Classroom Behavior Management

Classroom management is always so much fun...

The school-wide theme this year is LEGOLAND. I wish I was here last year, the theme was Disney World. I mean who doesn't love Disney World? Especially those of us missing the second week of school for a Disney World vacation. Bad timing, but I'm so excited! Did I mention I'm from Southern California and, therefore, spent many days at Disneyland? And now we're in Florida and I'm so excited for Disney World. This is actually my second trip to Disney World, but my husband and mother-in-law's first. I got to go right after we moved here with my parents because what else do you do when you're in a new state and your husband is underway/deployed? I guess I'm just a big kid at heart because I love it!

Anyway, I'm coming to terms with LEGOLAND and trying to figure out how to incorporate it into my classroom. I've never been a fan of legos and I've never been to LEGOLAND. I have recently looked at their website many times a day to get ideas. Of course, my husband was ecstatic when I mentioned that I needed to figure out lego themed ideas. He wants me to do my whole room in Star Wars legos, but I'm not on board with that idea. So right now, I'm just trying to slowly integrate legos into my classroom decor.

With that said, I have seen many people use Mr. Potato Head as their class behavior management system. And then it came to me... Lego Man!

I'm really hoping this works with PBS, since I know PBS, but have never taught in a PBS school. I really like positive reinforcement, in place of negative reinforcement. That was really ingrained in my mind when I worked in the special needs classroom. You'll get such a better reaction from your class when you compliment those on task, instead of calling out the same students for not being on task. I want them to work extra hard for compliments from other teachers in the school to earn pieces of Lego Man. Also, I'm going to introduce him before I leave for vacation to give them incentive to listen and behave for the substitute while I'm gone. Cross your fingers that it works. :)

Morgan