Relationships are key!
Classroom management and behavior strategies are a crucial part to maintaining a successful classroom. Management in a classroom is directly linked to motivation, discipline and respect. I will come to class prepared with many more activities than needed, so that my students will be less likely to goof off or be distracted. I will have set rules in my classroom and will establish them at the beginning of the year. It is important that the rules be clearly laid out and easily understandable. My rules would include being respectful to others, both adults and fellow students, exhibiting proper classroom behaviors, and having an outlined chain of discipline that would be followed. I will need to teach and model these rules to the students. I will encourage positive behavior in my classroom. If students go out of their way to make a student feel special, I want to be sure to reward this. I also want to motivate my students to behave well towards one another and to be kind. It is critical for elementary students to learn the rules and ways of a classroom. I will also want to teach them how to be lifelong learners. I will want to make learning fun and enjoyable for my all students. I will not find it effective to single individual students out when disciplining but will work towards classroom goals to help motivate positive behavior. In my classroom I will have a chart or sticker system that will give the students a visual on their behavior.
Token Economy
Token economy is used to reinforce a positive behavior that you want to replace an inappropriate behavior. The student or the group of students that the strategy is being used for earn points when the targeted behavior does not occur. These points add up and eventually can be used to get some sort of reward that has already been discussed between the teacher and student(s). I will use a token economy for whole-class situations and also individual student situations. This system has been found to be very effective especially when used to change a student's behavior. Especially as a special education major, I am going to be working with students with lots of different behavior problems. The token economy is a good way to monitor these behaviors. I also like the idea of a token economy because it can so easily be individualized for specific student needs.
self-monitoring
Self-monitoring is a strategy used to help a student play a role in the changing of a target behavior. I really like the idea of students self-monitoring their targeted behaviors. This forces students to be aware and take responsibilities for their actions. For some students, they might not even realize that they are acting in an undesirable way as often as they are. Self-monitoring will bring this to their attention and, hopefully, reduce the targeted behavior in the meantime.
Chose-Based instruction
Choice-based instruction is a strategy used that allows students to have a choice. A plan is made between the student and the teacher that allows the student to pick from two or three preferred activities after they have completed a less preferred activity. The student may have picture cards representing the activities that the teacher shows them when their work is completed. The student picks one and tells the teacher what they will do. I think I can really see myself using choice-based instruction in my future classroom. It's a great way to get to know a student this way. You get to see what they like and how they choose to spend their time.
Self-Management
Self-management is an important way to manage students behaviors! Linked below is a youtube video that explains throughly what self-mangament is.