials on the proper level. KIDS NEVER ERASE THE CONSEQUENCE CHART. This way if you see a kid with eraser in hand, you know that kid is up to no good. The kid just initials in the level 1 box, then again in level 2 if necessary and so on.

When I was a classroom teacher, the kids used their numbers and moved those accordingly. Additionally, you can keep a log and have the kids write their offenses in it. I could keep track, but this might help if you have a particularly unruly class. Other choices might be to separate a kid from the group, although never in the front because that just gives the kid more attention. I find apology letters don't work too well, but they make great documentation if you want that to be a level.

Always remember, it's never too late to start something new OR to start over. Sometimes, you have to go back to those 10 days at the first level. Kids are like adults. They like freedom and privilege and this system puts the accountability back on them. I saw my stress level go WAY down when I started doing this. However you HAVE to be willing to stick with the consequences. NO SECOND OR THIRD WARNINGS. This is the hardest thing to get used to. 

Here's what this might look like in action (as much as I can in words):

"Ladies and gentlemen, you will be working on your writing for the next 20 minutes. While you're working, you are to be at or below a whisper. You are to work independently. If you become a distraction, if it even LOOKS like you're talking, you will move on the consequence chart."

You go to conference with a kid and Joey leans over to talk to Sherry.

"Joey, move yourself on the consequence chart for talking to Sherry."

Joey: But, I...

"It looked like you were talking and I said if it even LOOKED like you were talking you'd move on the consequence chart. Keep your eyes on your own paper."

You get right back to work conferencing with that first kid. If Joey whines and goofs at the board, he moves another level. You are no longer part of the equation. The kids decide if they get on that chart or not. You'll notice within the first week after that initial 10 days that the kids will get it right away as long as you're serious and don't say, "If you do that again..."

Walking in line: I expect you to have your hands in front of you, at your side, or behind you. Your voice is off so you can hear directions in case of an emergency.

Joey talks. 

Joey, consequence chart when we get back for talking in line.

No yelling or shouting or lecturing. Simple as that. Nowadays our smartphones don't leave our sides so you just make a note, "Joey - talking in line." If he forgets, remind him when you get back to class.

If you have questions or comments about this, please leave them in the comments below. I hope you give this a try and you find it helps deal with the stress you might feel in your classroom.

The Beginning

I love to teach. I'm a born teacher. That's not my ego talking. It's just the kind of person I am. From when I was young, I delighted in seeing people learn new things. Heck, I love learning new things. I've been an official, license-carrying teacher for 7 years now, although I subbed that first year I had my license. So I've had a classroom of my own full time for 6 years. I started in fifth grade. Two years were spent there. Then I spent about a month in second grade before redistribution sent me to third grade. Glorious third grade where the attitudes are still mysteriously absent and they LOVE to make their teacher happy, but they're reading chapter books and asking questions like, "Is Santa real?" After that I applied for a position labeled "writing/technology" at a school I would soon come to call home. That oddly flown position became mine and I've treasured nearly every day of it. The last couple years though, I've seen other teachers, mostly new teachers, a few seasoned vets with difficult classes, struggle with a lot of the things I've struggled with in the past. I got very lucky my second year and found myself with a particularly skilled teacher who I milked for all she was worth. After all, teaching is mostly about stealing ideas from each other right?

This last couple years though, I've run into a conundrum. As teachers, we spend a lot of time alone. We rarely get the chance to share our ideas with one another and plan things. By the same token, we're expected to be superheros and we rarely feel comfortable asking for help particularly when it comes to things like classroom management or curriculum. Heaven forbid we even appear weak and admin will bring the axe down on us. So, we keep quiet and suffer and scream at our students out of frustration. I've seen my colleagues and friends deal with this. They cry in their rooms, punch holes in things, cry in the staff lounge, cry at the bar, cry on the copier, curse up and down, cry in the car and it makes me sad. It makes me sad that it's looked on as a sign of weakness to say, "Help me." In some cases, I think we start to believe screaming and yelling is the only recourse we have. If we just scream enough, loud enough, long enough, they'll finally get it and stop talking RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY DURING MY MATH LESSON. Boy HOWDY have I been there too. I spent the majority of my second year of actual teaching crying and crying and crying over some boys I referred to as "The Magnificent Seven." They feared NOTHING and wanted NOTHING (til the consequence & privilege charts came along).

Here's the thing, it's kind of poor form to go to your colleague or friend and say, "Hey your kids don't have to hang from the rafters. Let me help you." Yet, I can't take seeing teacher after teacher cry and wring their hands because they feel they can't do anything about their unruly class. So, my thought was, what if you could steal ideas, tested ideas, and ask questions, but no one really knew who you were? Maybe, just maybe, that would help. So here it goes:

This is my blog where I'll post things I've stolen, things other people have stolen, but not just random ideas, things that have worked and stood the test of time. If a real teacher hasn't touched it, I won't post it. Sure, it's not the same for every class, but I have a few things that have stood through some pretty nasty, rough classes that have worked.

My first post, which will be separate from this intro, will be about my favorite classroom management strategy. Now, if you happen to work with me and you happen to read this and you'd like to see it in action, PLEASE ASK!! I will always be more than happy to do that (and it can be our little secret). If you're at your wits end, you're ready to quit teaching, please don't. Most of us give up within the first 5 years for very good reason. Teachin' ain't easy.